DID YOU KNOW? Adebayo ‘Fryo’ Adedamola, Osun PDP guber candidate, was arraigned for Bola Ige’s murder

On December 2, Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola stepped into the spotlight as the newly elected governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the Osun state August 2026 governorship election.

His emergence came after Ademola Adeleke, initially slated for the race, abruptly resigned from the PDP, citing the party’s unending leadership turbulence. And just like that, the ticket went into Adedamola’s hand, a man whose name is now stitched into political conversations across the state.

But for many older residents of Osun and Oyo, Adedamola’s name does not sound new. Also known as ‘Fryo’, the name rings a bell, loudly at that.

Decades earlier, he appeared in police files and courtroom transcripts as a prime suspect in the death of Bola Ige.

A NAME FROM A DARK HISTORY

On December 23, 2001, Ige, then Nigeria’s attorney-general and minister of justice, was shot dead inside his Bodija home in Ibadan, Oyo state capital. The killing shook the country. Fingers pointed immediately toward the fierce political feud in Osun between Bisi Akande, then governor, and Iyiola Omisore, his deputy.

Ige was central to the political crisis in Osun, acting as a mediator within the Alliance for Democracy (AD) to reconcile Akande and Omisore, whose relationship broke down over party dominance.

But as tensions escalated into clashes between supporters, and Omisore was subsequently impeached, his mediation was seen as siding with Akande, and the feud reportedly culminated in Ige’s assassination.

During that period, a few days before his death, Ige was attacked in Ile-Ife by a mob of angry youths reportedly loyal to Omisore. He was publicly humiliated, and his cap was removed from his head — a major insult in Yoruba culture.

On January 14, 2002, Festus Keyamo, a human rights lawyer, presented Adedamola to journalists as an informant who, according to him, had inside knowledge about those behind Ige’s murder. Adedamola subsequently surrendered to the police.

Keyamo presented to the public and the police an affidavit wherein he claimed Adedamola knew Ige’s killers and that Omisore once offered Adedamola N5 million to kill Ige, which he (Adedamola) allegedly rejected.

“He (the suspect) came to me because he felt abandoned by everybody. He thought he had nobody in the world and believed they have abandoned him. He knows all the facts. Those that did it on his finger-tips. We will release evidence in stages because from the details, we knew the identities of those who masterminded the killings,” Keyamo told journalists.

However, Adedamola later reversed his claims and alleged that Keyamo pressured him to frame Omisore, saying the lawyer took advantage of him to boost his public profile.

“I trace my ordeal to the event in the Ooni Palace, where I saw the youths singing against Ige, and I participated in removing his cap. We did it because we knew that he was the brain behind the crisis. I did not know about his death,” Adedamola said.

Thirteen suspects, including Alani Omisore, the cousin of the deputy governor, were arraigned before an Ibadan high court.

Others on the charge list included: Adesiyan Oyewale Jelili, Adekunle Alao, Hon. Lambe Oyasope, Daramola Ezekiel, Sergeant Oye Oniyanda, Adebayo Adegoke, Karimu Lawal, Nelson Kumoye, Oluwole Ogunjiwu, Police Corporal Sule Ibrahim, and Idowu James.

At one point, the dragnet widened so dramatically that even Omisore and Keyamo were arrested and arraigned in connection with the murder.

The back-and-forth weakened the prosecution’s case.

On October 16, 2004, the six remaining accused persons — Adedamola, Daramola Ezekiel, Oye Oniyanda, Nelson Kumoye, Kareem Lawal, Adebayo Adegoke and Oluwole Ogunjimi — were set free by the court after Atilade Ojo, the judge, ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the two-count charge of conspiracy and murder levelled against them.

Ultimately, no one has ever been convicted for Ige’s murder, and to date, the question, “Who killed Bola Ige?” remains unanswered.

BEFORE IGE’S MURDER, WHO WAS FRYO?

According to a 2002 interview, Adedamola was born to Tunde Adebayo, a fourth-republic lawmaker in the Ekiti State House of Assembly, and Olumide, daughter of Ayo Martins, popularly known as Olowo Idiope, a first-republic parliamentarian.

