Don’t dare me
...Oyinlola warns Aregbesola
By BEIFOH OSEWELE
Saturday
September 2, 2006
 |
•
Gov. Oyinlola
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
| |
Barely nine months to the end of his first four-year tenure
in office, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola has sensationally revealed
how he was drafted into becoming a governor against his will.
Speaking to journalists shortly after decorating founding
fathers of the state as part of activities to mark the 15th
anniversary of the state, the Osun State governor confessed
that as a politician, his ambition was to become a senator.
He revealed that it took the combined forces of the royal
fathers and late Chief S.M. Afolabi to successfully ‘draft’
him.
“I became a politician with the sole aim of becoming
a senator. This was informed by the fact that I just finished
reading Law and I thought I would be useful as a lawmaker.
But overnight, the party said no, this is where we want you.
And it is not a usual occurrence for a whole state to say,
okay, we want you. Not just saying it, they acted it by giving
their votes to us.”
Despite the fact that he did not initially set out to be governor,
Oyinlola believes his administration has done really well.
This he says with a sense of modesty.
Excerpt:
Looking at Osun State at 15, would you say the aspirations
of the founding fathers, some of whom you’ve just honoured
have been met?
Well, to steer the ship of a state on the path of the vision
of the founders is not always a very smooth journey. Yes,
we must have an aspiration, and we believe that everything
being equal, along the line, yes, we shall get to the destination.
But in life, everything cannot be equal and that is what is
responsible for the shortfall in the accomplishment of our
aspirations. Looking at it globally, I think we are succeeding
in realizing the aspirations of our founding fathers. And
if we should sustain the momentum and build upon the foundation,
which we’re now laying, I think we’d eventually
get there.
What is the idea behind the founding fathers’
award?
It is a worthwhile thing to recognize the efforts of our founding
fathers, because any river that forgets its source dries up.
So, we try to at least make sure that we honour their memories
and efforts. I think that is the modest way the government
can say thank you because without their vision and commitment,
there wouldn’t have been anything like Osun or Oyinlola
being governor of Osun State. That is the essence of the whole
award.
One have observed that none of the past six predecessors
in office was involved in this 15th anniversary celebration.
Was it a deliberate action to leave them out?
No, there is nothing I do that I don’t extend invitations
to them. They are part of the protocol. It was to immortalize
their names and services, that the chalets in the Government
House were built and named after them. They are part of the
protocol and they were invited. They have attended a couple
of our functions. The only exception has been Chief Akande.
He has never attended any of our programmes, though he will
always assure me that he would be present. In fact, I invited
him to the wedding of my daughter, and he told me he will
be there but he did not. I think he will make my day bright
if he will attend any of our functions.
The royal fathers were conspicuously absent too. What
is the relationship between your administration and the royal
fathers?
This administration belongs to the royal fathers. I say so
because as at the time I accepted to run for governorship,
they were the ones that called me and ordered me. I did not
just jump at it. That is my SSG (Secretary to the State Government),
Fatai Akinbade. He was the party chairman then. When he told
me about it, I ran away for two weeks. I said I have had my
own fair share of being in government in Lagos. I said the
next thing after the governor of Lagos is Presidency. What
they told me was that they are my fathers and were sending
me on an errand I couldn’t refuse. That was the point
I went down on my tummy and decided to run.
Governing Lagos and Osun... Are the challenges same
or different?
Ruling Lagos was quite different, because as military administrator
I could always wake up with an idea, may be I dreamt of something
I think is good and execute. Whether they like it or not,
so long as the Commander-in-Chief likes it and he is happy,
that is the end. But this one, you have to carry everybody
along, including those who did not vote for you because if
you don’t carry them along they will call you and say
we voted for you this is the way we want it. You have to obey
them and carry everybody along.
In specific terms, what have been the challenges?
Honestly speaking, if you look at my antecedents, I don’t
fear facing challenges. I became a politician with the sole
aim of going to the Senate. That was informed by the fact
that I had just finished reading law and thought I will be
useful as a Senator at that level making law. But, man proposes,
God disposes. Overnight, the party said, look; this is where
we want you.
