IBRAHIM QUADRI (08053518448)
One of the attributes that often distinguishes a man from the crowd is his peculiar approach to issues. In this sense, principle plays a determining role. Being principled shows firmness, focus and core ideal of a result-oriented personality.
Born April 24, 1936, Otunba Bushura Adedeji Alebiosu, fondly referred to as ‘Baba Bush’ fits into the category of highly principled statesman. The patriarch who is the father of the Lagos State Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure, Hon Yacoob Ekundayo Alebiosu, will in the next couple of days clock 90 years.
A high number of politicians in Lagos have continued to pour accolades in recognition of Baba Bush’s exemplary life style. He is seen as a great stabilizer who rather prefers leading from behind.
Alebiosu began his sojourn in life as an engineer by training. He returned from UK in 1967 before entering politics and has been recognized for his exceptional leadership prowess, integrity and his uncommon contributions to the socio-economic, cultural and political development of Lagos State.
Alebiosu began his political career in Lagos as a councilor in Somolu Local Government in 1976 and was elected to the Lagos State House of Assembly in 1979 and 1983 under the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). As a political titan, he is known for mentoring many politicians in Lagos East Senatorial District till date. He is indeed one of the elders piloting affairs of Lagos politics as a member of the apex leadership body of the State All Progressives Congress,(APC), Governance Advisory Council, (GAC). This Council has helped Lagos stands firm in terms of stability, character, and courage of leadership.
As a prominent and seasoned politician, he is also Otunba Gbelegbuwa of Ijebuland, a respected leader, mentor, and currently the Chairman of the Council of Otunbas of Ijebuland. The late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, conferred the honour on him in recognition of his contributions to the advancement of Ijebuland. Alebiosu is therefore celebrated for his integrity and impact on socio-cultural and political development in Lagos State and Ijebuland in Ogun State.
Additionally, as a quintessential leader of Lagos politics, public records focus heavily on his political leadership, traditional roles, and legislative history rather than on a specific business entity named “Primrose” within the provided search results. Baba Bush’s name is synonymous with Primose as a political force in Lagos State.
It needs to be pointed out that, as an influential politician in Lagos East, he spearheaded the creation of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) like Ikosi-Iseri. These feats were achieved because when he believes in a cause, he pursues it, stand firmly, and until he achieves the result, he just keeps going.
His first son, Ekundayo, x-rayed his father’s peculiarities, “We are grateful for who he is. He is an amazing father; he has been a rock. If I get the opportunity to choose again, I will choose him again and again. A very stubborn old man—I appreciate that about him. He just believes in what he believes in.
“One good thing I have picked from him is to bow to a superior argument. He doesn’t argue for the sake of argument; he speaks based on what he has observed. He gives fair hearings. Sometimes you may not appreciate his decisions, but eventually you get to realize that he chose what is best. He is more for the benefit of the greatest number than for a few individuals.”
Corroborating Ekundayo’s position, Pa Reuben Olorunfunmi Bashorun, who is also a leader of APC in Lagos East Senatorial District and member of the GAC from Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA, recalled his first encounter with Baba Bush in 1978 at the late Alhaji Kayode Jakande’s house when UPN was formed in preparation for Jakande’s ambition to become the Governor of Lagos State.
As the Secretary to the State Government under Jakande, Bashorun unveiled the attitude of Alebiosu as a member of the State House of Assembly. “He was very unassuming—you wouldn’t know he had money, yet he was very comfortable. He was very friendly and always teasing me. He was a party man, always ready to use his resources for the party. There was a time the party needed a secretariat in his area, and he used part of his wife’s shop for that purpose.
“After the 1983 military intervention, many of us regrouped to form a group under Sarumi. He was one of those who formed the group, called Primose. When the late Musa Yar’Adua wanted to become president, Primose queued behind him. That was the group Sarumi used to attempt to become Governor of Lagos State, though he did not succeed. The group’s headquarters was at Akilo Street, Ogba.
“While Tinubu contested for the Senate in Lagos West Senatorial District, he remained the leader in Lagos East, which included Somolu, Ibeju-Lekki, Kosofe, Ikorodu, and Epe. By 1999, Primose had become divided into two. He and some leaders felt the leadership of Primose was doing the right thing, and they decided to form the Justice Forum. He was one of them. Late Alhaji Mufutau Hamzat was one of them, and Olusi was also part of the group. Some of us remained with Sarumi.
