Ibadan-born fomer governor of old Oyo State, Dr Victor Omololu Olunloyo, has revealed what many see as the myth around his doting mother as he served in several governments from age 27.
He was referring to insinuation that his mother, now late, was his de facto chief security officer as she used to screen her son’s visitors.
Olunloyo, in an interview with Saturday Tribune, explained that “I just used her to scare people away.”
This is just as he explained that his mother “was very inquisitive. Look at this book for instance, “The Path to Play” by Adelegan. When I had a problem which was getting intractable, she’ll step in. There’s one amazing episode as recorded in the book: (Reads from the book).
“Olunloyo came to Ipetu-Ijesa accompanied by his mother to speak to my people, especially the representatives of the so-called Ibadan reactionaries.” You can see the rest in the book…”
Asked why he went to Ipetu with his mother, Olunloyo disclosed that “The problem was very difficult. So, I took her there as a scarecrow…You know, when you see an unusual scenario…”
He said his mother might have developed the attitude because he was barely 27 when he first became a commissioner. “Yes. She was quite comfortable. Bola Ige followed me somewhere in Osogbo. He followed me to Fakunle Comprehensive High School. We had some trouble there and I asked him to follow me. He was Commissioner for Lands, I was Commissioner for Education. So, they were wondering what Bola Ige came to do. We were friends and I took him along and the teachers at Fakunle were scared to see the two of us… Two rascals in conductor dress.”
He, however, added that Mama following him around no metaphysical angle. “There was nothing. She was just there.”
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