THE scion of the family of former Premier of the defunct Western Region, Ambassador Abayomi Akintola, has given graphic details of the almost 20-hour siege that culminated in the brutal assassination of his father, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, during the January 15, 1966 coup.

He insisted that the body of his father was not mutilated as widely reported but confirmed that the invaders abandoned his blood-soaked body at the entrance of the building.

The former Nigeria Ambassador to Hungary recounted the 1966 harrowing experience during a lecture to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Akintola, held at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso (LAUTECH).

The event was attended by Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi; his immediate past predecessor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala; Secretary to the Osun State Government, Alhaji Mashood Adeoti; a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide; Senator Brimmo Yusuf, among others.

Akintola said none of the late Premier’s children and their wives were injured while the gun attack lasted, describing his father as a hero who laid down his life and shielded his family from the invaders.

He said: “I was managing a thriving business in Lagos when my late father directed me to relocate to Ibadan when he became Premier. Although I was very reluctant to leave certainty for uncertainty, I had to defer to him. That was how I came to Ibadan.

“During the coup, about 50 soldiers invaded our house. My father was in a room within the house with us and we begged him no to go out. We shielded ourselves with the big wardrobes in the room as the soldiers began to shoot sporadically.

“At a stage my father told us he wanted to go and meet them, but we begged him not to go. Like the hero that he was, he told us that he would prefer to go and face them and damn the consequence, rather than to allow them to wipe out his family if they continue to hide.”