They are worried that the legislator, who represented Ward 4 in the legislature of Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State, between 2004 and 2007 under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, may have gone into hiding following political manoeuvering and dispute.
Olonade was also the Liaison Officer to the local government and a member of the Revenue Mobilization Committee, the other two political appointments he held after the completion of his tenure as councillor.
The former councillor’s elder sister, Mrs. Adedoyin Olonade, said she was shocked that up till now they were yet to know the whereabouts of the former lawmaker who was eyeing Abeokuta North state constituency in the state House of Assembly.
She said: “We are indeed worried that we don’t know my brother’s whereabouts. I know Maliki (his Muslim name) has expressed fear sometimes ago about dispute over political issues among the elders of his party, PDP, and some fellow members, but we advised him to take it cool.
“In fact, I recall another family member, a brother, Taofiki Olonade, telling me that some thugs came to look for the councillor in his house, but fortunately he wasn’t there. In fact, a friend of Maliki too said the same thing that his house was visited by the hoodlums.”
She added that these developments may have led the councillor to run into hiding to ensure safety, as his life could be in danger due to political antagonisms over some political differences.
Saying that the police could not help matter when the disappearance was reported, Mrs Olonode said: “My brother is a gentleman; though a politician. And you know the kind of politics we play in this country. You are aware that often when politicians are in the contest for the same political offices or positions, they see themselves as enemies,” She explained that the family had set in motion other search efforts to locate the lawmaker besides the ‘little’ the police could offer them.
Her words: “We are not folding our arms at all; we are doing all within our limits to know my brother’s whereabouts. And with Allah on our side, we are hoping all shall be well.
“For now, I expected to see less tension in the political field as there are not much contests presently, but you can’t trust politicians in Nigeria with the way they see opposing aspirants who show interest in the same political offices they are also eyeing.
“But then, we are hoping and praying that Maliki is safe wherever he may be for now. The family members had embarked on prayers and fasting as our contributions to finding the former councillor.”
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