Martins, who was then 85 years old, said when Adedamola’s name came up in the murder investigation, he was “disturbed”.

“My family is not that kind of family; it is a Christian family. We have never been involved in anything criminal to the extent of murdering somebody or something like that. I was scared,” Martins said.

Martins recalled that his daughter was still a student at a grammar school; he could not recall the name when Tunde, then a medical doctor at the state hospital, impregnated her.

“At that time, I was a member of the Western House of Assembly in Ibadan. I was told someone had impregnated my daughter. My sister told me, and she took court action against the man. He was ordered to care for my daughter and the pregnancy,” he said.

He explained that Adedamola — whom he simply called Damola — grew up with his (Martins’) sister and later spent some time with his maternal grandmother before Tunde eventually came to claim him.

Martins added that years later, while on a visit to OAU, he met Adedamola, who was still in school despite having said he was enrolled in a two-year physical education course.

“After some time, I kept seeing him, and I asked, ‘You told me you were doing physical education — it’s only a two-year course. Why are you still here?’ He said he had changed his course to international relations, and I said, “Okay,” he recounted.

Martins admitted he neither liked Adedamola nor his father, blaming Tunde for cutting short Olumide’s education.

“You see, right from the word go, because of the way the father treated my daughter, I didn’t like either the boy or the father. I didn’t like them at all,” he said.

‘DENIED BY HIS FATHER’

Patrick Babatunde Adebayo, Fryo’s acclaimed father, was the chairman of the committee on health, Ekiti State House of Assembly, when the murder saga broke out, and Fryo was named a prime suspect.

Tunde, who represented Ayedun constituency, was said to have been embarrassed by the development and reportedly denied Fryo’s paternity.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Mixed reactions have trailed Adedamola’s emergence as the PDP candidate, with many Nigerians taking to social media to express their thoughts.

In a post on X, The Classic Man, questioned Adedamola’s suitability for the role, given his history.

“This nomination raises serious questions about the quality of leadership Nigeria is producing,” the social media user wrote.

The PDP in Osun State has given its gubernatorial ticket to Fryo- a complete mad man when we were in school

For context: Fryo was the individual who led the mob that removed Chief Bola Ige’s cap at the Ooni of Ife’s palace in December 2001 during Stella Obasanjo’s chieftaincy…

— The Classic Man (@tkb417) December 2, 2025

Below are other reactions to his emergence:

No be “FRYO” be this. I just remember following Bola Ige case as a young boy. This name rings bell https://t.co/qVHzAgLLcw

— Ghengis Khan (@Alameensodiq) December 2, 2025

As he shock you na so he shock me oooo when I found out

— Ayekooto (@ayekooto_NG) December 2, 2025

I wanted to ask since yesterday….Na wa o…. if anyone told us that FRYO will be bold enough to contest for governorship of OSUN STATE… thr home state of the Cicero of Esa Oke one would have said its impossible… https://t.co/QWm4snB5l0

— M. Aurelius ⚜️ (@ibkzzle0) December 2, 2025

Is it true that Fryo wants to be a governor in Osun state? Hope y’all remember who that is sha?

— CALL ME GIANNA’S DAD! TRIPPLE O G (@OLUENOCH) December 3, 2025

It’s quite pathetic and calls for sober reflection that Fryo became a governor’s ally and eventually clinched a party’s ticket. The people remaining in such party should naturally be ashamed. People should be distancing themselves from that rubbish if we are serious in this… https://t.co/vnl96vCmc8

— ADEMOLA (@RajiDraj) December 2, 2025

Same Fryo that was indicted in late Bola Ige murder case??? 🙆🏾‍♂️🙆🏾‍♂️🙆🏾‍♂️ https://t.co/TxAjU0YLMN

— Abdullah (@Lanre_banjo) December 2, 2025

Fryo of all People. Nigeria is truly a crime scene. Bola Ige and family will be shaking there head. https://t.co/miQHFNpB9i

— Afọlábí (@Ahfo__) December 3, 2025

(the cable)