How Lam Prevented Second Civil War in Nigeria

By KEHINDE OLAOSEBIKAN Alhaji Lam Onaolapo Adesina, Oyo State Governor from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2003, passed onto glory peacefully on Sunday, November 11,2012, after over 73 years of a very successful sojourn on earth. Alhaji Lam rose to the pinnacle of all his callings in life. He got to the zenith of his career as a teacher. As a social crusader, he got state recognition and was tagged ‘prisoner of war’; and politically, he did not only realize his ambition of becoming the governor of his state, he achieved the extra-ordinary by installing a governor, not while in power but eight years after he had left office. Since Sunday, torrents of tributes have been pouring in from various quarters, all extolling the virtues of Alhaji Lam Adesina . He has been described in many superlative words, establishing the fact that Alhaji Lam was a great man. But how great really was the husband of the benign Alhaja Sarat Adeola Adesina? As his Chief Press Secretary while he served as the Governor of Oyo State, I will transmit a story of how the former governor tamed a former Military Head of State and prevented what could have led to the Nigerian second civil war. It was on October 13, 2000, when words went round that General Muhammadu Buhari was leading the Arewa team to the governor’s office to confront the state over alleged killing of Fulani herdsmen in Saki, Oke Ogun area of the state. General Buhari did actually telephone the governor that he was leading a team to his office. In less than 30 minutes after the General informed the governor of his visit, we noticed that the entire secretariat was already filled with lorry loads of our brothers from the North. This created some tension but we kept our calm. At about 2pm, General Buhari arrived in a long convoy at the Governor’s office in company with the former Governor of Lagos State, General Buba Marwa, Alhaji Aliko Muhammed, Alhaji Abdulrazak , Alhaji Hassan and some others. They all wore long faces. In fact, the anger and venom in them was very palpable as all pleasantries extended to them were largely shunned. “This is trouble”, was the expression on the faces of all of us in the Governor’s office. Shortly afterwards, the Director of State Security Service (SSS) and Commissioner of Police arrived. But their presence did not change anything particular on the fears that had gripped majority of us. The two security chiefs did not come with troops; they came almost alone. The meeting was called to order after Alhaji Lam serenely walked into the Executive Chambers in his well-embroidered multi-colour lace. Introductions over, General Buhari spoke of his mission to the governor’s office. Emitting fire, the General accused the governor and the government of Oyo State of complicity in the killings of over 68 Fulani people in Oke Ogun area and perversion of justice. His words: “Your Excellency, our arrival here is to discuss with you and your government our displeasure about the incident of clashes between two peoples… the Fulani herdsmen and merchants are today being harassed, attacked and killed like in any war in Saki. In May, 2000, 68 bodies of Fulani herdsmen were recovered and buried under the supervision and protection from a team of Mobile Police from Oyo State Command. “ That some arrests were made by the State Police Command in the massacre with their immediate release without court trial was said to be ordered by Oyo State authorities and they were so released to their amazements. Then, consequently, the mass release of the arrested suspects gave the clear impression that the authority was backing and protecting them to continue the unjust and illegal killings of Fulani herdsmen…” According to the General, they wanted immediate stoppage of the killings, justice and compensation for the mass killing of the Fulani. As weighty and indicting the General’s allegations were against the governor, Alhaji Lam Adesina remained unperturbed as he only fired back with his own well- coordinated arsenal in form of robust explanations and engagements. Alahji Adesina identified all the points raised by the General and simply asked the heads of the organizations directly involved to respond to the allegations. First to speak was the Commissioner of Police who debunked all the claims made by the General. Instead of the allegation by the General that the natives killed the Fulani, the Police commissioner said pointedly that the opposite was the case. “ The killings of the natives by the Fulani were duly reported to the police and of course, we could not make arrests because as soon as they kill, they migrate to other areas. Who are you going to arrest? So that is the problem”. On the contrary, on the killings of the Fulani which he said, was as result of “piled up anger”, the commissioner disclosed that arrests had been made and the suspects still in police custody. Next was the Director of Security Service who equally tore all of General Buhari’s claims to shreds. “The natives don’t have problem with the Fulani who are residents but those who come in. They don’t care for anybody. They just go ahead and when they graze farms, whoever cares to challenge them runs into trouble. You said 68 people were killed, and people driven away. I am not saying there were no killings but it cannot be more than five. The petition was on the harsh side; there was nothing like that.” Not done yet, Governor Adesina called in his Deputy, Barrister Iyiola Oladokun; and his SSG, Chief Michael Koleoso, both from Oke Ogun and the Chairman of the local government of one of the affected areas, Mr Ademola Alalade. They stated the true position of things in the area, corroborating the submissions of the security chiefs. At this point, all the tension and apprehensions evaporated. Trust Lam any day! He must rub it in. He spoke for about 20 minutes and the Generals were at the edges of their seats for the entire period. They were like chickens that have just been thoroughly beaten by the rain. Lam Adesina said: “ Before I thank you for this visit, you have come to tell me something, I also want to tell you something and that is to make an appeal. General Buhari is a former Head of State, Brigadier Marwa governed Lagos for some time and with credibility…. So, you are national leaders of this country. Even though by accident of birth, you are from the North, so you can be born anywhere, may be next time when I am coming to the world I will be born in the North or the South South. My appeal will be that effort must be made to unite this country and that will be to the best interest of all Nigerians. I am appealing to the Arewa Consultative Forum under which auspices our distinguished Nigerians are here. In recent times, they have been sending wrong signals to a number of us who believe in the unity and peace of Nigeria. You have been too critical of the efforts of the federal government. I am saying this because Nigeria at this point cannot afford to break and the words you northern leaders utter are very weighty. In the South here, we normally analyze them critically.” On all the allegations, Alhaji Lam Adesina said: “From what they have written in the petition, this government is completely blameless because we don’t interfere either with the judiciary or with the police functions. I always converse peaceful co-existence, living in Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole. We are all Nigerians and that is what we have been preaching all along and we shall continue to be Nigerians , no matter the present or immediate problems which will be solved by the grace of Allah. I want to say also that we really have to appeal to our people, the itinerant Bororo people that they should be less aggressive. It is not good, it is not right; coming from somewhere, then, you just pass through farm lands cultivated may be with the person’s life savings and then overnight, everything is gone. That is not right, even Allah does not approve of that. We even wonder when they talk about this people carrying dangerous weapons . I ask, do they really believe in Allah? When you just take life like that and go away! Are we not forbidden not to take human life? So, I think General Buhari, General Marwa, you have to educate them…. “It is my pleasure to inform you that at the Presidential Lodge, we have made some arrangements for refreshments so that before you go, we can refresh together.” General Buhari and his team did not wait for any refreshments. ADIEU! GREAT LAM! •Agba Akin Kehinde Olaosebikan was Chief Press Secretary to Alhaji Lam Adesina (1999 – 2003).