Raufu Olaniyan, engineer and current deputy governor of Oyo State, has described late former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala as a uncommon man.
The Ogbomoso-born politician, who was deputy to Rashidi Ladoja, between 2003 and 2007, died early Wednesday morning.
Olaniyan, in a personal tribute, during a chat with OYOINSIGHT.COM, recalls how the deceased, when he was governor between 2007 and 2011, rejected advise to remove him in his position in the state civil service.
This, Olaniyan said, was because he was seen as one of the closest persons to Ladoja.
“When he was governor between January and December 2006 and between 2007 and 2011, there was pressure on him to remove me. I was then permanent secretary. He said he won’t and that I have not offended him by being close with Senator Ladoja. He told them civil servant are loyal to anyone who is in government and that he knows how things work. He said I should be left alone to work.
“He was an uncommon man. I make bold to say that I enjoyed working with him, just like majority who were in the civil service at the time.
“I condole his family, the people of Ogbomoso and Government of Oyo State under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde over his loss. May God give the family and the state the fortitude to bear the loss.”
