Lifestyle
PHOTOS: The Death of Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu The Peculiar Man of the Masses a.k.a Penkelemesi, 1958
Do you know about a man in IBADAN called ADELABU?
One of the places you must endeavour to visit in the historic town is Taj Mahal in Oke Oluokun. That’s the residence and final resting place of Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu, the Lion of the West.
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Adelabu needs no introduction. He was the afternoon star that scared the elderly.
He was the morning dew that drenched both friends and foes. It’s almost 61 years ago of his death, but he refused to be forgotten. For those who are not familiar with Penkelemesi.
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Gbadamosi Adegoke Adelabu died at his prime (Age 43).
Lagos was stuned. Nigeria went into a state of shock the whole of Ibadan stood still.
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His Yoruba was flawless. His English was impeccable. Adelabu was not the one to mix Yoruba with English in the same sentence.
Though small in stature, he was intellectually a giant. With his brilliance, he dazzled and dwarfed his peers.
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He dressed and appeared like a rustic villager. He never seemed to smile, not to talk of laugh. His Yoruba was devastating in pithiness and sarcasm. He knew how to leave every audience with a phrase that could not be forgotten.”
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His Lebanese friends, the *Younan family*, saw his appointment as a golden opportunity to market the Penkelemesi brand.
It was decided that textile materials bearing Adelabu’s image and name be produced and sold. It was expected that the cloth would also serve a subtle campaign strategy for Adelabu who was aiming to become the premier of the West.
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When the first shipment arrived, neither Adelabu nor the Younan family, expected what happened. They had expected sale to be slow and gradual.
To their pleasant surprise, the Penkelemesi fabric became an overnight bestseller. It became the social uniform, not only in Ibadan but throughout the Western Region.
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According to Iya Agba, textile merchants were using the cloth to sell other brands. You must buy another brand before “Aso penkelemesi” could be sold to you.
Tailors were praying daily for Adelabu. There was no tailor in Ibadan that did not get one or two yards to sew from the fabric.
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The Younan family did not wait for the stock to run out before the second shipment was ordered. It also recorded massive sale.
This time around, Idumota traders and Onitsha merchants joined the bandwagon. The Lion of the West was the toast of the moment. He was not only a successful politician; he had also demonstrated that he was business savvy.
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With the 1956 elections approaching,
He was confident of becoming the premier,
His business partners were also confident. It was decided that in addition to the penkelemesi cloth already in the market, a special cloth should be ordered for his inauguration as the premier.
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The cloth was indeed special. It showed Adegoke Adelabu as the Premier holding the keys to the Western House of Assembly! It was going to be a hot cake.
To finance the project, Albert Younan obtained a loan from African Continental Bank (ACB).
Adelabu had however not taken into consideration the political wizardry of Obafemi Awolowo. As fate would have it, it was Awolowo who became the Premier.
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You want to know what happened to the cloth already ordered?
“You are not the only one. The management of ACB also wanted to know” More importantly, the bankers wanted to know how the Younans were going to repay the facility. Yet the cloth could not be sold as Adelabu did not become the premier. Albert Younan found himself in a financial jeopardy.
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On March 24, 1958, Younan sent a desperate message to Penkelemesi. It was a plea for help. The bank was on his neck. He had been given a final deadline by the bank. Adelabu decided to assist his friend by following him to the head office of the bank in Lagos to plead for further credit.
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He bade his family farewell and promised to be back before evening.
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He was assured that his request would be considered. Younan was happy. Adelabu was happy. He went off to see Okotie-Eboh.
It was on the return journey to Ibadan that the unthinkable happened btw Ode-Remo and Iperu. Albert Younan was the one driving the ash-grey Peugeot saloon car. Adelabu was seated beside him. Two of Adelabu’s aides were also in the car.
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Without warning, the Peugeot collided head on with a light yellow Austin which was on its way to Lagos. Other three died but Younan survived.
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The following morning when his death became the headline news “Adelabu Is Dead” announced the Daily Times.
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It was a day RED LETTER DAY to the whole of western region.
*Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe* presented a coffin to the family on behalf of his political party, the NCNC.
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This brought about the yoruba abuse “Olori gbo’ro bi posi Adelabu” because the casket looks long and robust (special)
Adelabu died on Tuesday March 25th 1958 and was buried on Wednesday
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