The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, has described the late military Governor of Old Western State, General Adeyinka Adebayo, as a man of courage and principle, both as a soldier and public statesman.
Oba Adeyemi in his tribute on the death of General Adebayo, also described him as a symbol of Yoruba unity irrespective of political differences.
He specifically recalled how General Adebayo as military governor of Old Western State organized the Yoruba Leaders of Thought Conference in 1967, during which Chief Obafemi Awolowo was nominated as the Leader of the Yoruba delegation at the critical period of Nigerian political crisis between 1967 and 1970.
As part of Adebayo’s political sagacity even in military uniform, he ensured a consensus endorsement of Chief Awolowo by getting him nominated by people outside his political camp at that time, the Alaafin said.
Even during his short debut into politics, Oba Adeyemi said, he was an apostle of politics without bitterness as far as the Yoruba race is concerned.
Oba Adeyemi specifically recalls the roles played by Adebayo when against powerful political intrigues, he approved his appointment as the Alaafin of Oyo in 1971.
Adebayo was a man of courage – Alaafin
