The transformation of Osogbo into an international market where goods will be procured at prices comparable to any other part of West Africa is remarkable. Ogbeni’s relentless strive for all-round development of Osun partly inspires this: “The Moshood Kashimawo Abiola Airport, initiated and being built by Governor Aregbesola…is a demonstration of his incredible managerial acumen. This singular project has placed Ogbeni among the stars of perpetual reckoning in the political cloud in the State of Osun. It is simply a demonstration of extensive courage and resilience in the face of paucity of funding.” (page 116), excerpt from the book: “From Cradle to Power” By Erasmus Ikhide and Igbotako Nowinta.It’s truly intriguing — amidst paucity of resources — how Aregbesola managed to revitalize commerce and restore wealth back to the state through market-friendly policies that revive the customary activities in Osogbo and other towns in Osun.
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]gbeni Rauf Aregbesola will be marking Tuesday November 27, 2018 as his last day as the governor of Osun State, having spent intriguing and challenging 8 years, reordering a broken and vandalized economy, ministering hope to the hopeless and consciously activating politics of nation-building.
Those who detract Aregbesola are quick to point to the national burning crisis of wage default that saw more than 21 states battling payment of salaries and backlog of pension arrears across board.
But attention has been taken away from the actual governance process – education, healthcare delivery system, institutional development, job creation, social welfare packages, care for the elderly and underprivileged and disabled and the like.
Statistics have showed that worst the governors in Niger Delta by reason of their geographical locations never defaulted in payment of salaries on account of their humongous allocation/derivation from the federal government, yet failed deliberately to meet the basic needs of their people.
The difference between Aregbesola’s government and the ones before it has been his ability to raise the educational standard of the state with all-inclusive system, job creation, unbeatable infrastructural development in all sectors and most of all, social welfare, never seen in the history of Nigeria.
As a social democrat, Aregbesola leverages on the shared commitment of a political, social and economic ideology that supports economic and social interventions to promote social justice within the framework of a liberal democratic polity in a capitalist economy such as ours. Little wonder he has been forensic in his demand for precise accountability in administrative governance.
As I said earlier, Aregbesola’s primarily purpose was to ensure that the state’s income redistribution and regulation of the economy was executed in the general interest of the greater numbers of Osun people.
So far, Aregbesola has evolved governance processes and conditions leading to egalitarian, solidaristic and inclusive development — a set of socioeconomic policies that levitates a once agrarian state to a boisterous economic destination.
Ogbeni’s social democratic philosophy of total commitment to policies aimed at curbing inequality, oppression of underprivileged groups and poverty, including support for universally accessible public services like care for the elderly, child care, education, health care and workers’ compensation are the major achievements of his 8-year feat at the saddle.
Aregbesola’s wide readings have made him an indispensable ally of the oppressed, the disadvantaged. His ascetic way of life incubated in integrity and discipline materialized inherently in the way he governed Osun. Since the Polytechnic, he remains the last man standing in the defense of truth and the masses.
Those who say Ogbeni is a true reincarnation of the late Sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo saw through his 2007 campaign manifesto, christened “The Green Book, My Pact With The Osun People.” and the fulfillment of those promises. Coincidentally, Aregbesola was two years old at the time Chief Obafemi Awolowo exited power in 1959 as the Premier of the then Western Region of Nigeria.
But the question has been how far between has Aregbesola been able to implement his “Six-Point Integral Plan of banishing poverty, banishing hunger, banishing unemployment, (create work/wealth), restore healthy living, promote functional education and enhance communal peace and progress, 8 years after?
In addition, how did he restore to the people — a state of peace — opportunity for progress and room for the pursuit of prosperity in his time under a people-friendly government, as he promised?
The other questions have been what are the impacts of social democracy in Osun State since Aregbesola took office? What will be the verdict of history on his administration? What will happen to his policies going forward?
