● Olori Gbooro Bi Posi Adelabu: The Coffin, The Crash And The Cloth Behind Yoruba’s Most Famous Abuse + What The man with Extraordinary Political Oratory, Who Lit One Cigarette With Another Cigarette, Got To Do With This
This photo captures Adegoke Adelabu (Penkelemesi) lighting a cigarette with another one.
He was a heavy smoker and a polygamous man who had many wives.
But let us go down memory lane and read about the story of Adegoke Adelabu and the origin of the expression, “Penkelemesi”.
One of the places you must endeavour to visit in the historic city of Ibadan is ‘Taj Mahal’ at Oke Oluokun.
That is the residence and final resting place of Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu, the Lion of the West.
Adelabu needs no introduction.
He was the afternoon star that scared the elderly.
He was the morning dew that drenched both friends and foes.
It has been 68 years since his death, but he refused to be forgotten.
For those who are not familiar with the man who was popularly known as “Penkelemesi”, Gbadamosi Adegoke Adelabu was born on 3rd September, 1915 and he died on 25th March, 1958.
He was aged 42.
He died in a car accident along the then Lagos-Ibadan Road.
He attended the prestigious Government College, Ibadan.
He was Nigeria’s Minister of Natural Resources and Social Services from January, 1955 – January, 1956.
He later became the opposition leader in the Western Region.
His Yoruba was flawless and his English was impeccable.
Adelabu was not the one to mix Yoruba with English in the same sentence.
Though small in stature, he was intellectually a giant.
With his brilliance, he dazzled and dwarfed his peers.
He dressed and appeared like a rustic villager.
He never seemed to smile, not to speak of laugh.
His Yoruba was devastating in pithiness and sarcasm.
He knew how to leave every audience with a phrase that could not be forgotten.
Such a phrase was PECULIAR MESS, which the local illiterates pronounced as PENKELEMESI.
And that was how the word, Penkelemesi became the nickname of Adegoke Adelabu!
Adelabu’s Lebanese friends, the Younan family, saw his political appointment as a golden opportunity to market his brand.
So, they decided that textile materials bearing Adelabu’s image and name should be produced and sold.
It was expected that the cloth would also serve as a subtle campaign strategy for Adelabu who was aiming to become the Premier of the Western Region.
When the first shipment arrived, neither Adelabu nor the Younan family, expected what happened.
They had expected sale to be slow and gradual.
But, to their pleasant surprise, the fabric became an overnight bestseller.
It became the social uniform, not only in Ibadan but throughout the Western Region.
According to stories, textile merchants were using the cloth to sell other brands.
You must buy another brand before “Aso Penkelemesi” could be sold to you.
Tailors were praying daily for Adelabu.
There was no tailor in Ibadan that did not get one or two yards to sew from the fabric.
The Younan family did not wait for the stock to run out before the second shipment was ordered.
It also recorded massive sale.
This time around, Idumota traders and Onitsha merchants joined the bandwagon.
The Lion of the West was the toast of the moment.
He was not only a successful politician; he had also demonstrated that he was business savvy.
With the 1956 elections approaching,
he was confident of becoming the Premier,
His business partners were also confident.
It was decided that in addition to the Penkelemesi cloth already in the market, a special cloth should be ordered for his inauguration as the Premier.
The cloth was indeed special.
It showed Adegoke Adelabu as the Premier holding the keys to the Western House of Assembly.
It was going to be a hot cake.
To finance the project, Albert Younan obtained a loan from African Continental Bank (ACB).
Adelabu had, however, not taken into consideration the political wizardry of Obafemi Awolowo.
As fate would have it, it was Awolowo who became the Premier.
The management of ACB wanted to know how Albert Younan was going to repay the loan.
The cloth could not be sold as Adelabu did not become the Premier.
Albert Younan found himself in a financial jeopardy.
On March 24, 1958, Younan sent a desperate message to Penkelemesi.
It was a plea for help.
The bank was on his neck.
He had been given a final deadline by the bank.
Adelabu decided to assist his friend by following him to the head office of the bank in Lagos to plead for an extension of time to repay the loan.
He bade his family farewell and promised to be back before evening.
He was assured by ACB that his request would be considered.
Younan was happy.
Adelabu was happy.
He went off to see Festus Okotie-Eboh.
It was on the return journey back to Ibadan that the unthinkable happened between Ode-Remo and Iperu.
Albert Younan was the one driving the ash-grey Peugeot saloon car.
Adelabu was seated beside him.
Two of Adelabu’s aides were also in the car.
Without warning, the Peugeot collided head-on with a light yellow Austin which was on its way to Lagos.
Only Younan survived.
The following morning, his death became the headline news.
“Adelabu Is Dead” announced the Daily Times.
It was a sad day to the whole of the Western Region.
Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe presented a coffin to the family on behalf of his political party, the NCNC.
This brought about the yoruba abusive expression, “Olori gbooro bi posi Adelabu” because the casket was long and robust.
The erstwhile Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu is a grandson of Penkelemesi.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This piece was in a viral WhatsApp message that contains no author. We will be obliged to give editorial credit to the author when we know him or her
Source: Platform Africa
Stay ahead with the latest updates!
Join The Podium Media on WhatsApp for real-time news alerts, breaking stories, and exclusive content delivered straight to your phone. Don’t miss a headline — subscribe now!
Chat with Us on WhatsApp
