March 21, (THEWILL) – That there is an obvious rift between Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is no longer in doubt. The gulf between the two however, keeps widening with each passing day. This became evident during the lavish ceremony that marked the installation of Oba Lekan Balogun, as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadan.
Dignitaries from all parts of the country were in attendance at the ceremony, which took place at Mapo Hall in the Oyo State capital. While dignitaries, such as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Governors Dapo Abiodun, Kayode Fayemi of Ogun and Ekiti States, respectively; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, etc, were present, Tinubu, who many looked forward to meeting at the event, was conspicuously absent.
Instead, the Jagaban of Borgu sent a representative in the person of Femi Pedro, his deputy when he was governor of Lagos State. For a man who has been junketing around the South-West to drum up support for his presidential ambition, his absence at the ceremony spoke more volumes than many of his foot soldiers would care to admit about the state of his relationship with the Vice President Osinbajo.
More worrisome is the fact that without batting an eyelid, Tinubu willingly sacrificed his attendance at the installation ceremony of the new monarch, who is incidentally his close friend and whose presence would have been a morale booster for the new Olubadan, just to avoid Osinbajo.
Only a week ago, Tinubu posted a terse message wishing Osinbajo a happy birthday on social media. Not only was the post a day late, he made the post all about himself with the kind of photograph he attached to the birthday message. The photograph was of Tinubu, Osinbajo and their wives cutting Tinubu’s 67th birthday/colloquium which took place two-years ago. Also pundits consider the photograph to be a subtle jab at Osinbajo who is allegedly eyeing President Mohammadu Buhari’s seat come 2023.
Ivory Ukonu is a versatile journalist with many years of experience, with entertainment and society reporting as her area of core competence.
