History of Ibadan Hero ADEGOKE ADELABU PENKELEMESI: Al

A meteor is like a shooting star. It sparkles, it dazzles, it
brightens up, but it is also a falling star. They are also like joy,
that has a slender body, that breaks so soon - Ayo abara bin
tin, as was depicted in Ola Rotimi’s epic play- The gods are
not to blame. A meteor rises fast and disappears at the
apogee (height) of its glory.
Birth
Joseph Sanusi Gbadamosi Adegoke Adelabu, born on the 3rd
of September 1915,died on the 25th of March, 1958, certainly
lived like a meteor and his rise was meteoric. He was Ibadan’s
most prominent politician of his time. He was born in Oke-
Oluokun, Ibadan, to Sanusi Ashiyanbi Adeyege Adelabu and his
mother was Awujola Ajoke, who died in 1920, when Adegoke
was still an infant.
HIS EARLY EDUCATION
Although born a Muslim, he was sent to a secular school- The
Saint Davids CMS Elementary School, Kudeti Ibadan, between
1925 and 1929 and the CMS Central School, Mapo Ibadan in
1930. He had double promotions in the elementary and
primary schools, he proceeded to the Government College
Ibadan, where he also had double promotion. He left
Government College in Form 4, and proceeded on a U.A.C
scholarship to Yaba Higher College, Yaba Lagos, in 1936,
which was then Nigeria’s only higher college.
Adelabu Adegoke had said of his educational exploits- “I had a
brilliant scholastic career, earning accelerated promotions on
three occasions in the elementary, primary and secondary
schools respectively. Despite this, I never took a second
position throughout my school days. Instead, I was always
several laps ahead of my runner up and not infrequently, saved
tutors from tight holes.”
He was perhaps the most brilliant scholar that had passed out
of the Government College, Ibadan. As was attested to by his
contemporary and colleague in Government College- Professor
Sabori Biobaku, who attested of his educational brilliance as
thus- “Adelabu was not much good at sports, although he
subsequently distinguished himself at the long distance
events, especially the half mile and mile races. It was in his
studies that he excelled. At the end of his second year, he
received a double promotion from class two to class four and
was top of that class from the first term till the end of his time
at the college. He was perhaps the brightest boy that
Government College Ibadan has ever produced.”
His head master at the Central School Mapo- Chief James
Ladejo Ogunshola was bereaved and Adegoke, despite being a
pupil, quickly came to the rescue by taking up the classes in
the absence of the bereaved headmaster. The headmaster, a
diarist, wrote in his diary of Wednesday, the 15th of February
1935-
“Master Adegoke Sanusi, an old boy of central School and a
pupil of Ibadan Government College who had been helping me
since Monday in the school also rendered help today; he took
my class in all the subjects for today” Adegoke was simply
non-pariel; he was in fact a genius. Despite all these academic
attainments, he also believed that the best of him had not
come, he said-
“I had everything to rejoice over, but I lamented. I was
successful, but I was dissatisfied. Happiness eluded me like
the miraculous mirage of the desert.” Despite being a studious
and serious student at the Yaba College and also on U.A.C
scholarship, he quit his studies according to him- “To prove
my mettle "


HIS UAC DAYS
He was instantly employed by the U.A.C, as its first African
Manager in the produce section and later the singlet factory
section of the Haberdashery department. He was in the U.A.C
for four years and later joined the civil service for seven years
in the cooperative department and eventually, for another five
years, was doing his own business as a private entrepreneur.
He later took sojourn in partisan politics, from where he rose
from comparative obscurity, into so strong a lime light, that he
had completely dazzled and baffled his opponents and
admirers.
