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THE MANY LIES OF KAYODE OPEIFA
THE MANY LIES OF KAYODE OPEIFA
By William Ajibade
SaharaWeeklyNG Reports Concerning Kayode Opeifa That It is not a crime for a person to fall on the journey of life. We have heard and read many stories of people who fell. What makes some of such stories inspiring is the ability of these individuals to rise again after such a plunge. That is what, they say, makes a man.
In the case of Kayode Opeifa, a former commissioner for transportation in Lagos State, falling does not have a solution. It only has a strategy aimed at an attempt to pull others down with him. Opeifa’s pitiable political deep is no longer news. What is news is the fabrications, the lies with which he has enveloped himself in a bid to win a level of pity? But his error is the fact that he seeks this pity from the same people of Agege, who have long despised him and who, at every opportunity, he tries to coerce into doing his bidding.
With a depleted and battered image in Agege politics, Opeifa, the author of political violence in Agege, attempted to push his way back into the political limelight albeit forcefully taking advantage of the recently held local government election in Lagos. His fall again was unprecedented. Rather than pick the pieces and move on, he decided to reenact what he is best known for – violence and lies – one of which was to claim that his residence on Oyewale Road, Mulero, was attacked in the aftermath of the election by suspected hoodlums whom he was quick to link with the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.
He further claimed that the attack on his residence was because he attempted to fight for the All Progressives Congress (APC) while some people are trying to thwart the progress and planned victory of the party in the election.
This is the same Opeifa, a master of violence who is infamously renowned for introducing violence into Agege politics in 2007 and who had lived on violence since then. This is the same person who unjustifiably fought against the emergence of a prospective candidate for the councillorship of Ward D whose popularity is widely affirmed in the area. You love the APC, but you tried to pull down someone who would lead the party to victory because of his widely-held popularity. How sensible can this lie be?
Afolabi Omotunde, believing in his capacity to win the election, decided to defect to the Young Progressives Party (YPP) where he sought and won. Even a child would understand that as a prospect, Afolabi would have had his supporters in the APC who left and campaigned for him out of anger that he was not treated well. Linking this to someone else is like trying, interminably, to latch at straws while drowning. Opeifa should not forget so soon that there is video evidence of the jubilation that greeted the defeat of his anointed aspirant at the primaries. Or does he want someone to remind him that the people jeered and chorused ‘Opeifa olee’ in the ward where he is supposed to be one of the most respected?
On the day of the election, it was evident that Afolabi, now in YPP, was coasting home to victory. Even as this was painful to the leaders of the APC in Orile-Agege, the election was peaceful until Opeifa unleashed his thugs on the ward. One of the hoodlums was said to have been heard shouting that it was either Opeifa or no other person. He claimed Opeifa was their leader and thus, they won’t allow him disgraced. At the end of the chaos caused by these hoodlums, six people were lying on the ground with gunshot wounds. This is not concocted. The photographs of the injured residents, who are still being treated are attached here. Some of them have given accounts of how the incident happened.
These victims confirmed that they were rescued by Niniola Moruf, a youth leader in the area, who rushed them to the hospital. Niniola has, on his own, confirmed that when Obasa got wind of the incident, he immediately placed a call to the chairman of the House committee on health at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hakeem Sokunle, who made the successful effort that got them to receive urgent medical attention. Opeifa, a supposed leader in the ward, as he wants to be identified, had left the victims to journey to their graves, but another leader decided to rescue them from death. Yet, Opeifa claims to be the victim.
In politics, as it happened in Agege during the local government election, not all antics work. A political lie must be well calculated to avoid a backlash. No, Opeifa may have been too blind to study what he was putting out. He decided to confirm a saying that when an unreasonable man clings to a decision, he fails to listen to other arguments against it. The lies fell ‘yakata’ on his laps. His own music went off on him.
Then, he played the next drama, an allegation that his residence was attacked and that he escaped death. When you decide to throw a stone, in the case of this election, shoot at people you are supposed to protect, then you should know that there could be reactions.
There are two angles to his claim. Some said the attack on his residents was done by angry youths who were provoked by the shooting of the six people at the Ward D. Others claim Opeifa damaged his own residence to win sympathy. He should have also availed the public about the details of his supposed escape even if it would mean telling lies again. It won’t be surprising then if it is later realized that it was Opeifa who truly cracked his glass windows and called it ‘escape death’. Laughable. This is because, despite the mass opposition he got from his own people during the election, nobody attacked him apart from the fact that he was booed while he drove around during the election as seen in videos that trended. The people were angry, yet they allowed him to move freely during the election.
The election is over or so it feels. Will it make sense to continue to brood over a loss? It is proven that brooding does no one any good. Bracing up from a political fall will be the best for Opeifa at this time, not the strategy of cooking up imaginations and lies which have a way of backfiring.
After his term as commissioner, it is known that Opeifa became redundant. He, thereafter, ran after Babatunde Fashola to Abuja. He was rehabilitated, but lies did him wonder. He was again made the executive vice chairman of the Presidential Task Team on the Apapa gridlock. What brought him down? The former commissioner saw the office as an opportunity to enrich himself rather than serve. Bribery from the truck and tanker drivers became a norm. Could he say this was made up or that it is the imagination of detractors?
It is widely held that a leopard can never change its spots, but in politics, Opeifa can turn a new leaf and become responsible for his own actions rather than point fingers endlessly. Or what is the relationship between a councillorship election and a senatorial ambition?
Ajibade wrote this piece from Orile-Agege, Lagos.
Fellow Nigerians, and friends of Nigeria abroad,
They said the APC was not popular with the people. They said its strength was only in government houses, not in the marketplace, not in the villages, not in the hearts of men and women who rise each day to labor under the hot sun. Yet the people have now spoken, and their voice is louder than the rumors of social media, stronger than the whispers of drawing rooms.
