Rev. Solomon Adegbolagun Pays Tribute
The city of Ibadan played host to very important dignitaries and political associates of Chief Bola Ige as the family of the late Attorney General of the Federation, would be holding a memorial communion service in his honour on Thursday, December 23, 2021, at St Anne’s Church, Molete, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Chief Ajibola Ige, the first elected governor of old Oyo state (now Oyo and Osun) and deputy leader of Afenifere, was assassinated exactly 20 years ago at his Bodija residence in Ibadan, by yet-to-be identified gunmen.
Speaking with newsmen, the scion of the family, Architect Muyiwa Ige said the thanksgiving event would start by 1pm on Thursday.
The former Osun State Commissioner said, “We are hopeful that close associates of our late dad would honour us with their presence at the church on Thursday”, adding that it would be a brief assembly.
He also informed that a stage play in honour of Late Chief Bola Ige, would be on at the same time at the Wole Soyinka Arts Theater inside the University of Ibadan.
The theme of the play is Ige: From Kaduna Boy to Cicero of Esa Oke. We would also be presenting an Illustrated Children’s Book on his life story, for young people.
Born on September 13, 1930, Chief James Ajibola Idowu Ige, SAN, simply known as Bola Ige, was a Nigerian lawyer and politician who served as the Federal Minister of Justice for Nigeria.
He was assassinated in December 23, 2001 during the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
Rev. Solomon Adegbolagun, the National President of Centre For Righteous Living CRIL has paid tributes to the fond memories of Chief Bola Ige, his political mentor.
He wrote in his tribute to the late political icon, “20 years ago, it was a blank, black, grievous and deeply saddened Christmas when our hero and pathfinder, the Cicero of Esa-oke, was brutally murdered in his room at Ibadan.
“But today, it’s a glorious, joyful, inspiring morning remembering the life and times of Chief Bola Ige, the then Anthony General and Minister For Justice of Nigeria. Those who murdered you have since lost peace and their purpose in life but cannot share their burden! Since, you left, blood shedding has not departed the Nation and our situation getting worse by the day. We are daily paying for the cause of your murder!
“You, inspired me to venture into political activities. I took the challenge of moving the Christians into the governance, though the result is very minimal but the Church is gradually coming to the term that unless children of light enter into our political space, darkness, and corruption will continue.
Sleep on the Orator of our time. We will meet at His feet where parting is no more.
Your Children are fantastically doing well. Adieu.”
There have been calls on successive governments to find the killers of the late political icon.
Elder statesman, Prof Wole Soyinka, has urged the President, Muhammadu Buhari, to ensure the exposure of killers of Chief Bola Ige, to reinstate what he termed “the broken lines of justice.”
The playwright wondered what happened to the President’s pledge to open an enquiry into the country’s spate of political murders.
Also, his surviving son, Mr. Muyiwa Ige, in an interview has expressed the hope that those who murdered his father would be caught one day while urging the government to revisit his case.
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