An American College football player and coach, Paul Bryant, said, “When you make a mistake, there are only three things you should ever do about it: admit it, learn from it, and don’t repeat it.”
By some of the actions of the incumbent Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the APC appears to have admitted it made some mistakes ahead of the 2018 governorship poll and in the way it approached the election. And it almost paid dearly for it. But thankfully, the party under Oyetola has learnt its lesson and has turned the failings to testimonies.
Every political observer and citizen of the State alike has testified to the fact that all the issues that almost made it impossible for the party to coast to victory convincingly at the first ballot in that election appears to have been addressed by the governor and candidate of the party. Political pundits also believe that the governor’s handling of the issues to the admiration of the generality of the people would further enhance his chances of winning the poll this Saturday.
Investigations revealed that some of the major issues at the time were: half salary, non remittance of contributory pension, single uniform regime, reclassification of schools, workers’ unrest, students’ restiveness and the inability to rebuild the Atakumosa market, among others.
Since assuming office to date, salaries and pensions are paid as and when due and contributory remittances are done regularly. In fact, only recently, Osun was listed by the National Pension Commission as one of the five states that are up to date in the remittance of the pension. Oyetola is also reducing the backlog that was inherited.
Interestingly, the single uniform policy that has been abolished by the governor revived the local economy as school uniform sellers and tailors are back in business.
Three and half years down the lane, Oyetola has kept faith with the vision of the founding fathers of the State to sustainably build Ipinle Omoluabi – State of the Virtuous. With what is on the ground, Oyetola has demonstrated that he is one leader that can be trusted by the people at home and in the Diaspora.
For instance, unlike what others do by giving excuses, he has since fulfilled most of the promises he made to the citizens of the State during the electioneering, despite the initial litigation distraction that lasted about eight months, the Covid-19 pandemic that hobbled governance for one year and the Endsars challenge.
Conscious of the reality that provision of services is a function of availability of funds and creativity, Governor Oyetola convoked the Osun Economic Summit in 2019 to launch a season of economic revolution in the State.
Despite the hiccup of the Covid-19 pandemic, this initiative attracted investments to the State, including the Polythene Pipe and Tractor Assemblage Factory located at Free Trade Zone; Topsell Nigeria Limited, makers of perm kernel oil, located at Aisu, Ede; the International Trade Centre/Industrial Hub and Inland Port at Dagbolu, where some factories are already springing up. Other investment efforts are at various stages of MoU completion.
As part of efforts to further stimulate the Osun economy, the government, in collaboration with the Bank of Industries, BOI, assisted five moribund industries to return to operations, including Argo Multi-Ventures – bottlers of Global products, Moye Oil Petro-chemical Company and Honesty CICS Aluminium Company, located at Aisu, Ede.
Dwelling on his creative financing experience in the private sector, Governor Oyetola introduced the Alternative Project Funding Approach to finance road infrastructure and other projects. This is in addition to plugging wastes and cutting down excesses to mop up funds for governance.
Additionally, the government disbursed well over Five Billion Naira through the Osun Micro-Credit Agency to support entrepreneurs, farmers, petty traders and businessmen and women.
It is on record that his decision to construct, renovate and revitalised 332 Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs) at a go is unprecedented in the history of governance in the country. Oyetola in just three days inaugurated 25 PHCs that had been completed, a project other leaders would probably spend four years to complete.
This fact was confirmed by no less a personality than the immediate past Health Minister, Professor Isaac Adewole. Speaking at one of the inauguration ceremonies in Ilesa, the former minister, said “With what I have read and seen myself, I can say it without equivocation that no governor has done what Osun has done, particularly in the health sector.”
Prof. Adewole further appealed to Ijesa people to ensure that they speak loudly with their votes in 2022 in support of the governor and the APC.
He added: “Osun has become the leading light in the health sector as reflected in the huge commitment that the State had made to repositioning the sector for the optimum use and benefit of the citizenry.
“I am repeating it that no government in Nigeria has embarked on the construction and renovation of 332 PHCs at a time as being done by the present administration in the state.
“This is a rare feat. This is also a welcome development targeted at supporting the health needs of the people across the nooks and crannies of the state”.
Since coming on board, the Governor has demonstrated that he not only understands and appreciates the peculiar needs of an average Osun person, he has also proved that he is passionately interested in growing the State from where his predecessor left off.
From fixing the Igbajo road which was last touched 33 years ago, to renovating the Atakumosa Market, which got burnt in 2015, Oyetola has proved to be a people-oriented and needs-inclined leader.
Hear what the Asiwaju of Igbajo, a legal czar, Chief Solomon Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), who led a delegation of Igbajo Development Association (IDA) on a “Thank You” visit to Mr. Governor said: “For many years, this (Ada-Igbajo) road has been crying for rehabilitation. Even before I became the Commissioner for Justice in the State (1991-92), this road had been in a terrible state.
“But today, we thank God for using your government to come to our aid. This will go a long way to redefine many things in the benefiting communities.
“You have given us a great relief. Osun is very lucky to have you as Governor at this time. You have come to power with deep experience in both the private and the public sectors as reflected in the way and manner you have been prudently and sensibly running the resources and affairs of the State.”
Oyetola is steadily delivering social services and innovative strategies, including but not limited to revitalisation of General Hospitals in the three senatorial districts; effective management of Covid-19 pandemic; provision of infrastructure; reconstruction/rehabilitation of hundreds of rural and urban roads across the State for socioeconomic development; construction of the iconic Olaiya Flyover; renovation of schools across the State; provision of educational materials for students and training and re-training of teachers to enhance their capacity; recruitment of teachers; provision of affordable, adequate and functional education to students; provision of loans and credit facilities for women and youths; and cultivation of youths as the face of government’s sustainable development efforts.