ADELABU, THE POLITICIAN
At the first meeting with Adelabu, one would be easily amazed
about his strength, resourcefulness and also how he managed
to get his magnetic force with which he captured his followers
to the point of fanaticism. His admirers usually called him
“portable Ade” and you would also easily wonder, according to
him- “how my enemies would enjoy carrying a small keg of
explosives?” There was a common saying in Ibadan then that-
“if you do not know Adelabu, then you do not know any man
worthy of his name” To the native Ibadan man then, Adelabu is
the only “Omo Okunrin” or better still “Alagbara” (the strong
one). Adelabu, easily dazzled by his own accomplishments
had said “Despite an unparalled record of intellectual
achievements in the classroom, considerable success in
recreational games and athletic sports, respect from my
subordinates, encouragement from my masters, I had
everything to rejoice over, but I lamented, I was successful but
dissatisfied.” He had a steady and turbulent rise in politics. He
was a councillor, chairman of the Ibadan Divisional Council,
member of the Western House of Assembly and Federal
House of Representatives, on the platform of the NCNC,
Western Secretary of the NCNC and later rose steadily from
the rank and file of the everyday politician to hold the post of
Minister of Natural Resources and social services after the
Federal Election of 1954.
The story goes that during campaigns for election, while others
were talking themselves hoarse, Adelabu won over his
supporters with inspiring songs to which all and sundry danced
along the streets of his constituency. Adelabu reveled in the
pomp of the worshiped and did not intend to conceal his love
for their worship. As a restless and busy politician, he told a
journalist during a press interview- “I can only spare you a few
minutes”; and when he really got down to business, he refused
to sit down, and he said- “I talk better when walking about.”
Adegoke Adelabu admits egotism. In his book- “Africa in
Ebullition” he said- “I am a deliberate egotist. I do not regret it,
I do not apologize. My philosophy is that the world would be
much better and happier if we would only dare to be ourselves
completely instead of being faded copies of other unknown
and misunderstood mythical heroes.”
Adegoke Adelabu was ambitious and introspective. Once, he
shouted to an Ibadan crowd- “I am greater than Zik!” Not even
as a Federal Minister, did he show any inhibitions. He
converted his ministerial quarters- No 15, Alexander Road,
Ikoyi Lagos, to a meeting place of the Declass or the
Talakawas or the common man or the beggars.
Every morning, the drummers and praise singers he took to
Lagos from Ibadan, would wake up the elitist neighborhood of
Ikoyi, with drumming and singing, eulogizing the exploits of the
Ibadan great man and grass root politician. The Europeans or
“Oyinbos” in the neighborhood, protested vehemently against
this early morning nuisance and they also addressed a press
conference. Adelabu in his usual style, made a mince meat of
this protest, asking them to go back to their country, if they
did not like his style and that was the end of the protest.
As minister in the Federal Government, Adelabu was given an
official car. He took the car to his constituency in Ibadan and
summoned a meeting. After the meeting at his Oke-Oluokun
residence, he asked his constituents at the meeting to be

riding in the car in a group of four, from his Oke-Oluokun
residence in Ibadan, to Beere round about, to savour the joy of
ministerial ride. This audacious act hit the newspaper
headlines the following day- “Talakawas ride in ministerial
car”.
In 1956, Adelabu Adegoke left the Federal Parliament, soon
after; he faced a series of criminal charges, ranging from
bribery and corruption to disturbing the peace. From all these,
Adelabu emerged unblemished to continue his fight for the
down trodden.
During this trial, his admirers went on the street of Ibadan to
sing and eulogize him with the popular song-”Adelabu ma ko
owo wa na! Igunnu loni Tapa, tapo loni igunnu!” i.e. “Adelabu
steal our money the more! Igunni owns Tapa, Tapa owns
Igunni! “
MEETING NNAMDI AZIKWE
Adelabu’s first voyage into politics was at the meeting of an
NCNC mission led by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, who came to Ibadan
on a fund raising mission for the party. Adegoke listened to
the missionaries, donated four guineas, but did not join the
party as a card carrying member, until about five years later,
when Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was called again, with other party
members to help solve the Fijabi/Agbaje chieftaincy tangle.
Adegoke was one of the citizens who sailed forth to welcome
Dr. Azikiwe; but he did not stop there. When Dr. Nnamdi
Azikiwe got up to make his speech, Adegoke got up to
interpret the speech to the Yorubas.
