OPINION: HON. ROTIMI MAKINDE.
No doubt the era of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, the current Executive Governor of State of Osun shall soon come to an end. As a patriot and realist who is very conscious of this reality, I am sure he must be busy by now writing his hand over note from day one of his second term in office. But after all is said and done, Aregbesola will without doubt go down in memory as one leader whose tenure would leave fond memories in the mind. Posterity will judge him as an uncommon governor who worked despite limited resources and performed so well regardless of several opposing forces.I do not think if any state ever witnessed the rate of daily public protests which has now become regular occurrence in osun state and making nonsense or regard for such.
Against impossible odds, Aregbesola challenged the limitations imposed by the financial status he inherited and had grappled with since inception. In fact it must be said that his ability to keep Osun running in a season of recession, a hard fact that any lily-livered leader would have buckled under, clearly marks him out as a politician with extraordinary resilience and definiteness of purpose.To those who may not know why him or why Osun State,dont think far,the birth of Apc victory started from Osun State,he was the one that led the strategies team that stopped the tsunami coming from Ekiti State.
He is one of the most talked about governors ever, whose fanatical and dogged commitment to his people-oriented leadership is sometimes misread as religious bigotry,he may not be a welfarist like his counterpart in Ekiti,he believed in laying good foundations for a better tomorrow. Aregbesola has proved naysayers wrong by standing tall to make many positive leadership statements. There are many feats that would continue to linger in the memory of his people amongst which are the many road projects, the “ona baba ona” highways giving a new face to Osun, and his visionary educational advancement facilities. Even his opponents would not deny that since he mounted the saddle he has conscientiously pursued his renaissance missions. There are many futuristic things he has put in place today that the children of tomorrow will benefit from.
At the moment his worries should not be too big.He may not be opportune to hear his songs of praise while in government but certainly,his praises for all his wonderful achievements would live after his reign.
His task and responsibilities by now must be to get a befitting successor.A big task indeed.! He must naturally be busy laying good foundations for his successor and praying for someone who shall sustain the tempo and ensure continuity, an economic wizard and articulator who is capable of sustaining all these noble achievements.To sustain Aregbesola’s lofty goal of rapid transformation in many spheres we need a successor who would toe the governor’s progressive line despite the fact that his huge shoes are dammed too big to match by many of the gladiators. Osun 2018 of our dream should therefore be a simple contention for only those with reasonable call to serve and someone with sound ability to Not only sustain the tempo but also to surpass the present lofty records in many fronts.Osun at this moment is not operating in an isolated economy.This position can only be share by progressive club who believes in probity and accountability.
The nation’s economy is not palatable at present and Osun state is facing similar fate like many other states of the federation.We are at this level at the expense of the past misrule and this fact can only be appreciated by core progressive mind from his party. We shall therefore need a go-getter, an economic expert and not just a politician and noise maker. The task ahead is certainly not a tea party. His Excellency, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Akanbi Aregbesola, while taking stocks of his life, his achievement, relationship, reconciling and appreciating his ancestor, must be very proud within his heart that God has been so merciful to him. He is today doing his best and still counting. No doubt, his successor will have little or no business or any challenges in some areas which includes school structures, roads, agriculture, security, infrastructure. In setting good structures to jerk up the state revenue, Aregbesola has also improved security in the state considerably and so his successor shall also enjoy relative peace while pursuing policies to further rejuvenate the state economy.
Aregbesola is now above 60 years. Not many were so lucky to have their mother piloting them to that level, he is still waxing stronger. Having come, seen and conquered, we cannot but wish him many more years of greater service to Nigeria and the Yoruba as a nation. He would leave behind very remarkable leadership qualities and footprints that will certainly have a place in Osun history and indeed in Nigeria.
Live is turn by turn,One by one by one by God.
Hon Rotimi Makinde represented Ife Federal Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives, between 2011 to 2015, Chairman/CEO, Oodua FM (90.9FM) Ile-Ife and an Actor of repute.
www.sojworld.com (c) August 13, 2017.
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