Gboyega Oyetola, Chief of Staff to Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, is among the 17 governorship aspirants in the All Progressives Congress (APC). Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines his chances at the primary.
He is not controversial. He prefers to work behind the scene. He loathes public glitz. Despite the enormous influence he wields, he is reticent, humble and unassuming. Although he is perceived as the major pillar behind the Rauf Aregbesola administration, he has never displayed the peculiar trait of a political gladiator. He is loyal, non-combative and goal-oriented.
However, having worked assiduously to ensure the success of his boss, reality dawned on him that, for the legacies to be protected, there is need for continuity. Governor Rauf Aregbesola will bow out of office in November. The question is: who succeeds him? No fewer than 17 aspirants are scrambling for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the September 22 election. But, according to observers, Gboyega Oyetola, the Chief of Staff, stands tall among the contenders. He is a technocrat with a difference. Many believe that Osun will gain a lot from his experience and savour more dividends of democracy like Lagos State under the indefatigable leadership of former Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and his successor, Akinwunmi Ambode.
So popular is the suave and urbane ‘politician’ from Iragbiji that those who cannot measure up to him are evolving the previously non-existing criterion of zoning to edge him out of the race. While zoning did not play any role in the emergence of former Governors Bisi Akande, Olagiunsoye Oyinlola and Aregbesola, external forces have instigated some party chieftains to intensify their agitation for power shift or zoning to Osun West to knock out the Chief of Staff, who is from the Central District.
A man of many parts with vast experience in politics, finance management, business and public administration, Oyetola is a man of deep conviction and a religious devout, who has progressed in his endeavours through the grace of God, the dint of hard work and uncompromising position integrity. In appreciation of his loyal services, Aregbesola has acknowledged him as the cornerstone of his government, who has endowed his office with honour and wisdom, unlike some chiefs of staff in other states who have earned public condemnation. In the time of crisis, Oyetola has handled government/union relations, thereby earning the applause of political leaders and civil servants.
Born in Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government, Oyetola attended Ifeoluwa Grammar School in Osogbo before proceeding to the University of Lagos, Akoka where he bagged a Bachelor of Science Degree in Insurance in 1978. He obtained his Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 1990 from the same institution. He did his mandatory one year National Youth Service between 1978 and 1979 at Potiskum, Yobe State, where he lectured at the Staff Training Centre.
In 1980, he joined Leadway Assurance Company Limited as Area Manager. In 1987, he left for Crusader Insurance Company Limited as Underwriting Manager. In 1990, he moved to Alliance and General Insurance as Technical Controller and served in that capacity until 1991.
In 1991, he established Silvertrust Insurance Brokers Limited. He served as Managing Director until his appointment as Chief of Staff in 2011. Oyetola was Executive Vice-Chairman, Paragon Group of Companies, with interest in Oil and Gas, Mining and Real Estate. He was also Chairman of Ebony Properties Limited. He was a Director of Pyramid Securities Limited.
Oyetola was a founding member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Osun State. He was a chieftain of the defunct Action Congress (AC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN). Although he is not a political noise maker, he is a silent worker and effective grassroots mobiliser. He is a philanthropist of note, who has empowered many indigenes. No fewer than 400 people have benefited from his scholarship scheme for indigene students.
For his public service, he has received many honours and awards. They include Distinguished Merit Award by Ifeoluwa Grammar School, Osogbo (2014), the Guardian Award for Exceptional Chief of Staff in the Federation (2017); Distinguished Award of Excellence in Public Administration by Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun State Council (2015), Leadership Award for Outstanding Performance by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Osogbo Branch (2016); Award of Excellence by Osun State University, College of Law, Ifetedo (2016); Award of Excellence as ICON of Good Governance by Network of Non-Governmental Organisation (NETNOS) State of Osun Branch. November, 2017; Award for Exemplary and Exceptional Support and Fellow of Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke, January 2017; Grand Patron of the Local Government Chapel of Osun State NUJ, November 2016; and Leadership Award by International Association of Lions Club, District 404B2, Nigeria, February 2016;
Others are NAOSS-NHQ Award of Excellence in Administration and Good Governance, May 2016; Award of Excellence in Public Administration by Rotary Club of Osogbo, Rotary International, July 2016; Meritorious Award by NAOSS, Obafemi Awolowo University Chapter, February 2017; African Students Union Parliament (ASUP), and Pan-African Distinguished Leadership Honour as Icon of Nation Building in Nigeria 2018.
