Chief Tola Adeniyi has revisited one of Nigeria’s most violent political episodes, drawing attention to the human cost of past electoral crises and the dangers of recurring intolerance in public life........…
Adeniyi made the remarks during an interview on State .... Affairs with Edmund Obilo, where he reflected on the period of “Operation Wetie” and the wider political unrest that engulfed the old Western Region in the early 1980s.
Recalling the scale of violence at the time, Adeniyi stated: “Even the man, one of the very closest friends to Awolowo was dragged from his house and burnt alive. The man who published Awolowo’s 3 books.” He used the account to illustrate how political tensions in the past often escalated beyond control, leading to the loss of prominent lives.
The individual referenced in the account is Olaiya Fagbamigbe, who was reportedly killed in August 1983 during violent riots in what is now Ondo State. He was known as a publisher and also served as a member of the House of Representatives before his death during the unrest.
Adeniyi’s reflection placed the incident within a broader warning about the consequences of political hostility, stressing that such violence often emerges when institutions fail to manage competition and dissent peacefully.
He cautioned that unchecked provocation and deepening mistrust among political actors could recreate conditions similar to those that fueled past crises, where retaliation and mob actions quickly overwhelmed order.
The political analyst urged a renewed commitment to restraint, dialogue, and respect for democratic processes, noting that history offers clear lessons about the cost of allowing political disagreements to degenerate into violence.…READ / MORE…
