Hon. (Dr.) Debo Ayinde is a former member of the national assembly, represented Ede South/Ede North/Egbedore/Ejigbo federal constituency in the house of representatives between 2003 and 2007.
In this interview with WesternLifeNewsNG Publisher, BABS-OLURIBIGBE ADEOYE,
Dr. Ayinde spoke on the administration of the Osun state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke for the past one year.
Dr. Ayinde in this interaction, particularly advised the governor on the need to embark on projects that will earn him a lasting legacy. Excerpt.
Since you left the national assembly in 2007, what have you been doing?
Well I’ve been participating in politics at a very lower level, I realized that there are certain circumstances that may not be in my favour especially from where I come from, I’m from Ede. I have attempted to contest again but for political configuration in my federal constituency. For now, I do involve in some political meetings with my people and within my little capacity, I assist them whenever the needs arise. Now I’m a private person, I’m a merchandiser and an entrepreneur. My focus now is to grow my business but if I am offered a political appointment, I wouldn’t mind.
Are you still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party?
Of course I’m a member of PDP.
How close are you with Governor Ademola Adeleke?
The governor is my friend on personal level but politically we are not so close. When the governor came back from America, before he contested the governorship’s ticket, he visited me to solicit for my support which I did, though I was not in his group, I belong to the Oyinlola group then but when he came and said my friend you can’t do anything otherwise, you must come back home and do my biddings, I have no option than to queue behind him and did everything humanly possible to ensure he emerged as the party flagbearer and also supported him to win the governorship election in 2022. The governor has his own structure, that structure sees people like me as an obstacle and shield many people from him. That hinders people like us from having unfettered access to him but I still maintain my relationship with him as a friend.
How will you rate his performance for the past one year?
The governor is really doing well. Like Baba Obasanjo would say, you have disappointed your opponent. When he won election in 2022, many
people rated him so low, they believe he’s just a party rocker who goes about for enjoyment, there was even a time they called him “Dancing senator” but see today, he has been touching so many lives and has been building so many infrastructures. His administration built boreholes in every local government area, not only that, he continues the programme of O’meal for primary school pupils where they’re been giving food for their mid day break. He’s also embarking on N100 billion infrastructural development which includes massive road construction, building of overhead bridges and other developmental projects. So this is unprecedented, though some are still on paper but the governor has shown lots of commitment towards the projects. Today, Ido Osun Aerodrome has been upgraded to Osun state Airport. I’m aware investors are coming to assist in the gigantic project. If that could be done, then Osun state will metamorphosize to a mega city and good enough we have big cities in Osun state like Osogbo, which will soon become a metropolitan city, Ile-Ife, Ilesha are on that terrain too. We also have other category of township, like Ede, Ikirun, Iwo, Ikire, etc. At the end of the day, we can see the Osun of our dream where the state will be competing with Lagos State.
But projects like Airport is considered as a white elephant project, do you think the governor can finish it within the four years of his first term?
I believe he can, because for somebody to come out and address the press on the project, that means, definitely the funds and the enabling environment is ready, so I’m 75% sure he will carry them out.
Some people are saying the governor has not been fair in the distribution of political appointments, describing same as lopsidedness, do you agree with that school of thought?
I heard such complaint too but I remember, the chairman of the party, Chief Sunday Bisi had clarified the misgivings. For instance, in the case of Ede, where I come from, the man made people realised that Ede has two modern local governments, we have Ede South and Ede North, as well as the development areas, so whatever they are giving to a particular government like Iwo local government, saying 10%, it means Ede will be getting 20% because of the two Local governments. Many people seem to have forgotten that Olaoluwa and Aiyedire are part of Iwo region.
What advice will you give the governor as he begins his second year in office?
I will say he should try to improve on what he has been doing, he started well but you know Yoruba would say starting well is not enough but finishing well. I want him to finish well and to do that will require a lot of vigor, planning, brainstorming and getting things done. He needs to settle down and pay more attention to people oriented programmes. Achievement is not recorded until when you have it in place, when you deliver the dividend of democracy and dividend of democracy can come in so many ways but the best thing is for him to fix his eyes on lasting legacy. A lasting legacy is to build institutions in Osun state where people will say these bridges, university, hospitals, airports were done by Ademola Adeleke. You see, today Chief Akande is being referred to as a wicked governor due to some of his actions, considered as anti-people, but the man was able to use the meagre resources to build Bola Ige house and the entire Osun State Secretariat, I think he took that one after Baba Awolowo. One of the legacies of Baba Awolowo is the secretariat in Agodi, Ibadan in Oyo State. Today in Osun state we have another good edifices and Akande took that glory. Oyinlola also is credited with the establishment of Osun state University during his tenure. So, building roads alone doesn’t give you a legacy. Aregbesola, also did his best, he constructed thousands of kilometers of roads, but people don’t talk about the roads like his foot print on the bridges and mega schools he built. Therefore, I will strongly advise Governor Ademola Adeleke to do something unique as modern air transport facilities. During my time at the lower Chamber, I took it upon myself to go to the ministry of aviation to make some clarification about the aerodrome. I was told that federal government will only approve it, if we were ready to build it by ourselves and name it. Initially it was “Ede Air Strip”. so I made all these clarification but unfortunately the regime of Prince Oyinlola could not go far for the lean purse available then. When Aregbesola came, same story, he only did the perimeter fencing which secure the expansive space. Governor Oyetola did his best too by getting the attention of the Nigerian air force for the project.
So in your word, if Adeleke can finish the airport project, that amounts to leaving a legacy after his tenure?
Yes if he can do that, he will have a legacy but if he cannot, he should look for another enduring project to embark upon and finish before he leaves office. But I still maintain that if that project, Osun Airport becomes a reality that will earn him enduring legacy.
Do you think he has a visionary team, like commissioners, special advisers to help him achive that?
I think he should, because for him to have assembled his team he must have looked at certain criteria to arrive at it. It took him some time to come up with the names of his commissioners and special advisers and hopefully most of them will not disappoint him. If I still remember what Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu said during the retreat for his ministers, he said this is a chain that must work together to achieve our common goal, in case you miss certain objectives in your ministry, we will send you back to get it right but if you fail then you leave us because, bulk stops at his table. Governor Adeleke should be careful with the team, ensures they are focused to achieve the goal of the government because if they cannot do it, it will bounce on the governor but I’m sure the governor will ensure his team works well, in order to fulfill his campaign promises
