Society Gists

By Wale Onifade

When the story of Nigeria’s modern-day political actors is told, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State will be remembered — not just for his controversial ascent to power — but for what now appears to be a compulsive, troubling penchant for historical revisionism.

From questionable academic claims to jarring factual inaccuracies in public speeches, Abiodun seems to have crowned himself the unofficial author of a new fictional Nigerian history — one where he alone holds the pen and truth is the first casualty.

This Remo-born politician has over time established a disturbing pattern: say it enough, spin it well enough, and the people just might forget the facts. But Nigerians are not that forgetful.

The first major crack in the governor’s truth shield was exposed in 2019 when he appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today with Seun Okinbaloye. During the live interview, Abiodun stumbled and stammered when asked a simple, direct question: “Did you attend the University of Ife as claimed in your INEC form?”

The silence was deafening. The governor dodged, deflected, and ultimately failed to provide any proof. It was a national embarrassment that sent red flags fluttering across the political landscape. A man who would govern a state could not clarify the most basic detail about his academic journey. Not only was it a red flag — it was a precursor of worse to come.

Just days ago, while giving eulogies in honor of the late Chief Victor Omololu Olunloyo — former Governor of Oyo State and Nigeria’s foremost mathematician — Governor Abiodun, in his now familiar tone of historical distortion, stated that “Chief Olunloyo was a Grade A student during his 200 Level year in the University.”

Wait — 200 level?

Anyone with the faintest understanding of Nigeria’s academic evolution knows that the classification of “100 level,” “200 level,” and so on was a post-1970s adaptation introduced in alignment with new education policy reforms.

Chief Olunloyo graduated with a first-class degree from the University of London before most Nigerian universities were even established. There were no “levels” in his time — only academic years. That Abiodun, a sitting governor, would boldly make such a statement only reinforces the theory: he’s not just bending history — he’s bulldozing it.

Governor Abiodun’s history of public misinformation is not limited to universities and levels. Here are a few other instances where the facts simply didn’t align:

The “Unknown” NYSC Certificate: Despite mandatory NYSC service for graduates, the governor could not produce a valid NYSC certificate. When asked, his team claimed it was irrelevant. How convenient.

The Phantom U.S. Degree: At various times, it has been implied that Abiodun holds a degree from a U.S.-based university, yet no verifiable institution has stepped forward to confirm this. A deep dive into educational records in the U.S. comes up dry.

Rewriting Ogun’s Development Timeline: Abiodun has on multiple occasions credited his administration for infrastructural projects that were either conceptualized or executed during his predecessors’ tenure — notably in the Ijebu and Ifo axis.

Even signage from past administrations are being replaced with his name.

A Revisit of School Records

For final authentication, investigative efforts to verify Dapo Abiodun’s academic records continue to hit brick walls. The University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) has yet to confirm any graduation record under his name. Independent checks by this reporter with alumni records have yielded no match.

Ditto in the U.S., where several institutions purportedly associated with the governor report no enrollment history for any such student.

This raises a crucial question: Who exactly is Dapo Abiodun, and why does he consistently refuse to let history breathe?

A Leader or a Legend Spinner?

While some political actors embellish stories to enhance their legacy, Governor Abiodun appears to have taken it a step further — creating alternate timelines where facts are mere footnotes to fiction. But history, no matter how much it is manipulated, has a way of correcting itself.

The governor may continue to tell tales, but the Nigerian people — and indeed history — are watching. And when the final book is written, it will not be by spin doctors, but by truth-seekers who refused to let lies go unchallenged.