In today’s world, a major plank on which the success (performance) or failure (non-performance) of any administration will be measured is in the area of critical social needs; that is human resources development through education, health care delivery, economic empowerment through job creation and infrastructural development.
As a man who treasured development, good name and posterity, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola also targeted the needs of the poor. He has proved to be a man with his eyes on history, carved a defining niche for himself and dare to be different from the pack. Ogbeni will go down in history as the architect of modern Osun state.
It is on record that Osun state since its creation has not witnessed such developmental leap as in the last seven years. He deserves commendation rather than condemnation! A popular Yoruba adage goes thus: “Yini Yni ki eni le semi “, that is praising somebody doing good will serve as an impetus for the person to do more and encourages others to take a cue from his laudable step.
Arguably, the paucity of qualitative political leadership in our clime is as a direct consequence of our inability to celebrate quality leadership due to parochial and myopic considerations, especially when such a leader is still leaving. Aregbesola’s role model, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, was posthumously referred to as ‘the best president Nigeria never had” by the very people who could have made it possible for him to be the president. The foregoing is the Nigeria paradox!
As a student of history, I have observed that the very best of world renowned leaders have antecedents and characters traits that some past and present leaders in Nigeria aptly demonstrated. Eve though, these world renowned leaders were not without blemishes, it is only that their people elected to celebrate their good points. Perhaps, the best illustration of this thesis is the life of the most celebrated Prime minister of Britain, Sir Winston Churchill. He was born on November 30, 1874.
After the British general election of November 3, 1924, Prime Minister Baldiwin gave Churchill his first major political appointment, Chancellor of Exchequer (Minister of Finance). He (Churchill) was a resounding failure in this office such that he was described as the “worst ever Chancellor of Exchequer and was subsequently removed. On September 3, 1939, Prime Minister Chamberlain was forced by historical circumstances to declare a state of war with Germany thus precipitating the Second World War. Winston Churchill was invited to the national government formed to prosecute the war as the first Lord of Admiralty and eventually as the Prime Minister.
At this crucial period, Churchill only offered his people “blood, toil, tears and sweat. He was apparently aping his military hero, Gen. Garibaldi. Churchill led the national government to a decisive victory on May 8, 1945. This monumental victory notwithstanding, he was resoundingly defeated in a General Election on July, 26, 1945, just seven weeks after the epoch making victory. In October 1951, Churchill, for the first time, became Prime Minister of Britain by popular votes at the age of 77. On March 1, 1951, Churchill leadership made Britain the 3rd Nuclear power after U.S.A and U.S.S.R. A month later, on April 4, 1955, Churchill vacated power at the age of 81.
The context of this piece did not permit me to explicitly state Churchill’s “sins” that within the context of Nigeria, he would have been labeled a thief, nepotic and despotic leader. For instance, he appointed his son-in-law, Duncan Sanders as Under Secretary, Ministry of Defence, later Minister of Overseas Development and his alcoholic son, Randolph Churchill was elected to the British Parliament, using largely his office as the Prime Minister to ensure victory for his undeserving son.
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Without any modicum of apology, I make bold to say that the incumbent Governor of Osun state, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola’s leadership qualities compared favourably with that of Churchill’s of this world. To say that he is a leader of unblemished integrity, principled defender of the defenceless and a selfless patriot par excellence will merely be underscoring the obvious. He represents visionary leadership, courageous leadership, true leadership and determined leadership that we need to move this country forward and realize her true potential.
There is no gainsaying that he (Rauf) as he is fondly called by his admirers is in league with great visionaries like his role model, Awo (the foregoing explains why he founded a leadership training centre known as Awo Centre for Philosophy, Ideology and Good Governance in Osogbo), Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, Mahathir Mohammed of Malaysia, Sheik Mohammed Bin Rasheed Al Maktoum of Dubai and such other transformational leaders of this generation despite the meager resources at his disposal. Aregbesola’s only “sin” is his lofty dream of taking our hitherto, badly governed state to its ELDORADO.
Like Winston Churchill, he might be vilified for his principled position but no one can fault his altruistic and patriotic motivations for his actions. Like the saying goes, “Diamond are forever” Changing global reality in our new world is making leaders that have vision look like narrow minded, satanic, heartless and wicked leader while making those without vision look like saints.
The foregoing explains why the beneficiaries of the old other who are resisting change are not happy with the status quo and are consequently maligning the good image of Aregbesola. It is public knowledge that he has blocked all areas of leakages and put an end to the culture of sharing money meant for development projects that will benefit the generality of the people by a few political elite and civil servants. The foregoing explains why his detractors have continued to labour in vain to diminish his rising political profile.
In the light of the above, many will agree with this writer that Ogbeni is undergoing the travail of a reformer. As the holy book clearly stated, “My people perish for lack of knowledge”.
It is a statement of fact that we all need political enlightenment and education to enable us make an informed decision on an issue- 2018 guber, that has to do with our future and that of our children and children children the future of generations yet to be born and the future of our dear state. Are we not collectively doom as a people, if either by error of commission or omission, we choose wrongly again like we used to do before the advent of Rauf Aregbesola in our political firmament?
For Osun state citizens, the hope of finally getting a governor who appeared resolute in his resolve to ensure that the long –suffering citizens of the state who had been saddle with the unsavoury burden of successive inept and clueless leaders, with the rare exception of Akande administration materialized when Rauf aregbesola mounted the saddle on November 27, 2010.The people are at least relief that they are at least going to catch a glimpse of El Dorado they dreamed of as a people in their own life time!
This became apparent under the administration of Rauf Aregbesola who seems to have broken the jinx of unfulfilled campaign promises in the state. The story of the people of Osun state is that of a young state with a lot of potential but whose huge prospects have been allowed to waste due to many years of utter neglect and nonchalant attitude of the ruling elite to the plight of the people before the advent of Aregbesola administration.
The general recession affecting the whole world, the profligacy of the PDP government led government at the centre and the financial recklessness and sheer impunity of past governments in the state with the exception of Akande administration have played a huge parts in the economic challenges the state is currently battling. We are enamoured when destiny brought Rauf Aregbesola on the scene because of his integrity and pedigree. No doubt, he has put Osun state firmly on the path of irreversible prosperity, security, law and order, even with economic challenges.
Such men and women abounds, voters should find them, elect them and shun those without pedigree and integrity. A word, they say is enough for the wise.
Olamide Olayiwola writes from Ilobu-Osun state.
He can be reached on e-mail address: omoluabiosun080 @gmail.com
