Alaafin Molete to ju Oba ibomi loo: Remembering Lamidi Ariyibi Adedibu, the General of Ibadan Politics
By Femi Ajiboye, Editor, RoundOyo
June 13, 2025
Seventeen years after his death, the name Lamidi Ariyibi Adedibu still commands respect, controversy, and nostalgia across the political landscape of Oyo State and Nigeria. Known to many as the Alaafin of Molete, Adedibu was not a traditional monarch, but his influence often outweighed that of any crowned king. In the heart of Ibadan, especially during election seasons, he was the one who decided who would rise and who would fall.
His compound in Molete was more than a residence. It was a political headquarters, a courtroom, a charity home, and a daily assembly point for hundreds of party loyalists and the ordinary poor. Politicians seeking office knew that Molete was a must-stop. From council chairmen to senators and even governors, Adedibu had the final say. In 2003, it was widely believed that his blessing paved the way for Rashidi Ladoja to become governor.
At the national level, he was respected by the high and mighty. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo once described him as a master political mobiliser. Though he never held high elective office himself, his authority was so absolute that few dared to oppose him within the party structure.
Adedibu’s politics was built on personal touch and constant giving. Every day, pots of amala steamed in his compound. Hundreds were fed. He gave cash freely, especially to market women, drivers, artisans, and jobseekers. He created what many called a welfare system, long before governments began talking about social investment.
Beyond his generosity, Adedibu was also blunt and fearless. He spoke in parables, sometimes with thunder. He did not fear titles, and he publicly criticized those who he believed had strayed from loyalty or political alignment. One of his most quoted lines remains, “A governor that cannot be controlled is not useful to the party.” It reflected his belief in party discipline and the supremacy of the political system.
Even in his twilight years, Adedibu never softened. He remained active until his passing on June 11, 2008. Since then, no political figure in Oyo State has been able to command the kind of structure and loyalty he enjoyed. Attempts to replicate the Molete model have fallen flat. The loyalty he inspired was not bought—it was earned through years of presence, protection, and patronage.
Today, his legacy remains part of Oyo’s political memory. Many older residents still say, “If Baba Molete were alive, this nonsense won’t happen,” especially when referring to political chaos or disunity in the PDP.
Lamidi Adedibu was more than a power broker. He was a symbol of political tradition, influence without office, and grassroots politics in its rawest form. While the city has moved on, the stories from Molete continue to live, whispered in markets, retold in motor parks, and remembered in party meetings.
As the years pass, his legacy grows not weaker, but stronger—etched in the foundation of modern Oyo politics.