Oyetola’s strategies, wrapped with a large dose of political will, have given birth to a new Osun and transformed Osun’s economy in the last three and half years. He has been able to create an Osun of possibilities and opportunities. He has replaced the State’s wooden legs with steely props, which are steadily releasing the State’s neck from the debt noose, ensuring workers’ salaries and pensions are paid as and when due and tapping the State’s untapped resources.
This perhaps may be responsible for the widespread and unprecedented endorsements he received from the traditional institution, the labour, artisans, students and other categories of groups and associations in the State.
Endorsements, experts say, act as a ‘mental shortcut’ that “help voters make sense of a candidate’s policies and positions.” Undoubtedly, the various endorsements enjoyed by Oyetola would go a long way in helping the Osun electorates decide in favour Oyetola, this Saturday.
Ahead of Saturday’s Osun governorship election, the APC held its mega rally on Tuesday this week, where all its 21 governors stormed Osogbo, describing Oyetola, as an excellent performer who has brought purpose to governance.
They said those who have a fair mind devoid of prejudices and biases will testify to the developmental strides Oyetola has registered since becoming governor of the State in 2018.
The progressive governors, therefore, reaffirmed their unalloyed support for Governor Oyetola just as they declared their readiness to do all that is necessary within the law to ensure his re-election.
While addressing a mammoth crowd at the Mega Rally held at the Osogbo Township Stadium, national leaders of the APC expressed confidence that the party will coast home to victory in overwhelming fashion come Saturday.
The Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan, lauded Oyetola’s prudence and efficiency in managing the State’s meagre resources, calling on citizens to look beyond political sentiments in their choice of who to elect, and to vote massively for Oyetola.
Lawan said: “We have a governor who is prudent and efficient in the face of very meagre resources. Today, Osun has witnessed so much infrastructural development, political stability and peace. We believe that we have everything we need for development with this our Governor”.
On his part, the presidential flag-bearer of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urged the people of Osun to replicate the victory recorded last month in Ekiti.
Tinubu said: “We have come to ask that you vote massively on Saturday for APC, not as a mark of entitlement but because of the future of your children.
“Before you make your decision, think of the future. We are a party that guarantees your future because we are known for fulfilling our promises. Let us entrust the affairs of our state into the hands of those who mean business, not mushroom parties”.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the Party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, said the mega rally was an indication that the APC was not taking any chance with the affairs of Osun, saying the State deserves a leader like Oyetola in its quest for development.
Adamu said: “This is a mega rally to promote our candidate. We are taking no chances with the affairs of Osun because the State deserves a leader like Oyetola in its quest for development. This is why we have come in full strength to support him in a bid to ensure his re-election. Those who have a fair mind will testify that he has done so much since he became governor in 2018.
“We are here not only to testify to what he has done but to appeal to you to turn out in large number to vote massively for him. We are anticipating a better outcome than what we had in Ekiti and by the Grace of God, we are sure of victory. I want you to be the APC ambassadors, telling those who are not here what you have seen. Continue to spread the good works of this government in the nooks and crannies of the State.”
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the Chairman of the
Nigeria Progressives Governors’ Forum, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, assured that Oyetola has the backing of all APC governors in the coming election, saying he had earned it with his outstanding performance.
Earlier, the Chairman of the National Campaign Council for Osun governorship election and Lagos State Governor, Babajide SanwoOlu, described Oyetola as deserving of another term based on his personal encounters with the people of the State.
In his words, “We thank the originator of IleriOluwa political slogan, our dear Governor Oyetola, the one because of whom we are here. Indeed, it is a huge honour that we stand here today because this is a worthy assignment and we have a sellable candidate. It is a job that is gratifying and doable because Governor Oyetola has indeed performed excellently well.
“I have been on campaign trail with him and I have witnessed the overwhelming support and how the people have said he is deserving of another term.
“People of Osun, do not be deceived by those who are trying to say otherwise. Let us vote massively for Oyetola to continue doing his great works for every sector of the population. This is a man that that is an embodiment of good governance.”
While welcoming members of the National Campaign Council to the State, the Director-General of Oyetola’s re-election Campaign Council, Senator Ajibola Basiru, described the grand rally as a celebration of excellence.
He said: “Today, you are being welcome to the celebration of excellence in governance because in the last three and a half years, Governor Oyetola has brought dexterity, commitment and integrity to the affairs of this State across sectors.
“Now, we are on the path of consolidating the progress and development of the State by re-electing that man that is certain to deliver development over and over. With him, Osun is on the path of sustainable development”.
In his short remarks, Governor Oyetola, said Osun is on the path of consolidating on the gains of the last three and a half years.
He urged the people of Osun, especially workers, to shun political traducers who are peddling falsehood that his administration will renege on its commitment to their welfare if re-elected, saying he remains strongly committed to their welfare.
Oyetola also declared his readiness to do beyond what he has done in his first term, saying the welfare of workers and citizens and the overall development of Osun remain his priority.
Oyetola has proved in the last three and half years that provision of projects and delivery of good governance are possible in a depressed economy. He has taken the State off the path of dearth of growth and progress and emplaced it on the lane of sustainable development. In the throes of Covid-19 and other encumbrances, he put governance on autopilot. All these are foundational initiatives for an Osun that is poised to be a model in transformational governance in a period of economic downturn.
The next four years is for building bricks on this foundation to deliver the Osun of the citizens’ collective dream. The builder of this envisioned economic edifice can only be the initiator. The uninitiated can only look on or learn.
