“For me, no matter the curses, it can never affect me because I know I’m working for prayers and not curses. I’m serving the people wholeheartedly…”
Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi yesterday said he has served humanity very well, therefore, no matter the curse placed on him by anybody or group of persons, it will not affect him.
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Speaking with journalists after the Eid el-Kabir celebration at Agodi Eid Ground, the governor, who opened up on the lessons he learnt in more than seven years as governor, said: “The lesson I learnt from the sojourn in the last seven years that we have been running the government is that one needs to fear God.”
Ajimobi vowed not allow the state to slide into a ‘banana republic’ or an animal farm. He said: “If one fears God, no matter the curses placed on him, such curse can never have effect on him. And if someone does what deserve curses and people pray for such an individual, the prayer cannot work for such a person.
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“For me, no matter the curses, it can never affect me because I know I’m working for prayers and not curses. I’m serving the people wholeheartedly and I’m happy that God will give us success.”
Ajimobi further said when he took over the reins of government in 2011, he and his team met in the state “at precipice and we needed to have a turnaround. In turning it around, we decided to have our tripod of restoration, which is to restore the old glory.
“When you restore, you must transform. We have restored and we have transformed. And now, we are repositioning, and repositioning is always a work in progress. You can never stop repositioning. Wherever we stop, somebody else will pick it up from there.
“We’ve restored peace and security in Oyo State. Today, Oyo State is one of the safest states in Nigeria. Today, everybody can go through Iwo Road, Beere, Molete, Challenge. All these, hitherto, hot spots have now become very cool spots. All the red light areas are now the green light areas. So, for peace and security, we have achieved much.
“As a leader, anytime you want to make a change, some people, enlightened, unenlightened, ignorant, mischievous will play politics with it. But, a good leader must have the courage to go ahead. If you remember the great Prophet Mohammed, when he was talking about the Almighty God to the people, they sent him away from his hometown.
“So, anytime we, as leaders, heads of government are trying to make changes, people talk, but we forge ahead, no matter what they say. We will never allow this state to become a banana state. We will not allow it to be an animal farm. If you see any state that is doing well in the world, it is that they have rule of law and they obey them. Everybody must obey the law. So, we thank God that we succeeded because we have adhered to law and order.”
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On the Eid el-Kabir celebration, Ajimobi noted that “what we are celebrating today is godliness and service to humanity. I believe, most sincerely that I have served humanity rightly as the governor of Oyo State; I never persecute people, but follow the law and stick to it.
“Those who say you are wrong today, tomorrow they will see. And let me end it by the word of Robert Thomas, he said, a good leader will take his people where they want to go, but, a great leader will take his people to where they ought to be, and that is what I am doing for Oyo State.”