The two prophets had met and there was no parting of ways
until death. Before Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe left Ibadan to Lagos,
they had formed the Ibadan Grand Alliance and Adegoke had
been appointed as its first secretary. A year later, he became
Vice President of the Western Committee of the NCNC and a
leading NCNC member in the Ibadan People’s Party, which
later merged with the NCNC. He did not find things easy.
Within his party, were a few elements with dual loyalties- to
the NCNC and the Egbe Omo Oduduwa, a cultural
organization.
On the 1st of December, 1951, Adegoke Adelabu, who had
described himself as-”A strong man and the political voice of
the west”, suffered a political master stroke. Five of the
elected members- 1. Chief A.M.A Akinloye. 2. Chief D.T
Akinbiyi. 3. Chief S. Owoola Lanlehin. 4. Chief Moyosore
Aboderin 5. Chief S.A Akinyemi, all of the Ibadan People’s
Party- NCNC Alliance, attended an Action Group rally. Adegoke
commented acidly- “the long awaited proof of treachery has
arrived”
Adegoke resented this, by opening up a salvo in the Southern
Nigeria Defender Newspaper, with a serialized, devastating
and documented attack, titled- "A stab on the back”
The Ibadan desertion blasted his hope of an NCNC majority in
the Western House of Assembly. On the 7th of January, 1952,
only 25 NCNC members could be mustered in the assembly.
Adegoke wrote- “On the Day of Shame-January 7, 1952-only
25 NCNC members could be mustered in the Assembly. The
motley crew of mercenary careerists trooped in with their
badge of shareholding in Political Booty Ltd. And among them,
pale and guilty, the five deserters from Ibadan! Everyone held
their breath at the shamelessness of men born of women and
the whole house sat spell-bound.” But if Adegoke Adelabu had
failed to become the leader of the government of Western
Nigeria, he had, through his steadfastness to the NCNC,
become the leader of the people of Ibadan. In his speech to
his loyal followers, he bade defiance to the Action Group and
took an oath to fight it, until his last day on earth. He kept his
oath. Then came, in 1954, the local government election to the
Ibadan District Council. During the electioneering campaign,
Adegoke was everywhere. He was seen by the people, taking
time off from the political campaign and speech making to
drinking Tombo (native wine) with the masses of the people.
Adelabu had become a one man political circus. He knew to
his fingertips what the people wanted; above all, he had
learned one lesson in mass psychology: that being ridiculous
is the only form of notoriety that does not kill a politician.

When the results of the council elections were announced,
Adelabu and his grand alliances had won all the seats. A few
days later, he was made the chairman of the Ibadan District
Council.
The year 1955 saw him at the Zenith of his powers. He was
appointed a Federal Minister of social services. But political
enemies were at work and an enquiry into the workings of the
Ibadan District Council was appointed. The commission found
heavily against him and the council. He reluctantly resigned
his post as federal minister, but refused to resign as Council
Chairman, until the Council was dissolved two months later.
The people of Ibadan were shocked and displeased, but a
bigger shock was in store. A few months after the dissolution,
Adegoke, together with other councillors were charged with
corruption. He was acquitted and discharged, only to be
rearrested and charged with many offences. Again, he was
acquitted and discharged and the whole cacophony of arrests,
charges, acquittals and discharges ran into a couple of tens
and built themselves up to a legend, that their victim and hero,
Adegoke Adelabu was a man “they can never get”.
After his trials, Adegoke found himself in the political
doldrums. The fire of his enemies had pinned him down. A
chance for further activity did not occur until 1957. The
political leaders of Nigeria had been summoned to London, to
review the constitution of the country. Adegoke went with his
party’s delegation. After this, nothing substantial was heard of
Adegoke Adelabu for many months- except that he had gone
to Mecca and returned an Alhaji. It was said that he was
biding his time, resting.


HIS DEATH
Then on March 25, 1958, came another sensational story
about the man whose whole life had been like a meteoric
flame. The story was that Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu was dead!
How did he die? Some said he had been shot. Some said he
was killed with juju. Many others said he was run over, by
political enemies.
But the fantastic story of his death had gone around Ibadan.
Alhaji Adelabu dead? Impossible! But if he’s dead, others will
surely die with him! Down with his killers! Down with all those
who have hands in his death! Kill and burn them. Spare no
one. Let no one live after Ade! Over his grave let us March!
