“Stop maligning my name” – Ladoja blasts Bisi Akande over Bola Ige assassination claims

Former Oyo State Governor and Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Senator Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja, has threatened to sue former Osun State Governor, Chief Bisi Akande, for defamation over allegations linking him to the assassination of Chief Bola Ige.

Ladoja, addressing journalists at his residence on Monday, dismissed Akande’s claims as false and baseless, insisting that he had no involvement in the 2001 killing of the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

The former governor challenged Akande to publicly present any evidence he has regarding Ige’s murder. He also demanded an apology and retraction, warning that failure to comply would result in legal action.

“I don’t have any hidden knowledge about the death of Chief Bola Ige. I had no problem with Bola Ige. Maybe Chief Bisi Akande wants to sell his book, I don’t know.

“But there is no correlation between my election and the death of Ige. He should come out and tell the public instead of maligning my image. But all options are open,” Ladoja stated.

Bola Ige was assassinated on December 23, 2001, at his residence in Bodija, Ibadan, by unknown gunmen. The murder shook Nigeria’s political landscape, particularly as Ige was about to assume a new role as Africa’s Representative on the United Nations International Law Commission.

His assassination was linked to a prior altercation at the palace of the then Ooni of Ife, Oba Sijuwade Okunade, where he was mobbed by a group led by a known political thug, ‘Fryo’, loyal to Iyiola Omisore, the then-Deputy Governor of Osun State.

The attack, which left Ige stripped of his necklace, cap, and glasses, was widely seen as a security breach and a precursor to his assassination.

Over the years, suspicions have lingered regarding the political motive behind Ige’s murder, with various figures, including Omisore, being mentioned in connection to the case. However, no conclusive evidence has been established.