Tag: AREGBESOLA

A song writer penned this song ” we shall be remembered, we shall be remembered by what we have done”. One of the founding fathers of newswatch magazine Ray Epku recently asked in his article in Guardian if Aregbsola will be remembered by his state. We know that history is written by a Victor. Every public office holder starts writing his story from the moment they are elected.

Aregbesola will certainly be remembered for several unforgettable good deeds. The Philosopher states ” the best way to live is to live in the present and not attempt to shape the future ” Assuming Ekpu lives in Osun, he might have realised that the question is unnecessary, but few days later, a PDP gubernatorial candidate in the state, also stated that the state has nothing to show as an achievement for the past six years. Just as it is often said that when lies is allowed to prevail for long it might be taken for truth. There were three groups of men in the state who nursed defeat they suffered as a result of Aregbesola’s victory at the polls. The first group were those who held to power due to Electoral manipulation for three and a half years when they were sacked by the Court of Appeal. Some have since joined the APC.

The second group were the men that were counting on the time that the gubernatorial election will come to their zones, but the court verdict blew off their chance. This second group are much more desperate. One of them vowed in 2014 that he must win the election at all costs, failure which he was ready to die. He tried but failed but has since refused to die. The third group were the political hangers-on. They benefits from the power that be. The change of power has since rendered them beggars and haters of Aregbsola administration. Initially, they falsely alleged that the incumbent governor suffered from cancer, but when that kite failed to fly, they took to criticise him that he was doing nothing in the state.

Later when Aregbesola turned the whole state to construction sites they were dumbfounded and started saying that the state indebtedness is beyond redemption. So far, there is no local government councils areas that have not seen the impact of Aregbesola’so administration. The six-point integral Action plans: Banish Poverty, Banish Hunger, Banish Unemployment, Restore Healthy living, Promote Functional Education, and Enhance Communal Peace and Progress continue as the guiding principles till date.

Will Aregbesola be remembered? Yes, he will be remembered as the man who whose mandate was stolen by the then incumbent but fought legal battle for three and half years to regain it to the extent that the then Federal government was much more concerned that the Electoral Law was amended to ensure that future Electoral litigation do not exceed six months. Aregbesola will be remembered as the first governor in Nigeria that employed 20,000 youths under the Osun Youths Employment Scheme (OYES) within 100 days in office. If his critics forget and go ahead that the man has done nothing for the past six years in office, the youths in their various wards and local governments areas will stand to counter their negative comments that they were the beneficiaries of Aregbesola empowerment.

Their parents and relations will speak to the electorate that they have become employers of labour through the OYES SCHEME. About 40 of the former beneficiaries of the scheme will mobilise their households that they became landlords through the OYES Scheme, and that if the scheme has not been on the ground they might still be wandering about seeking for jobs that are not available. If political opponents failed to see what the man Aregbesola has done in the state for the past six years, the students that were formerly learning in shred and poultry sheds will celebrate the icon of modern innovator of Opon Imo learning device that contains over 64 text books, past questions and answers in WAEC EXAMINATION NECO and JAMB. A device that was acknowledged by UNESCO and even WAEC. .

An educational device that made Osun and the helmsman to receive several awards across the globe. The over 20 newly constructed High Schools, 22 Elementary Schools are enough cynosure for those with eyes irrespective of tribes, colour or religion. It is no more news that President Muhammadu Buhari was dumbfounded as to how the governor was able to fund such facilities despite the economic downturn. Apart from the modern facilities that were provided in these new schools, the schools were given befitting school buses to transport students to and from schools. We may forget that the man provides free school uniforms for over 75000 students across the state, but will the parents and pupils forget? But in case they do, in the future when it shall be asked who introduced the same uniforms for all the pupils in primary and secondary schools whose name will they mention? Free meals are daily being served across the state to the extent that the state experienced geometrical increase in the school enrolment in the primary schools above any other states in Nigeria. The free meals scheme has also provided markets for both farmers and poultry farmers beyond the state.

The eggs consumption by the pupils went beyond the supply of the local farmers to the extent that farmers in Kwara State now sells for the state cooks. As if that was all the state need to serve as a model to the Federal government who has since adopted the free schools meal. The United Kingdom was highly impressed by the school meal programme that the governor was invited to address the UK parliament over it. On the introduction of free schools meal in UK, each parent was projected to save about £50,000 annually. A prophet they said has no respect except in his own home, while our people fail to see that a healthy and well fed children will learn better and perform excellently well, a foreign country saw the importance. The Americans do say “aren’t seen nothing yet”. In case those who claimed the man cannot be remembered for anything, maybe they are always flying to and from the state otherwise they are likely to have passed through the trumpet bridge that is under construction at Gbongan.

They are likely to have been to Orileowu or to Osogbo, Ilesa, Ikirun Ile Ife, but in case they have not let them ask from anybody from any of the 30 local government areas and the newly established Developmental areas if they have experienced any road construction the answer will likely be positive. The health sector and those that have been saved due to the nearest of hospitals and maternity will remember that a man was in charge of the state for six years past. The accident victims that were saved through the prompt response of the O Ambulances will remember that Aregbesola saved them from death. The REHAB, the agency that pick and rehabilitate the mentally challenged people across the state will forever be grateful for the man that rescued and rehabilitated them and gave them a new life to live. •Obaditan is an aide to the Osun governor