Former Oyo State governor and Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has demanded a public apology from ex-Osun State governor, Chief Bisi Akande, over statements made regarding the murder of former Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige. Ladoja warned that failure to apologize could lead to legal action.
Speaking at his residence in Bodija, Ibadan, on Monday, Ladoja refuted Akande’s claims and insisted that he had no involvement in withdrawing any case related to Ige’s assassination. He stated that Akande must retract his statement or be prepared for a legal battle.
“All options will be taken, including legal action against Akande except he withdraws his statement and tenders a public apology,” Ladoja said.
The controversy began after Akande made remarks in a recent podcast by journalist Edmund Obilo. In the interview, Akande suggested that Ladoja might possess crucial information about Bola Ige’s murder. Ige was assassinated on December 23, 2001, at his Bodija residence in Ibadan. Over two decades later, the case remains unresolved.
Akande, who was Osun State governor at the time of the incident, lamented that key individuals who might have helped in the investigation, including former Oyo State governor Lam Adesina, had passed away. He alleged that Ladoja withdrew a case that Adesina had initiated to uncover the truth behind Ige’s murder.
“There are many things that die with people. I know Lam Adesina went to court over the matter, and I also know his successor, (Rashidi) Ladoja withdrew the case. Ask Ladoja, he would know more about Bola Ige’s death,” Akande said.
In response, Ladoja dismissed Akande’s claims as false, stating that he had nothing to gain from obstructing justice. He pointed out that he was not even in office when Ige was killed.
“Chief Bola Ige was assassinated on December 23, 2001—18 months before I got to office. I assumed office on May 29, 2003. How could I have withdrawn a case when I was not even governor at the time?” Ladoja stated.
He further denied that his administration halted any legal proceedings related to the case, adding that the matter was pursued up to the Supreme Court. He accused Akande of deliberately spreading falsehoods and suggested that age might be affecting Akande’s memory.
Ladoja also noted that he had a close relationship with Ige and had no reason to suppress the case.
“I was very close to Chief Bola Ige while he was alive. I did nothing to harm the delivery of justice on his assassination case. My government didn’t withdraw any case,” he said.
He further challenged Akande to reveal any information he might have instead of making baseless accusations.
“Instead of maligning me, Baba Akande, who said that there are many things he knows that he cannot tell the public, should be asked to disclose them. He said the murder was a state murder and that government was behind it. If he was governor of Osun State then but claimed he did not know who removed the cap from Bola Ige’s head, yet he could know what happened in Oyo State, then he must be lying,” Ladoja stated.
