By Dayo Adeyinka | Asiwaju Media Team
A popular Chief Priest and former aide to the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Dr. Oladoyin Odebowale, has publicly condemned the prolonged silence of Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, over allegations of certificate forgery trailing his name.
Dr. Odebowale made the call in a two-minute live video shared on his verified Facebook page, which has since gained wide circulation across social media platforms. In the video, he expressed concern over what he described as the Minister’s continued silence amid growing public scrutiny.
According to Odebowale, the position of Minister of Interior is a highly sensitive one, given its oversight of Nigeria’s internal security architecture, including the supervision of national identity systems such as the National Identification Number (NIN). He warned that allegations of forged credentials against such an official, if left unanswered, could erode public trust and create fear among citizens.
He argued that the controversy poses a potential risk to national security, stating that Nigerians may begin to question the safety and authenticity of their personal records if a minister in charge of internal affairs is alleged to have questionable credentials.
Dr. Odebowale further noted that silence in the face of such allegations is inconsistent with what he described as Yoruba cultural values of honour, accountability, and integrity. He recalled instances in Nigeria’s history where public office holders resigned or stepped aside to clear their names over similar allegations.
Describing the situation as unprecedented and dangerous, Odebowale faulted what he termed the Minister’s overstaying in silence instead of addressing the allegations directly.
In his words, “I am calling out the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to come out and dispel the rumours making the rounds that he lacks integrity. This is one of the periods when silence is not golden.”
He urges the Minister to provide a clear and transparent response to the allegations in the interest of national integrity, public confidence, and democratic accountability.
As of the time of filing this report, the Minister of Interior has not issued any public statement responding to the claims.
