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The Senator representing Ogun West senatorial district, Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has come under criticism over his roots in Kemta, Abeokuta.
A concerned Ogun State indigene, Mr Ibrahim Afolabi, challenged the senator to explain the multiple questions around his wealth and his roots in the state.
Afolabi made the remarks in Abeokuta while reacting to a recent reception organised in Kemta, where Senator Adeola described the event as a “glorious homecoming” hosted by his supposedly acclaimed maternal family in support of his reported aspiration.
According to the senator, the reception was organised by the Kemta people to welcome him home as one of their own and to endorse his political ambition.
However, Afolabi questioned the authenticity of the event, describing it as an exercise that raised more questions than answers.
“This kind of daylight gaslighting requires sincere questions and truthful answers,” he said.
Afolabi, who stressed that he is not a politician and harbours no personal grudge against Senator Adeola, added that his intervention was borne out of genuine concern for the future of Ogun State, as an indigene and a thoroughbred Egba man.
“I have never been a politician, and I am not against Senator Adeola. But as Ogun people prepare for another election cycle, we owe ourselves the responsibility of asking questions. Whatever happens after the election will determine the future of everyone in the state. We must therefore be factual, sincere and truthful,” he stated.
He recalled that it was about a decade ago that Senator Adeola publicly indicated that his maternal roots were in Kemta, alleging that little had been heard about the claim until the recent public reception.
Afolabi argued that if the senator’s maternal ancestry in Kemta was genuine, members of his immediate maternal family should have played visible roles during the ceremony.
“Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola should at least have been introduced by one of his mother’s brothers or sisters,” he said.
He called on the senator to publicly identify his maternal relatives in Kemta.
“My first question is simple: where are your mother’s siblings in Kemta, whom you are claiming? Where are the records and history of your mother’s family in Kemta?” he asked.
Afolabi also questioned what he described as inconsistencies surrounding previous claims about the senator’s ancestry.
“Is the Kemta story similar to the Pahayi story in Ilaro? Which family bears the Adeola name in Pahayi, Ilaro? Or are they the only Adeolas there?” he queried.
He further called on Senator Adeola to explain what he alleged was a change in identity to suit different occasions.
“Senator Solomon Adeola should tell Ogun people who Sulaiman Ogunleye is and why the name allegedly changed to Solomon Adeola,” Afolabi said.
On the senator’s financial standing, Afolabi also sought clarification on the source of his wealth, asking what business or professional engagements he pursued outside politics.
“My final question is this: What work did he do outside politics to have amassed so much wealth? If it is only politics, does he mean the wealth came from public office? These are questions that deserve honest answers,” he stated.
Afolabi maintained that his comments were not intended to malign or undermine the senator but were part of the public scrutiny expected of anyone seeking the state’s highest office.
“These are mere questions that require truthful answers. They are not intended to fight him or bring him down. It is normal for people to know thoroughly who wants to lead them.
“Perhaps if he had been straightforward about his background from the beginning, the Ogun people would have embraced him for his honesty. Instead, many people are now left with questions that deserve answers.”
He also argued that if the Kemta family truly recognised Senator Adeola as one of their own, traditional procedures should have reflected that.
“Maybe the family should have formally presented their son to the Oluwo of Kemta before he publicly introduced him to the people of Kemta at home and abroad as a bona fide son of the community. What happened appears more like packaging than reality,” he concluded.
