Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, on Thursday, named a major street in Ibadan after Alhaji Honourable Adegoke Adelabu (Penkelemesi), during the post-humous centenary birthday celebration and foundation launch at the Ibadan Civic Centre.

The governor, in his address, said the late Nigeria’s first Federal Minister of Social Services and Natural Resources was a no match with anybody in Yoruba land till date, lamenting his late recognition among Ibadan indigenes.

The governor said: “On behalf of the people and the government of Oyo State and in everlasting memory of this political giant, an icon and a grassroot mobiliser par excellence,  the major ancient street that divides Ibadan into two historical parts, that is, from Felele Roundabout to Agodi-Gate-Yidi,  is hereby named Adelabu Adegoke Way.

 “We would have further recommended him for post-humous National Award, if not for the recent policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

Ajimobi further said Adelabu was a gifted politician, a brilliant Ibadan man, whose both academic and administrative qualities were yet to be equalled till date.

According to Ajimobi, “Adelabu was the leader of leaders, who lived before his time. It is sad that we, the Ibadan people, have done nothing to immortalise him.”

Speaking, chairman, Adegoke Adelabu post-humous centenary birthday planning committee, the Aare Alaasa Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Lekan Alabi, corroborated Governor Ajimobi’s claim that the late politician received the honour which had eluded him.

Chief Alabi said “Adelabu is today receiving the grand honour, albeit post-humously, which has eluded him and his memory since his death in a road accident on March 25, 1958, at Ogere Remo area of the defunct Western Region of Nigeria, now in present day Ogun State.”

In his speech entitled: ‘Adegoke Penkelemesi Adelabu: A thousand stars of honour,’ Professor Mark Nwagwu of the Paul University, Awka, Anambra State, described the late icon as “a man dazzling in speech and bearing, astounding inspiring, stupendously learned, superbly reliable, resplendently transparent, humble and social.”
He added that he was “a man of charity, a Nigerian in whom there is no guile and whose Yoruba blood flows in the hearts of the Igbo, the Ibibio, the Nupe, the Fulani, the Efik, the Itsekekiri, the Hausa.”

Professor Nwagwu said Adelabu tread the honourable path of  Nigeria’s political space with mastery of objective of serving the masses, saying Nigeria now lacked statesmen.
One of his grandson, Adebayo Adelabu, expressed gratitude to the entire Yoruba race for giving his late grandfather a place of honour the deserved place of honour in the history of Nigeria.
A book  in his honour, entitled “Africa in Ebullition and selected speeches” by Honourable Adegoke Adelabu, which was first published in 1952, was launched, as well as  the Adegoke Adelabu Foundation.
Oyo State governor donated N5million in his name and N 5million on behalf of the state government, to be redeemed when the state government paid civil servants their outstanding salaries.
He, however, promised that the state government would pay the backlog of salaries this month.
Dignitaries at the event included a former president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who was represented by the chairman of National Population Commission (NPC), Alahaji Lateef Gbadamosi; a former governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala; representative of Osun State governor,  Alhaji Moshood Olalekan Adeoti; Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Adeshina  Michael Adeyemo, among others.