Former Governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, has reignited discussions on the unresolved assassination of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige. In a recent interview, Akande alleged that former Oyo State Governor, Rashidi Ladoja, may have crucial information about the 2001 murder.
Speaking in an exclusive conversation with journalist Edmund Obilo in Ibadan, Akande expressed concerns over the lack of progress in solving Ige’s murder, particularly after the case was withdrawn from court under Ladoja’s administration.
“There are many things that die with people,” Akande lamented. “Lam Adesina, the then-governor of Oyo State, took the case to court. But his successor, Ladoja, withdrew it. Ask Ladoja—he would know more about Bola Ige’s death.”
Akande, who served as governor of Osun State at the time of Ige’s assassination, emphasized that the crime fell under the jurisdiction of Oyo State. “I was the Chief Security Officer of Osun State, not Oyo. Lam Adesina was in charge of Oyo, and he pursued the case. But when Ladoja took over, he withdrew it. He might have more information than I do,” he stated.
Ige’s Political Journey and the Tragic End
Bola Ige was a prominent figure in Nigerian politics, having served as Minister of Mines and Power before being reassigned as Minister of Justice under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. A chieftain of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Ige’s decision to join the government was backed by Afenifere, a Yoruba socio-political group.
“We supported him in joining the government,” Akande explained. “It was a collective decision made by AD and Afenifere, under the leadership of Ayo Fasanmi and Abraham Adesanya.”
However, Akande noted that Ige later regretted his involvement in the administration, describing it as a “kiss of death.” He recalled a private conversation where Ige had confided his intention to resign.
“One evening, he called me and said, ‘I’m going to resign from this government.’ I told him I would get back to him. I contacted Oluwole Rotimi, who advised that Ige should not resign for his safety. I later begged him not to resign, and he agreed to speak with Obasanjo first. That was when he was moved to the Ministry of Justice,” Akande disclosed.
A Politically Motivated Killing?
Akande insisted that Ige’s murder was politically motivated, suggesting that he was eliminated due to his potential political influence.
“He was killed in anticipation of what he might become in the future. It was a state murder. The government killed him. The government can kill anybody,” he alleged.
He also accused the Obasanjo administration of showing little interest in solving the case, stating that the former president was more concerned with consolidating his hold on power than investigating Ige’s assassination.
“Obasanjo wasn’t keen on finding out who killed Bola Ige. He was more interested in maintaining stability for himself in power,” Akande claimed.
Unanswered Questions and Official Silence
Ige was assassinated on December 23, 2001, in his Ibadan residence, a murder that remains one of Nigeria’s most controversial political killings. His murder followed an earlier public humiliation, where his cap was forcibly removed in a political gathering.
Although several arrests were made, no one has been convicted for the crime, and key suspects were eventually released. Akande admitted he had no knowledge of those responsible for the attack on Ige before his murder but advised him at the time to focus on writing his memoir instead of attending social functions.
When asked if Ige had presidential ambitions, Akande downplayed the speculation, stating that the late minister was more interested in ensuring that an AD candidate contested for the presidency.
Meanwhile, when contacted for a response, Ladoja’s media aide, Adeola Oloko, requested more time to consult with his principal but did not provide any further statement as of press time. Similarly, Obasanjo’s media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, did not respond to calls or messages.
With these fresh allegations, questions surrounding Bola Ige’s murder remain unanswered, keeping the mystery alive more than two decades after his tragic assassination.
