Sola Adeyemo 
A renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Ibadan-based legal icon, Asiwaju Kunle Kalejaye, has called on political leaders in Nigeria not to see the political feud between Governor Simi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyensom Wike as just a fight between brothers, but that which is capable of throwing the nation into an unimaginable catastrophe.
Speaking with Saturday Telegraph in Ibadan, on the crisis rocking the state, particularly with the current Local Government polls, the Asiwaju of Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, said he had been following the happenings in Rivers with a lot of interest, likening it to the crisis between the late sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola which led to the regional ‘Wetie War’ in the Western Region.
According to him, “Unfortunately, many of us erroneously take it as a fight between brothers that do not concern us. On that, we deceive ourselves. The death knell of the First Republic was the fight between Awolowo and Akintola.
“My father told me that the fight originated not because of political power but because of the ego of their wives: Dideolu and Faderera. My father, I guess should know, because he was one of the few political leaders from Ijebuland who risked their lives to follow Akintola. He had to decamp back to the Action Group when his house was about to be burnt and his life under threat!
“It was a traumatic time for us as children as we had to be relocated to another house in Ilese-Ijebu (specifically our in-law’s house, the Sebiomos) to prevent our being roasted in case the arsonists came in the night. I have no independent way of verifying this story except what my Dad said.
“My dad’s story was: that it was customary for Akintola to go to Oke Bola, Ibadan house of Awolowo every Monday to discuss pending affairs of the state.
“The briefing was usually around 8 a.m. because Awolowo would leave immediately for Lagos at about 10 a.m., where he was the leader of the opposition.
“So the particular morning, Faderera, who always insisted that her husband had breakfast before leaving the government lodge, had breakfast served at about 745 a.m. Akintola, Dad said, was a slow eater, like Awolowo. He must thoroughly chew his food before swallowing, a habit Faderera found rather disconcerting. Faderera always sat facing him while he ate, insisting that Akintola must clean his plate and use his anti-hypertensive drugs before setting out.
“At 815 a.m, Awolowo called the government House to ask if Akintola was on his way. The message was delivered at the breakfast table to Akintola.
“On hearing the message, Akintola stood up, grabbed his files, and made to dash out to meet his boss. But Faderera would have none of it. She pointed at the half-eaten breakfast and the unused drugs and blocked the way.
“Finish your breakfast and use your drugs, she bellowed to her husband. Kilode gan na,sebi, you are the Premier. Why are you being treated like a houseboy? Unless you finish your breakfast, you will not leave this house, she was said to have thundered.
“Reluctantly, Akintola sat down to finish his breakfast and took his drugs. Dad said that by the time he had done it, it was about 8.45 a.m.
If there is anything Awolowo was known for, it was his sense of time.
“By the time Akintola drove into Awolowo’s Oke Bola residence, the leader was long gone. And there started the rift. One thing led to the other. Awolowo stopped the Monday meetings, and Akintola stopped coming to the Oke Bola Ibadan residence of the Awolowos.
“What do we learn from the above? What is being treated as domestic quarrelling in Rivers may consume our democracy. Our leaders must speak up to stop this descent into the abyss. We are all warned!, Kalejaye counselled.