As lofty as his internationalizing of Osun state was from the very beginning how did Aregbesola make Osogbo the second hub in international trade in goods and commodities in the Southwest?
Finally, can we say his “Six-Point Integral Action Plan” that constitute his articles of faith for which he wanted to be held accountable at any time during his stewardship been fulfilled while in office?
Aregbesola’s emergence on the Osun political scene is a perfect storm and needed catalyst that ignites unprecedented transformation to the admiration of all. His administration, so compelling and overwhelming to the extent that Osun now occupies the center stage as a pace-setter in effective governance in Nigeria.
Thousands of youths were taken away from the streets and given jobs under the O’YES programme; thousands more of children were attracted back to school as parents took advantage of the reformation Ogbeni effected in education.
As the revolutionary transformation in education progressed, marvelous state-of-the-art schools that outclassed private ones emerged and the surge began into government schools as enrolment in them rose exponentially.
One of the marvels of the Aregbesola phenomenon is the infrastructural development undertaken by his government. And naturally, the state capital, Osogbo and other city centers, experienced the most expansive accomplishment.
The roads network which Aregbesola has constructed (and is still constructing) is unprecedented in the history of the state of Osun. Already, Aregbesola has set a standard in governance structures that his successors can build on.
The consensus has been that Aregbesola’s government offers Osun people what he termed “Unusual” — a Government totally committed to unlocking the latent potentials in his people, a phenomenon unknown in Southwest Nigeria since the glorious days of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
This is different from what obtains across the country where a ruling class tainted with greed, avarice, ineptitude and barefaced terrorism is the order of the day.
Aregbesola’s governorship since 2010 brought an abrupt end to unremitting poverty through his work/wealth creation police, tackled threatening insecurity challenges, diseases and the inhuman squalor visited on Osun people since the end of the twenty years civil war in Yoruba Land (KIRIJI) on October 1886.
For the record, Osun people’s natural affinity for commerce had been dampened over the years by unfriendly and unfocused economic policies of successive governments, thereby popularizing poverty amongst a people, naturally known for hard-working, industry and adventure.
The transformation of Osogbo into an international market where goods will be procured at prices comparable to any other part of West Africa is remarkable. Ogbeni’s relentless strive for all-round development of Osun partly inspires this: “The Moshood Kashimawo Abiola Airport, initiated and being built by Governor Aregbesola…is a demonstration of his incredible managerial acumen.
This singular project has placed Ogbeni among the stars of perpetual reckoning in the political cloud in the State of Osun. It is simply a demonstration of extensive courage and resilience in the face of paucity of funding.” (page 116), excerpt from the book: “From Cradle to Power” By Erasmus Ikhide and Igbotako Nowinta.
It’s truly intriguing — amidst paucity of resources — how Aregbesola managed to revitalize commerce and restore wealth back to the state through market-friendly policies that revive the customary activities in Osogbo and other towns in Osun.
In a country where the populace see politics and governance as scam, genuine dedication efforts such as exhibited by Aregbesola that promote and support activities towards wealth creation for a long suffering people is celebratory.
Without mincing words, it’s heroic how Ogbeni militantly survived the trying epoch, and became triumphant in the discharge of his duties to the people and posterity.
Consistent in his pursuit, mindful of the contradictions that have been thrown up in the Osun political firmament, he remains a beacon of hope to the vanquished due to the political disequilibrium of his people and the nation.
As we revisit Aregbesola’s “Unusual Government Mantra”, his style of governance and strategic interface with his people and Nigerians at large, one can only but advocate for continuity in the face of the obvious traumatic transition — bearing in mind that it would be foolhardy to assume that Aregbesola has solved all of the Osun people’s problems.
Osun is a work in progress. It’s only Aregbesola’s kind of unforgettable Master’s plan that can ensure Eldorado in the Land of the Virtuous.
Erasmus Ikhide writes from Lagos, Nigeria. Email: ikhideerasmus@gmail.com Follow me on Twitter @ikhide_erasmus1
