With every due sense of modesty I can claim that there aren’t many who have been more involved, and for as long as I have, in the politics of Ekiti state. I can, therefore, write as authoritatively as anybody on the subject of Ekiti politics, an aspect of which is what I am doing here today. Interestingly, this is only the first part as I have traversed the subject so intimately since the 80’s when Ekiti was part of Ondo state, that The Nation’s commentariat once dubbed me the Ekiti columnist. That was during the Obasanjo years when the man believed he could ride Ekiti people roughshod and I felt, honour bound, to encourage our people, almost on a weekly basis, to stand, very firmly, on the straight and narrow path, politically.
In making this claim, I am not oblivious of the crucial role played by that inimitable journalist, my dear aburo, Dare Babarinsa, whose exertions as the State correspondent of Concord newspapers culminated in his book, ‘The ‘House of War’, in which he generously devoted nearly a full page to my role in the state UPN. Needless to say, though, he was not directly involved in the politics of the state as yours truly was.
This then means that I was right there during the Papa Ajasin years, that period which would best be situated as the very beginning of the crisis that has characterised Ekiti politics like forever. It was the time Ekiti politicians began their mutual loathing, and enemity, suspecting each other’s every move, every inch of the way, both inter and intra – party.
While this was more pronounced inter party, it was not absent, intra party; and though now, happily greatly subdued – thanks to Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s uniquely accommodating, and reconciliatory – call it Omoluabi politics – which can, with considerable justification, be described as a re-incarnation of Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim’s ‘politics without bitterness’ of the Second Republic, it still simmers underground, somewhat.
By the way, although I can pride myself as being amongst the earliest few to suggest to this Omoluabi politician, then the state’s Secretary to Government, that he should try contest the state’s governorship election slated for 2022, at a time it was fartherest from his mind as I once documented in one of my articles shortly before the election, I did not see him until well after a year after his assumption of office. One thing I am doubly sure about is that we are damn lucky to have ‘Biodun
Abayomi Oyebanji, BAO, as he is called, worldwide, as our governor in this critical times.
As I told him during my visit to him at the Ekiti House in Ikeja, Lagos early July this year, I have already started the draft of an article with the title: ‘BAO – Mania: How Governor Abiodun Oyebanji Reset Ekiti Politics’, the publishing of which, God willing, may not be earlier than during the second anniversary of his assumption of office.
The ’cause célèbre’ for this piece today, therefore, is not the governor, but the absolutely fascinating, and highly commendable withdrawal from partisan politics, of the state’s former Governor, Engr Segun Oni, which he recently announced while addressing some journalists ahead his 70th birthday.
He is thus quitting partisan politics at a time when the ovation is loudest; thus recording a distinct rarity amongst Nigerian politicians who would, characteristically, rather die on the job.
According to the report, his decision to quit was not driven by any immediate political ambition, but by his desire for a more reflective, and less active role in politics adding, however, that he would be available to give advice. He concluded by announcing his endorsement of governor Oyebanji for the 2026 Ekiti state governorship election, premising it on the governor’s unique politics, and stellar performance.
Vintage Segun Oni!
Born 5 September 1954, and studied Chemical Engineering at the Great University of Ife, Ile – Ife, for his first degree, Oni was governor of Ekiti State from 29 May 2007 to 17 February 2009, and from 6 May 2009 to 15 October, 2010. He was a member of the PDP but in 2014, defected to the newly formed APC where he was subsequently elected the Deputy National Chairman (South), a position he held from 2014 to 2020.
He was governor at a very politically charged period in the state, with both PDP and the APC having an equal number of legislators ( 13 each) in the state House of Assembly and, having to contend with a number of court cases, topmost of which was the long – running case instituted by Dr Kayode Fayemi against his election.
Governor Oni would later step down from office on 15 October, 2010 after the Appeal court, sitting in Ilorin, Kwara state, declared Dr Fayemi winner of both the 2007 governorship election, as well as the subsequent 2009 Rerun Election.
Lest the reader be surprised, I authored about the most acerbic of articles against governor Oni during his tenure as governor of Ekiti state and, even as late as during the June 2022 governorship election when he was the candidate of the SDP.
