On March 25,1958, 65 years ago, the bundle of academic, political and traditional wizardry, Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu, alias ‘Penkelemeesi’, died in a motor accident at Remo area on the old Lagos-Ibadan Road, aged 43.
He had been a Federal Minister, Leader of Opposition in the defunct Western Region House of Assembly. Adelabu was poised to contest for the premiership of the Western Region in the 1959 General Elections, and had travelled to Lagos to negotiate the rising interests on a bank loan he and the Syrian textile importer had taken for the election campaign clothing material, when the motor accident occurred. It was during that year’s Ramadan.
“I attended the Saint David’s C.M. S Elementary School, Kudeti, the C.M.S Central School, Mapo, the Government College, all of Ibadan, and the old Higher College at Yaba. I had a brilliant scholastic career, earning accelerated promotions on three occasions in the elementary, primary and secondary schools respectively. Despite this, I never took second position throughout my school days.