And it is not a usual occurrence for a whole state to say
we want you. They not only said it, they acted it by giving
their votes to us. All that I had wished for is that the Lord
should assist me to fulfill the promises I made during the
electioneering campaign. And I bet you, as we talk, I can
say I have achieved. Any other thing I am doing is just an
addendum to the promises I made because I have the support
of the people. It is only where there is no peace; where there
is conflict here and there that you cannot achieve your aims.
We have a harmonious government in place in Osun State today.
That is why if I call on the Obas today they will respond,
if I call the private sector people, they will respond, if
I call the artisans and the market women, they will respond.
So, this is a government of everybody.
There is no programme we want to accomplish that we don’t
get the support of the people. People are willing to support,
not that people are forced to come and be part of it. And
that is why I think they are afraid to come and raise their
followership from the state. They have to import from other
places.
I guess you’re referring to the recent clash
between your supporters and those of Oranmiyan group of Rauf
Aregbesola. What measures have you put in place to avoid a
reoccurrence?
On the issue of Aregbesola, I want to say that was not the
first time we met at occasions. We have met on two occasions.
The first one was at the Olojo Festival in Ile-Ife, in which
I made him to ride with me in the same car and we embraced
each other. His admirers were shouting his slogans and mine
were shouting mine and we were both acknowledged in the same
open car. And at the end of the day at the palace of the Ooni
of Ife (Oba Okunade Sijuade), we had chats and I was asking
him under which platform he was going to contest, he said,
‘Alliance for Democracy (AD) of course’.
I asked him, which of the AD factions, is it Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa
group or Bisi Akande group? He laughed and said you people
thought we are quarrelling, there is no quarrel. I told him
the day he emerges as a candidate I would give him the strategy
with which I will defeat him. We chatted and laughed over
it. If we can do that kind of a thing, then it behoves on
him as a commissioner, knowing the protocols, having been
in an occasion for almost two hours and then you stormed in,
in that manner. You cannot do that one to Bola (Tinubu). And
I have asked Bola, can any of my commissioners do that to
you? He (Tinubu) told me that he blamed him (Aregbesola) that
since I (Oyinlola) was already seated he ought to have kept
his silence. I have also told Bola that I don’t like
what happened that day and that Rauf should be cautioned not
to take my tolerance for granted. I was disappointed that
people don’t see it that way.
Can any commissioner enter an occasion Bola has been seated
for two hours and do that kind of a thing? I am very tolerant
because . . If you want to come to power by means of violence,
it cannot happen in Osun State. I am a time tested General.
I took over the administration of Lagos State at the most
critical, most violent and most unruly period in the history
of Lagos State without firing a shot. I ensured that there
was peace, even though I was stoned, I never fired anybody.
. Is it now that we are in a democratic period that I will
want to resort to violence? My background does not agree with
that kind of a thing. If he (Aregbesola) knows he wants to
contest let him come and raise his followership here (Osun
State). I have told Bola that I will no longer stand a situation
where Aregbesola will bring Molues from Lagos. No, never,
That will never happen again.
If he brings people from there and they kill people here and
they run back to Lagos, as the Chief Security Officer of the
state, who do I hold? That is why I told Bola to tell him
never to bring convoy of Molues to this place again. Yes,
Bola is now the new generalissimo, sending aspirants-he has
sent to Kwara, Ekiti and Oyo States, but the aspirants never
went to their states with Molues. Must you disturb others
because you want to install people?
That is why I told him I would not accept that one because
I am the Chief Security Officer of the State. Anything that
will disturb the peace of this state will not be acceptable
to me, and I don’t mind my own life going with it. I
have signed that 30 years ago with the Nigerian Army. If it
is for the sake of the peace of Osun State that I lose my
life, so be it. My father did his bit, he is gone, and people
are singing his praises. I will do my own and go too.
|
