Former Chief of Staff to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late former Governor of Kwara State, Cornelius Adebayo, describing him as a man of integrity, humility, and unwavering principles who deeply influenced his character and outlook on life.
Adebayo, a respected statesman, former senator, and one-time governor of Kwara State, passed away on June 25 in Abuja at the age of 84. At a night of tribute and service of songs held in his honour in Abuja on Tuesday, Professor Gambari reflected on their decades-long friendship, which began in 1957 when they were both students at Ilorin Provincial Secondary School.
Recalling those early days, Gambari spoke fondly of Adebayo, who was two years ahead of him and served as the school’s head student. He described him as a steady hand and a moral guide during his youthful days. “I used to be quite rascally back then,” Gambari shared with a smile. “But he pulled me aside one day and said, ‘You need to calm down. Remember, people will judge your conduct based on your royal background.’ That moment taught me humility, and I’ve carried that lesson all my life.”
Gambari praised Adebayo as a leader of rare courage who stood firmly for fairness and democracy. He recounted how, during the tense 1983 governorship elections in Kwara State, Adebayo refused to bow to pressure to manipulate results. “He insisted there would be no rigging,” Gambari said. “He believed that if the process was fair, victory would come his way—and it did. He became governor through a truly democratic process.”
He also shared a moment of humour that captured Adebayo’s warmth and wit. “He once told me jokingly that if he had been governor in 1992, when the Emir of Ilorin’s stool became vacant, he would have made me Emir,” Gambari recalled fondly, drawing laughter from the audience.
Describing him as “a decent, honest, humble, and principled man,” Gambari said Adebayo lived a life that exemplified selflessness and integrity. He expressed his deep condolences to the bereaved family, praying for God’s comfort and strength as they celebrate the enduring legacy of a man whose influence, he said, “will continue to echo through generations.”