That was the shout of the Ibadan masses and it was no idle
cry, Ibadan became a besieged and enraged city. To avenge
his death, twenty people, possibly including those who did not
know him in person-were done to death by the irate crowd.
Many houses were set on fire. Much property was lost. When
the law recovered from the shock, it recovered by arresting
564 persons. Of these, 102 stood trial for murder, 25 were
acquitted and discharged by the lower court, and seventy
seven were sent to face the Assizes.
After a volcanic life and a volcanic death, with the souls of
twenty men keeping him company, Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu-
the colossal egotist, the god and prophet OF Ibadan- must still
now, if there is an afterlife, be stepping it off to brass band
and bugle to keep his rendezvous with the noble and gallant
band, composed of all the manic personages who had, with
lines of fire, stamped their names on the face of our all-too-
sane world.
Adegoke Adelabu was certainly the architect of grass root
politics in Ibadan and with him went a certain glamour from
Ibadan politics. He was popularly known as “Penkelemensi”,
i.e peculiar mess, which was his usual refrain when making
contributions on the floor of the Western Region House of
Assembly.
It is also interesting to note that a number of Ibadan
Politicians and elites have benefited tremendously from
Adegoke Adelabu’s political legacy. Chief Mojeed Agbaje,
Richard Akinjide, Adeoye Adisa and many others, would
forever remember him in glowing tributes. Akinjide, who
qualified as a lawyer on the 4th of March, 1956, came back
home to join the grass root politics of Adelabu. Adelabu had
found Akinjide’s legal prowess amazing, in the celebrated
case of slapping a Customary Court Judge- D.T Akinbiyi (later
Olubadan). Akinjide was the younger counsel to Dingle Foot
Q.C- the British lawyer, hired by Adelabu for his defense. As a
payback, Akinjide was elected into the Federal Parliament at
the age of 27, in 1959, with an official emolument of £840 per
annual, i.e. £70 a month. He later became a minister in 1965 at
the age of 34.


TRIBUTES
Adelabu’s sudden exit ignited a volcanic eruption in Ibadan’s
political firmament and a lot of distinguished personalities
paid glowing tributes to this stormy petrel. Chief H.O Davies, a
front line Nigerian Nationalist painted this epithet- “Adelabu’s
life in my mind, appears to have been something like a meteor,
which shines with conspicuous brilliance for a short period
and disappears again into the unknown” This was further
corroborated by his friend and classmate in Government
College- -Professor Saburi Biobaku who also commented in his
condolence remarks- “maybe he was one of those rare
phenomena who dazzled the world by their brilliancy only to
leave behind memories of what might have been” Anthony
Enahoro- a colleague parliamentarian, also said of Alhaji
Adelabu as a man- “Who fought for his successes and he
never seized to rise above his misfortunes” His friend and
colleague in the Federal Parliament and also prime minister of
Nigeria- Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, in his tribute in the Daily
Times of 27th March, 1958 said- “Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu was
an intellectual and his capacity was recognized by his
opponents” and that … “if anybody died fighting for a cause, it
was Adelabu. His death was not only a loss to NCNC, but to all
politicians in the country. I am really sad about his death.” His
friend and leader, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe while expressing his
regret on the painful exit of Penkelemensi, also said of him- “A
man of conviction and did not disguise his feelings on any
particular issue” and that he was- “a man of amazing
intelligence, ready wit and uncanning understanding of human
nature.” Chief Remi Fani Kayode, the then Action Group Chief
Whip in the Federal House of Representatives also had this
eulogy- “Forget the man’s faults, which of us is faultless?
Remember his courage, his dogged will, his ardent belief in the
masses, in the common people of our father land and the
great faith of his own people on him.” Chief Obafemi
Awolowo, the then Premier of the Western Region, summed it
up, when he said- “Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu was, in his life
time, and ever since he entered politics, a fighter first and last,
with all the characteristics of a fighter. He was fearless,
formidable, forthright, often caustic and uncompromising. In
his death, the NCNC had lost a very able, indomitable and
extremely resourceful leader and Nigeria, a most colourful,
versatile and undoubted nationalist.”