Oyetola is an Associate Member, Chattered Insurance Institute of London and Nigeria. He is also a member of the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM). He is a member of the prestigious Ikoyi Club. He is married with children.
Declaring his intention in Osogbo, the state capital, he adopted the slogan: Ileri Oluwa (God’s promise). Oyetola noted that, in the last seven and half years, he has been actively involved in “service-driven governance, a government of purposefulness, of untainted vision and of courageous leadership,” which has resulted into “massive infrastructural renewal and revolution in agriculture, education, job/wealth creation, health and other social investments.”
The aspirant said on the threshold of history. He said he decided to offer himself for leadership and service, to take Osun to greater heights by buiding on the giant strides of the Aregbesola administration. He added: “Having been a privileged member of the team that has brought the current transformation our state has witnessed these past seven and a half years, I know what the issues are. I know what our people need is an agenda of continuity and revitalization that will deepen the current gains in infrastructural development.
“I know what we need is to continue to work and even harder to increase our revenue base to support the payment of salaries, pensions and other deserved emoluments of our teeming workers. In furtherance of the enormous achievements we have already made, we need a leader with steady hands, whose words are his bond, who can further invest in the prosperity of our people.
“We need a bridge builder, who would continue with the leadership values of the incumbent administration to unite our people, inspire them to jettison primordial sentiments and work for the development of their people, and secure a prosperous state for the benefits of our generations yet unborn. What our state needs urgently is to further soar with inclusive, innovative and unwavering governance. We cannot afford to retrogress. Not anymore. The job at hand is too urgent to be left alone for just anyone unprepared.”
Oyetola promised a government of prosperity, saying that, if elected as governor, his administration will come up with stronger strategies to ensure prompt payment of workers’ salaries and pensions, pursue workers’ welfare, seek a gradual and inclusive civil service reform, make the work environment more conducive, stimulate development, introduced reward mechanisms and keep workers morale high. He said he will promote an enviable culture of excellence and service.
Raising and spending of money is the business of government. Oyetola reflected on the poor revenue base of the state. He said: “We will, working with our well-meaning bureaucrats, urgently increase our internally generated revenue (IGR) base, block all leakages and waste of the Osun commonwealth.”
He added: “While working even harder to improve our IGR, we will specifically continue to cut leakages in tax collection and tax administration processes. Consequently, we will run a transparent and accountable government, steeped in single-minded pursuit of reducing dependence on federal allocation as a means of funding government.”
Oyetola also unfolded his programme in education, which he said, will build on the achievements of Aregbesola in the sector. The aspirant said there will be an innovative way of providing jobs for unemployed youths. He said: “Job creation is uppermost in my mind. A study that we commissioned has indicated that 25-30 factories employing over 30,000 workers can be created within a period of three to four years across the length and breadth of the State of Osun.
“I will therefore, pay critical attention to the establishment of light manufacturing industries, such as those focusing on agricultural processing, meat and fish preservation and packaging, leather goods, building materials production, woodworks etc. This is because Osun has the necessary inputs for a competitive labour intensive manufacturing sector.”
Oyetola also said he will continue to fight the infrastructure battle in the State of Living Springs.
He said: “With the PPP model, our administration will focus on upgrading facilities and infrastructure available for education, health, sporting activities, skill acquisition, poverty alleviation and environmental care.”
Oyetola promised to boost agriculture and food security by strengthening the laudable programmes introduced by Aregbesola