Oba Akiolu reveals how Tinubu, Fashola almost tore Lagos apart

Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, on Thursday came out to reveal that contrary to public pretences, rumours that once made the round that there was a major conflict between former governor of Lagos state, Bola Tinubu and his successor, Babatunde Fsashola were actually true.

He confirmed that both men indeed had a bitter quarrel that almost undermined the governance of the state, but that he did not realise the weight of the disagreement between them until almost all the Obas in the state called his attention to the development.

According to a ThisDay report, Oba Akiolu spoke in Yoruba at the Lagos TV complex, Agidingbi while marking Fashola’s 2,900th day in office.

The Lagos monarch said the concerned Obas had told him that if as a successful retired police officer with 32 years in service he could not hold down on Lagos as the Oba, then, there should be cause for concern.

Akiolu said it was at that point he waded in by calling both sides to sheath their swords and also extracted commitment to suspend the animosity in the collective interest of all Lagosians.

He noted that a majority of those responsible for the feud were also in the audience as they successfully created an industry in reporting to “Party A” what “Party B” had said about him and vice-versa. This trend, he added, escalated and prolonged the feud between the duo.

He therefore thanked the outgoing Governor Fashola for keeping his side of the truce treaty he brokered, an atmosphere he reckoned was largely responsible for the party’s victory in the just concluded elections.

Not done, the monarch known for stirring the hornet’s nest with his speeches, either in public or private, also announced to the gathering that he had warned the incoming administration of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode not to go to Alausa (referring to the Government House) with a notion of vengeance because it would be counterproductive.

In the same vein, he accused some alleged fifth columnists as working against the choice of the president-elect Muhammadu Buhari, some of whom he said were seated right in the audience.

The same people, he contended, have started pitting the duo of Tinubu and Buhari against each other the same way they set the former against Fashola.

Apparently carried away by the response he got from the audience, Akiolu soon threatened to name those he had alluded to in parables before he was immediately calmed down by Fashola, who pinched him and later led away from the podium by his police orderly.

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