In the bye-elections of this past weekend, sixteen seats were set before the people. Out of these, the APC took eleven, stretching across Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Taraba, Ogun, Kogi, Edo, Adamawa, and Niger. One more stands in contest, and there too the APC leads.
APGA secured two seats in Anambra. The PDP held one in Oyo. The NNPP claimed one in Kano. But the others—ADC, SDP, Labour—were nowhere to be found. Not a single seat fell their way.
So I ask: how do you define popularity? By the clamor on Facebook? By the trend on Instagram? By the fury of TikTok or the storms of X? No. Popularity in a democracy is measured by ballots cast, by hands inked, by real people walking to the polls to say with their vote: this is who we trust.
In America, they speak of midterm elections, a verdict passed halfway through a presidency. There, such elections measure the strength of the president and the staying power of his party. Nigeria has no midterm Congress. But these bye-elections, spread across thirteen states and five geopolitical zones, are our closest equivalent. And their meaning cannot be ignored.
Many thought the ADC, older in years than the APC, would rise with its new converts and prove itself a rival. Many thought the PDP would mount a strong wave. But the verdict of the ballot tells a different story. The PDP lives, but it fights to hold ground. The ADC, SDP, and Labour remain shadows, not yet substance. The NNPP, for all its color, remains a Kano river, not a national sea.
The APC, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has not only stood but has been endorsed. For all the cries, for all the bitter words against his reforms, the people have answered with their votes: they are willing to endure the hard medicine if it promises a better tomorrow.
What then is the road ahead? It is clear. The APC stands as the party to beat in 2027. The opposition must gather itself, must bind its wounds, must cease from fighting in fragments if it wishes to rise as a true alternative.
But for now, let it be recorded in the annals of our young democracy: that on the 16th of August, 2025, the Nigerian people spoke with ballots, not hashtags; with votes, not noise; with courage, not despair. And their verdict was plain.
The APC is not a party of rumor, but a party of the people.
The Lagos State Government, in its continued effort to promote cultural heritage and deepen tourism footprints, has concluded plans to host the Lagos Cultural Weekend.
A three-day cultural extravaganza, scheduled to take place across multiple strategic locations, including the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Freedom Park, National Theatre, Badagry Heritage Museum, Lekki Arts and Crafts Market, and Tafawa Balewa Square, from November 14th to November 16th, 2025.
This weekend-long celebration will spotlight the richness of Nigeria’s traditions through curated events that blend history, culture, and local artistry.
Speaking on the initiative, Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe, noted that the event is a key part of a broader framework of the Lagos Cultural Mission.
“We aim to use the Lagos Cultural Weekend as a true reflection of Lagos culture, a herescope for tourists and visitors from across the globe to witness just how rich our culture is.
“The three days will be a cultural baptism, a deep, meaningful introduction to who we are. As a government, we now understand prioritising cultural representation as a driver for economic growth.
”On the initiative’s impact, the Special Adviser explained that it goes beyond showcasing culture, but investing in cultural artisans, talented enthusiasts, and key stakeholders to foster real engagement and growth.“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration values collaboration and inclusiveness, which is why we want to work closely with Lagosians who truly understand our culture to help us achieve these goals.
“From the historians, to creatives, curators, artisans, culinary experts, performers, fashion designers, community leaders, and traditional institutions, we need them to join us in making a lasting impact.“So that, in the end, our guests and friends from many nations will carry home an authentic story of Lagos and enriched cultural literacy,” Mr. Aregbe said.
Attendees will enjoy array of activities, including live music performances, DIY sessions, contemporary art exhibitions, traditional dance showcases, fashion shows, culinary tastings, and craft demonstrations.
Also lined up are symposiums and cultural lectures designed for tourists and enthusiasts who wish to dive deeper into the Lagos cultural identity.
The weekend will be animated by diverse local performance groups representing the rich ethnic landscape of Lagos, with a special emphasis on language, literature, and indigenous storytelling.
Lagos Cultural Weekend 2025 reaffirms the state’s commitment to building a thriving creative economy while celebrating the depth of Nigerian traditions.
Through strategic partnerships, corporate sponsorships, and community engagement, this initiative will set a new benchmark for inclusive cultural programming in Lagos and Africa at large.
Lagos Cultural Mission….Preserving Our Heritage, Advancing The Future
Aare Adetola Emmanuel King Congratulates Hon. Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji on Election Victory
The Chairman/CEO of Adron Group, Sir Aare Adetola Emmanuel King KOF, has congratulated Hon. Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji on her resounding victory in the just-concluded by-election for the Remo Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.
In a goodwill message issued by him, he described the victory as “a historic moment for the Remo people, coming at a time when the constituency yearns for a leader with vision, courage, and genuine commitment to service.”
He noted that the outcome of the election was an attestation to the trust and confidence reposed in Hon. Ayoola-Elegbeji by the people, adding that her sterling qualities, integrity, accessibility, and compassion for the grassroots had endeared her to the electorate.
“The overwhelming support you garnered at the polls is proof that you are the right voice at the right time to carry the aspirations of Remo to the national stage,” he stated.
While acknowledging that the by-election followed the painful demise of the late Hon. Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga (Ijaya), Aare Adetola Emmanuel King said Hon. Ayoola-Elegbeji’s emergence symbolizes the continuity of purposeful representation. He expressed confidence that she would not only sustain the legacy of her predecessor but also surpass it with new energy, innovative ideas, and progressive leadership.
The Adron Group Chairman further prayed for divine wisdom, strength, and compassion for the Member-Elect as she assumes office, expressing confidence that her tenure will usher in meaningful development, economic empowerment, and greater opportunities for the people of Remo Federal Constituency.
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