“When Bola Tinubu returned from exile, he joined the Justice Forum. At a meeting where Tinubu came to inform him that he wanted to return to the Senate, it was Bush who advised him not to go back to the Senate but to contest for Governor. That is how he became the gubernatorial candidate. In fact, when Tinubu celebrated his 60th birthday, he mentioned that it was Baba Bush who advised him to contest for Governor instead of returning to the Senate.
“At that time, we were in the PDP while they were in AD. The Justice Forum moved to AD. Interestingly, we were still communicating with each other because the bond between us from our days in the Social Democratic Party (SDP) remained strong.
“In 2007, when President Obasanjo finished his tenure, I left the PDP on September 19, 2007. Tinubu was one of those who received me. My leader, Pa Ayo Fasanmi, came all the way from Osogbo to welcome me into the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
“In 1992, when I wanted to go into the Senate, Bush stood by me, even though I did not win. The winner then was Senator Adefuye. In 2003, when I wanted to be Governor, he also stood by me before I eventually stepped down for Funsho Williams. All along, he remained the leader of Lagos East Senatorial District. I have great respect for him. The President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, also has a lot of respect for him.
“When it comes to managing the senatorial district, he uses some of us as tools to ensure regular meetings. Our secretary is Hon. Jokotola Pelumi, a lawyer. Anytime he calls us, we respond because he has always been transparent. On a personal basis, he has supported me in business. He never denied me support when I was producing polythene bags.”
Pa Bashorun described Bush as amiable and accommodating. “He hardly gets annoyed, and when there is cause for anger, he simply smiles. He does not get flared up unnecessarily. That is why many of us are close to him. He is a grassroots man.”
In his submission about Baba Bush’s exemplary character, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu noted, “I can say that for almost 23 to 25 years that I have been around, the name Otunba Bush, aka Baba Bush, has stood with me right from the beginning.
“So, the reflection will be that of a set of people, of which he is one, who have helped shape the political landscape of Lagos, especially during this Fourth Republic. From the time when he was a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Somolu/Kosofe State Constituency, he has kept faith with the political process—from the Otedola era, through the transition during IBB, and now during the Fourth Republic.
“He is one of our leading lights. He is a beacon of final solutions or final advice that can guide us through very untidy, disruptive, and unsettling moments. I see him as a stabilizer—a man with tremendous experience and a wealth of knowledge. More importantly, he is a calm elderly man. I see qualities of leadership in him that are rare among political leaders.
“I have had more direct interactions with him. Because of the way we sit at the GAC, he is one of the very few people who has a permanent seat. Quite frankly, he sits on the first seat to my left, and whether he is around or not, that seat is always kept for him. That speaks volumes. It speaks to the fact that even his colleagues and peers in the GAC acknowledge the wealth of experience and leadership he brings to bear.”
Sanwo-Olu advised the younger ones to take a cue in the values of patience and endurance of Baba Bush. “It is the understanding that there is nothing that cannot be resolved. You cannot be a hardliner permanently. You can be principled and have your say, but at the end of the day, when everything is laid on the table, you must be able to live with a solution.
Giving his perspective on the elder statesman, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat Kadri goes thus: “There is a saying that ‘old birds are never caught cheap.’ That is why they are old—because people have not been able to catch them.”
Like Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat stated, “What I like about him is his composure. Political meetings or gatherings can sometimes be chaotic, but what Baba does is to bring order. He takes you back to history, which helps people to calm down. It has been very great and encouraging for those of us who are younger to see how they do their things.
“We now have IT and technology, which they didn’t have then, but they had a better system. They make you understand the right thing to do—putting order to chaos, arranging things, and guiding younger ones to know the right way. That is what I always remember him for.
“There are many strata in political movements. For example, when you are trying to pick a candidate for a position, all the candidates who contested may lay claim to victory—which is theoretically impossible.
“Baba will then tell them that only one person can win a position. He will go spiritual by saying that what God did not give you, no human being can give you. What that does is calm everyone down.
“The way he puts perspective into things is truly encouraging. I have learned a lot from him. On a general basis, that is why, in my view, Lagos is different from other states. This is because we have many elders like that in the Governance Advisory Council. They have been members of the House of Assembly, Commissioners, members of the House of Representatives, Senators, Deputy Governors—people with all sorts of experience”.
On the whole, Baba Bush’s life is summed up in this philosophy. Life is like childbirth—it is painful, difficult, and risky. But that does not mean we should not have children. The process is tough, but the result is rewarding. Anything valuable is hidden—oil, gold, diamond. We dig deep to find them. That is how life works and this attribute has defined the elder statesman who is deeply embedded in wisdom and being tactically exploited by the wise among the younger generations.
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