It was a night of tributes at Chelsea Hotels, Abuja yesterday as the management and staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, held a send-off party for the Ibadan-born immediate past deputy governor (operations) of the apex bank.
Adelabu, a grandson of late popular politician- Chief Adegoke Adelabu, recently resigned from the apex bank voluntarily to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
OYO INSIGHT had reported how the 48-year old wrote President Muhammadu Buhari months ago to intimate him of the development.
Speaking about the chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, CBN governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, described Adelabu as “a brilliant man with quintessential values who has contributed immeasurably to the growth and development of Nigeria through his contributions at CBN where he worked as the deputy Governor for 4 years.
“We are not happy he is leaving us but we are consoled by the fact that he leaving us to a greater glory as the next Governor of Oyo State.
“President Buhari made nice comments when I submitted Mr Adelabu’s letter of resignation to him and he (President Buhari) wished him well in his next calling to serve in his state.
“I thereby congratulate him for the courage he has as a professional banker and accountant to take the bold step of joining politics and I know he’s in the right party”, Emefiele concluded.
President General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, CCII, Chief Yemi Soladoye, eulogised CBN for deeming it fit to honour the Ibadan man per excellence, saying that “the honour is not for Adelabu alone but for the entirety of Ibadan.”
He, thereby, assured that Ibadan would also honour CBN in 2019 when Adelabu would be sworn in as Oyo State Governor.
In his remark, Adelabu, who is the Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadanland, thanked God Almighty, extending his greetings to former President Goodluck Jonathan who found him worthy by appointing him as Deputy Governor of CBN in 2014.
He also thanked President Muhammad Buhari who also, on his assumption of office as the President, retained him as DG of the apex bank.
Adelabu expressed his profound gratitude to other dignitaries at the event which included Dr Oba Otudeko, Oloye Lekan Alabi, Mr Bisi Onasanya (CEO First Bank of Nigeria PLC), Chief Yemi Soladoye, Chief Debo Oladejo, Alhaji Taiwo Akande, Barr Adebayo Mutalubi Ojo (the immediate past attorney general and justice commissioner in Oyo State) and others.
