Flashback:“Why Do You Bleach Sir?”- Ex-Gov Akala Called a Punch Reporter Stupid For Asking Him This

History, they say, will always repeat itself. Sometimes, it is necessary to bring our past stories into our present stories. These are not to assault or bully anyone. One interesting fact about history is that it keeps repeating itself. As long as we fail to learn from the past, it will always come to us.

Yesterday, both the mainstream and social media platforms were flooded with the news of the verbal assault of Daily Trust Journalist, Charles Eyor, by Femi Fani-Kayode at a press conference in Calabar, Cross River State. While this controversy continues, little did many Nigerians know a former Governor of Oyo state once called a Journalist reporting for PUNCH newspaper stupid for asking him a silly question.

Alao Akala is a former deputy Governor of pacesetter state who served between May 2003 and January 2006. Popularly referred to as "Omo Iya Alaro", he bacame governor of Oyo state also in 2006 following the impeachment of the then incumbent governor of the state, Rashidi Ladoja. He held unto the governornship seat till 2011.

Although Rasidi Ladoja was later reinstated as governor of the state after a Court ruling declared his impeachment as illegal and unconstitutional, a lot of people accused Alao Akala of conspiracy with the political godfather of the state, late High Chief Lamidi Adedibu that resulted in the removal of his boss from office.

However, this article is not targeted at the controversy surrounding the removal of former governor, Rasidi Ladoja.

How it happened?

I still remember vividly in the year 2014 when a Punch Reporter asked former Gov of Oyo state Alao Akala "why do you bleach your skin sir"? Not only did Alao Akala describe his question as Stupid, he also called the guy a stupid person. Sometimes, all these Journalists over do things.

He also instructed the guy to write it down that he "Alao Akala" called him a very stupid person in case he wanted to publish the news.

In 2013, a reporter had asked the former Oyo Governor why did he bleach. The reporter asked him whether it was a normal thing among past police officers to bleach their skin upon being out of office.

Akala, who didn't take the question lightly, re-echoed the question "bleach"? You're very stupid for asking that question.