Mayor made chieftain in Nigerian hometown (But he claims he was forced to leave for reasons of religious persecution)

The Mayor of Portlaoise Cllr Rotimi Adebari was made an honorary chieftain of his hometown of Okeodan in Nigeria during a recent trip home.
Mayor Adebari had returned to Nigeria with his wife Ibironke on the sad occasion of the funeral of her father last month.

While there he was approached by town officials and informed that His Royal Highness King Alaycluwa Oba Oluwarotimi Fagbenro and representatives of the Ogun State Government and the town Chief Lere Bamgboye wished to hold a ceremony in his honour on his achievement of becoming Mayor of Portlaoise. Over 1,000 people attended the ceremony, which was held in the town’s market square

http://archives.tcm.ie/laoisnationalist/2007/08/30/story26618.asp

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Mayor being head-hunted

Groups in the Nigerian hometown of the newly elected Mayor of Portlaoise Cllr Rotimi Adebari are looking for him to return home following his historic election.

Cllr Adebari was elected as the first black mayor in Ireland to Portlaoise town council recently Reports in the Nigerian daily newspaper THISDAY, which also has a presence on the internet, said groups in the Oke- Odan in Yeha South Local Government Area of Ogun State “are already making moves to persuade Adebari to come home to contest the 2011 Governorship election in the State as a result of his new status as a mayor in Ireland”.

http://archives.tcm.ie/laoisnationalist/2007/08/09/story26510.asp

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Mayor at a loss to understand allegations

Portlaoise Mayor Rotimi Adebari is at a loss to explain or understand claims that he worked as a driver in the London underground prior to arriving in Ireland seeking asylum.

This week Cllr Adebari totally denied any suggestion that he had been telling untruths in his application for asylum in Ireland and said his higher profile in politics since becoming mayor was a learning curve for him. Responding to the claims and allegations made about him he said: “Maybe it is the trademark of the game of politics, it is certainly a learning curve for me.”

Last week the Irish Daily Mail newspaper ran a two-page spread on Cllr Adebari’s mayorship and raised questions about his account of fleeing Nigeria because of religious persecution and gaining asylum in Ireland.

After reading our article in last week’s paper about Mayor Adebari’s dismissal of his story Mr Clarke said he was “amazed at the gall of Rotimi Adebari” who was still refuting the claims, despite being faced with such overwhelming evidence.

“At the very least 50 drivers and six or more managers will remember him. His photograph and signature are on file with London Underground’s personnel office which were used in the issue of his free travel-pass and identity card,” said Mr Clark,

“The trade union will also have his records on file. In light of his continued denial and by doing so making me out to be a liar or mischief maker I will myself travel into London and get as many affidavits as I can from my former colleagues,” he said.
Mr Clarke said he was willing to take a polygraph test alongside Mayor Adebari to determine whose versions of events stand up to scrutiny.

Mr Clarke said he hoped Mayor Adebari “does the right thing and resigns and stands for election again based on the truth of his origins and agenda”.

Mayor Adebari said he “utterly denies” knowing Mr Clarke.

http://archives.tcm.ie/laoisnationalist/2007/11/08/story27039.asp

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ALL nine members of Portlaoise Town Council have been invited on an official visit to Nigeria, home of town mayor Cllr Rotimi Adebari

Now all the council has to come up with is funding for the flights as accommodation and food will be provided by the host state of Ekiti.
The invitation was issued by the Secretary of the Ekiti State government to the mayor of Portlaoise and was raised at last week’s town council meeting

Mayor Rotimi Adebari said his understanding was the entire town council of nine members was invited to Ekiti and all accommodation and food would be provided

http://archives.tcm.ie/laoisnationalist/2007/11/15/story27068.asp

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