HIS DIARY
Penkelemensi lived a highly organized life. At the beginning of
1955 in his diary, he had calculated his expected earnings and
expenditure of the New Year and he wrote-
1. As federal minister- £3,200
2. Various allowances to cover entertainment , ministerial
house upkeep- £1,700
3. As chairman of Ibadan Local Council-£1,500 4. Profit from
business ventures- £600.
5.
On another paper, he wrote out his expected expenditure for
the New Year
1. Vehicle maintenance- £900
2. Social obligations-£600
3. Food- £480
4. Drinks-£360
5. Light- £120
6. Tax- £60.
The death of Adegoke Adelabu pained the Ibadan folks so
much, that when Chief S.L.A Akintola faced similar
recriminations and despair, after he was expelled from the
Action Group Party, at the National Conference of the Action
Group in Jos in February 1962, he was derided by some party
members; he had begged the leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo,
the Yoruba Traditional Rulers and religious leaders, like Bishop
Odutola, Bishop Akinyele, Bishop Jadesinmi and a host of
others had waded in, but the rift could not be settled.
When they got back from Jos, Akintola’s supporters went on a
mass protest, carrying placards and singing derisive political
songs – “Akintola Ose Pa!
Eyin tee pete pero te pa Adelabu,
Akintola Osee pa.” -”
"Akintola cannot be killed.
Those of you who conspired to kill Adelabu, Akintola cannot
be killed”; insinuating that Adelabu’s death on the 25th of
March, 1958 was not natural.
The story of the passage of Adegoke Adelabu was equally
strange and interesting. Unusually, he woke up his household
at about 4:30 AM, had his morning prayers, had his shave,
bath and toiletries, had his usual breakfast of Akamu (pap)
and summoned his young children for a meeting.
As recalled by his first daughter- Adedoyin Jagun, who was
about 8 years old then- her father, Adegoke Adelabu
admonished them early in the morning-
“Elo mu ara yin se giri
Ori lomo ibi ti ese nre” –
“you should all work hard and be up and doing, it is only the
head that knows where it is to go with the feet.”
At about 7:00 am, he entered a Peugeot 205 car that belonged
to his white friend- a Syrian British national, who had come
from Lagos to pick him on a business trip. He called his aides-
Adeleke and Ganiyu and he bid them goodbye. Adegoke
Adelabu left no single penny or kobo in his bank account. The
two houses he had at Oke Ado, he had sold and kept the
money in the bank until later, when he withdrew the money
gradually, to cater for the poor of Ibadan. He left his Oke-
Oluokun residence as his only property. Adelabu also took
loans from the bank to buy the Auxmobile car with
Registration Number- IB-121, which he used as a private car.
HIS CHILDREN
After his death, a number of his political aides, supporters and
admirers came to the instant aid of his children.
The late Aminu Kano helped to train one of Adelabu’s children
in secondary school.
The Late Vincent Ikeotunonye trained Adedoyin-his daughter.
K.O Mbadiwe trained Aderemi.
The NCNC Central Committee trained Adekumbi up till
secondary school.
The late Rev. Akin Aduwo also gave a scholarship to one of
the children.
The late Chief Bola Ige, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Alhaji Arisekola
Alao and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba (Dr.) Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi
III and other early admirers of the politics, learning, diction,
erudition and brilliance of penkelemesi, had also at one point
or the other, assisted the family.
Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, being so enamoured with
the life and times of Adegoke Adelabu, would easily, always,
regale his audience, at any given opportunity, with memorized
verses of Adegoke Adelabu’s memorable quotable quotes.
The glory of Adegoke Adelabu Penkelemensi, will continue to
gather legendary coatings as the years go by, and as the story
of his greatness passes from one generation to another.
Akande Iji Oloye Igbetti, may your soul continue to rest in
peace.
• Author (Hon) Barr. Femi Kehinde, former member House of
Representatives for Ayedire/Iwo/Ola-Oluwa Fed. Constituency,
1993 – 2003.

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