Criminal Politics: Violence, “Godfathers” and Corruption in Nigeria

Box 4: A Future Governor Discusses his Political Godfather
The following is an excerpt from an interview with Christopher Alao Akala at his
campaign office in Ibadan two months prior to his election as Governor of Oyo State.
Human Rights Watch asked Alao-Akala to explain his relationship with Chief Adedibu
as well as Adedibu’s role in the politics of Oyo State:
For God’s sake, this man is an old man, you cannot reform him, you
can only manage him. This man has been in politics since politics
began in Nigeria. Can you just wish him away like that? If you go to his
house you will see pictures of all the past leaders he has worked
with…Chief Adedibu has sponsored everybody—everybody who is who
and who in Oyo state politics has passed through that place.
This man belongs to an old school of thought. If, for example, he
asked me, Mr. Governor, I want you to kill this one tomorrow I would
say, “Yes, sir.” Then I would go back the following day and say, “Why
do you want us to kill that man?” Then I will provide another solution—
we will not kill him, let us bring him to order. If he asked me for N100, I
will say, “Yes, sir.” But then the next day, I will say, “Baba, I am sorry, I
don’t have the N100, here is N20 for you to manage.” That is only an
example.
I will recommend Baba [Adedibu] as a lecturer at the University [of
Ibadan] to teach, to lecture students about practical politics. 208
Federal Government Complicity
Police Failures and Partisanship
The Nigerian police have made no effort to investigate Adedibu’s involvement in
orchestrating political violence, corruption or electoral fraud despite evidence
208 Human Rights Watch interview with Christopher Alao-Akala, February 10, 2007.
Criminal Politics 62