By Adebayo Adedeji
Governor Ademola Adeleke missed a chance to redeem his image after his mishandling of Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja’s passing sparked outrage. Adeleke had visited the widow of the late Chief of Army Staff in Abuja, only to attend the same day a party and dance inappropriately like a video vixen desperate for patronage and endorsement, despite declaring a 3-day mourning period. This behaviour was seen as a breach of his covenant and a disregard for the late general’s memory.
The situation worsened when Adeleke failed to attend Lagbaja’s burial ceremony on Friday, instead sending his inconsequential associates to represent him at an event that drew the attention of the President. This decision of Adeleke to prioritize politics over paying respects to a renowned son of the state is distasteful. A governor who truly understands the significance of such an event would have been present to honour Lagbaja’s memory, rather than embracing political jamboree and campaign for the election of the PDP candidate in Ondo state.
It’s disheartening to see a state governor ignore the burial of a distinguished citizen, especially one who brought honour to the state. Even if Lagbaja had disagreements with the governor, perhaps because he chose not to compromise professionalism and refused not be drawn into the mundane 2026 governorship politics in Osun, decency and respect for the deceased should have prevailed over political considerations.
