Ogbeni Aregbesola, Too Painful To Say Goodbye – Adesoji OMOSEBI

GOODBYE:  Before the oppositions start throwing verbal stones at me, I need to say that my love for Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola dated back to when he was the Commissioner of Works under Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Goodbye:  He was an achiever ever before he became a governor of the State of Osun.

When I visited Osogbo in 2013, there was a Petrol Station at Olaiya, a Church Cathedral that was notable on that popular area.

The road from Old Garage was a single lane, the road from Olaiya to Asubiaro was a nightmare.  Tens of access roads that are not motor-able within Osogbo metropolis. .

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The Four Lanes that surrounds Osogbo were not in place.  Osogbo did not look like a town not to talk of being the capital of a state of over 20 years.

All that has become an ‘old story’ because the town has become a city by the midas touch of Ogbeni Aregbesola in his eight years of selfless service. Major cities and rural areas across the state got road networks tagged; ONA BABA ONA without discrimination.

I came across an indigene of Osogbo who told me that he could no longer recognize the popular Olaiya Junction. He said he had gone past it until when he asked where is Olaiya before he knew it.  Everywhere in the capital had been transformed by Ogbeni Aregbesola transformation agenda making it easy for the incoming government to build on his legacy.

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Aside the ‘Os’ initiatives like; O’Meal, O’Yes, O’Ambulance, O’Real, Provision of jobs through agriculture that are too numerous to mention, Ogbeni is a workaholic. He touched so many areas of human endeavours; roads infrastructures, state-of-the-art 20 elementary schools, 22 middle schools and 11 high schools which have been completed and commissioned.

Some notable hidden achievements that no one take notice but very important that Ogbeni would be remembered for;

• Going on official duties without normal entourage and siren blowing security guards, you can hardly know that a governor is passing by.
• Osun State was relatively peaceful unlike other states.  The most peaceful state ever visited.
• The state is generally clean courtesy of O’yes.
• Social welfare packages to the widows, the elderly.
• Taking care of the physically challenged.
• You can never find lunatics (mad men/women) on the streets.
• Taking care of the destitute and the lunatics, rehabilitating them and reintegrating them back into the society.
• Thuggery incidents are reduced to the barest minimum.
• Omoluabi consciousness with the launching of State of Osun logo, flag and anthem, in the grand preparation for the journey to greatness. The Yoruba anthem is second to none.
• Medical ambulance services, 14,675 persons consisting of 9,245 males and 5,430 females have been rescued and saved from road accidents and critical medical emergencies since 2013.

Ogbeni, no doubt, is a man of the people who knows what to do to get the applause of the people.  His strength are the people. The people are his strength. A likable man who made the joy of the masses his utmost priority. He is a politician, an entertainer, a singer, a mobiliser, a charismatic leader who carried his people along no matter the situation. To cap it all, Ogbeni is my namesake, ADESOJI.

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I liked his style of leadership, no matter the onslaught against him, he is focused. He never looked sideways, he is always on track.  To the cynics who may be wondering why I always praised him, I praised him because of the leadership qualities I see in him that others do not possess or see.

He is my adopted political mentor I would miss greatly.

Although, there is no perfect being on earth, the outgoing governor did what any leader could have done at every challenging times.

My testimony on the  last Ogbeni Till Day Break in Osogbo;

Thousands of accident victims have been saved through this initiative, O’Ambulance.

Adesoji Omosebi said on November 16, 2013 he was on his way to Ibadan when he met an accident at Ikire with the only occupant lying unconsciously gasping for breath“two days before that day I listened to a radio programme sponsored by the O’Ambulance on Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC).

They announced three emergency telephone numbers; it is one of this numbers that I called. 

To my surprise, the O’Ambulance Van came to rescue the victim within 15 minutes. Since that day,  Ogbeni Aregbesola has won my heart.”

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I wish Ogbeni Aregbesola success, progress, sound health, long life in his post-governance endavours in the State of Osun while I welcome the duo of Gboyegas; Gboyega Oyetola and Gboyega Benedict successful tenure.

I pray there shall not be a ‘better yesterday’ in the State of Osun.

Ooh! I would surely miss you, no matter the performances of the new governor, Gboyega Oyetola whom I believe would take the state to a higher level.

My dear Ogbeni, I love you, I believe the right thinking Osun indigenes love you too.

It is just too painful to say goodbye.

Editor’s Note:  Adesoji Omosebi is the Editor-in-Chief of SOJ WORLDWIDE…an Online News with a difference.  His views on the outgoing governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola is his personal opinion. 

www.sojworld.com (c) November 27, 2018