I would learn later in the course of his tenure, that his Media aides, many of them very brilliant journalists, were on very strict instructions, from him, never to reply to “Brother Femi’s tirades” against his government, adding that he knew I was writing from my personal convictions and that he, indeed, asked them whether they have seen me benefit anything from politics. His Uncle, my very good friend, Pastor Segun Fayemi, told me all these much later. This again is another testament to his being an ‘Eni Uyi, Eni Eye’, as we describe decent people in Ekiti. Despite the many years past, I still greatly appreciate him and wish, very fervently, that his tribe will increase amongst our politicians. It is my ardent hope too that his example here would serve as a teachable curve for many a Nigerian politician.
To show how much I have always appreciated governor Oni’s person, if not his conservative, PDP politics, l reproduce below, my reference to him in my articles ahead the referred governorship election; articles which were intended to vigorously canvass, not his candidature, but that of the APC candidate.
In the article titled ‘Ekiti: I Ask Again Must Our Politicians Always Fight To The Death?’ of 10 February 2022, I wrote:
But all these could not have happened had total strangers, the likes of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Bode George not, like a meteor, suddenly appeared
and insinuated themselves, needlessly, into Ekiti politics.
That was way back 2003 when they overawed the almost faultless campaign of Chief S. K Babalola, a highly regarded Ekiti elder, politician and gentleman per excellence, thereby effectively muddling up our politics, like forever.
That was exactly when rain started to beat us anew in Ekiti, politically speaking, eventuating in the: “bo ba o pa, bo o ba o bu lese”, dangerous politics that climaxed in the Ido – Osi
scorch-earth, ‘mini war’ of the 2009 Rerun election. During that period, Ekiti had a one day governor, witnessed an Obasanjo – inspired, but inchoate impeachment, just as we saw Mama Ayoka’s infantile, political abracadabra, to mention but a few.
We have now come to that point in time when any true lover of Ekiti, among the contestants, must ‘think Ekiti, rather than be consumed by self, because he who fights and runs away, runs to fight another day. Fortunately, they all have age on their side.These Ekiti Patriots – yes patriots – must sit down and critically interrogate the question: Why, at every governorship election cycle, must Ekiti be in the news for the wrong reasons?
Although this article is aimed, primarily, at helping to find a rapprochement within the APC, I also feel concerned about the PDP, since the Ekiti bird cannot fly with one wing. For instance, insecurity has become so alarming, and commonplace, that we must not allow any insecurity entrepreneur turn Ekiti into a killing field.
Our politicians must realise that no position is worth the blood of a human being.
“That said, let me confess that I am personally delighted at the news of His Excellency, Engr Segun Oni’s imminent departure from the PDP. I can see now why PDP can no longer sleep easy, both here at home, and in Abuja. Governor Segun Oni is a highly respected, absolutely incorruptible politician who would never stomach the chicanery that played out at the last PDP primaries which, but for eagle – eyed soldiers, would have been inundated by armed thugs who were being ferried there all the way from Ibadan. He and his supporters deserve to let PDP know that he is worth every bit of his name in gold”.
I repeated these words, and more, in the article:’Ekiti ’22 -The Inevitability of BAO’s Victory For Uninterrupted Development In Ekiti’, dated 22nd May, 2022, even though I promptly went on to show why his party, the SDP, would be unable to ensure a continuation of the state’s developmental trajectory.
As it turned out, Ekiti rejected both the PDP and SDP, but not without affirming their respect for, and appreciation of governor Oni’s persona, by making sure that he soundly trounced the PDP candidate, Hon. Bisi Kolawole, who he outscored by having 82,211votes to 67,457, while the APC candidate, and now Governor Biodun Oyebanji, got 187,057 votes to emerge winner.
Concluding, I salute Governor Oni’s courage in quitting at the most appropriate time, that is, when the ovation is loudest; happy also that by the grace of God, he will be there, in very robust health, and available, as a reservoir of knowledge, from which future generations of Ekiti politicians can tap from time to time.
Here’s wishing him a happy 70th birthday
