Aregbesola supported all the recommendations of Osun Education Review panel findings before their implementation….Professor Olu Aina,*Chairman of the policy review*
…Insists Aregbesola and Oyetolas’ differences are only imaginary, not real.
Professor Olu Aina is a world respected name in the field of technical and vocational education, an elder statesman and one of the founding fathers of the state of Osun.
In this interview with *Osunnewsroom.com*, the Otan Aiyegbaju born juggernaut in the field of education but who prefers to be addressed as iconoclastic carpenter of many decades, reveals what has never been read or heard anywhere in recent times on the Osun Education Review policy, his personal relationship with Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and his predecessor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and other general matters.
The over 80 year old vintage Aina in this interview conducted in his Osogbo private residence told Osunnewsroom.com that the seeming political war between Oyetola and Aregbesola is not real but only exists in the imagination of their political and non-political followers with a declaration that the two leaders are still together as one .
It is a must read exclusive interview conducted by the journalistic duo of Bukola Aderibigbe and Moshood Suleiman for Osun newsroom.com
Excerpts
*Osunnewsroom.com*
As an elder -statesman and one of the founding fathers of Osun state, what is your impression about the person and personality of Mr Adegboyega Oyetola who has been in the saddle of leadership in the last three years as Osun governor ?
*Prof.Olu Aina*
He is a good man and manager of men and resources of the state in the last three years. I will easily pass him for a development Economist from the way I have seen him manage the affairs of the state so far. He is a governor very quick to understand issues. He is very deep in his thought processes. I have interacted with him on a number of issues and I have quickly come to the conclusion of seeing and regarding him as a very humane person. Indeed Oyetola is a likable person.
Osunnewsroom.com ;
Can you please throw more insight into this exemplary conduct of Oyetola in the area of his humanness and which, in your own candid assessment of him ,should be of interest to the public ?
*Prof.Olu Aina;*
The humanness I am talking about was largely exhibited when I worked for his government on the resolution of LAUTECH Ogbomosho crisis between Osun and Oyo states. A lot of things that were not planned for came up during the process that eventually led to the takeover of the university by the two states, Oyo and Osun.
For example, several people were affected by the decisions taken and not only did Oyetola listen to the panel that he constituted to work on it but also acted very promptly and wisely too. Were it not for the humane disposition with which he went about the whole thing, so many people would have lost their jobs. Even till now, unexpected issues are still cropping up but the moment you take this issue to Oyetola , he looks very deeply into your argument and it doesn’t take him any long time to ask questions that will lead to amicable resolution .
And most of the time, he takes decision to alleviate suffering that could have occurred in the course of doing one thing or the other.
*Osunnewsroom.com;*
What were your other observations about him while carrying out the job ?
*Prof Olu Aina ;*
When he gave us the job, I also saw in him, a man who gives you a responsibility and assign you the necessary authority to do the job. No more,no less. There was no interference at all and all the things we did, he listened very carefully to them. Though he asked many questions but once he is convinced, he agrees with you and that is one of the hallmarks of a good leader which I saw and still sees in Governor Oyetola.
*Osunnewsroom.com;* Could that have accounted for the success stories of the Osun Education Review panel which you also headed in spite of the mixed reactions that greeted the fallout of the recommendations of reclassification of schools and single uniform policy which was cancelled as recommended by your team of wise men and women that carried out the assignment ?
*Prof Olu Aina;*
Frankly speaking,I will say yes.
I have a lot of respect for governor Adegboyega Oyetola. I belong to a platform in osun state comprising elders who meet regularly to think of the way forward for Osun and it didn’t take that platform any long time at all to agree that we need to work with him and we have been doing that non stop since he got elected as the governor.
He inherited a very difficult office as a governor. He is, however , rising to the occasion. As elders in the state ,we have had no problem whatsoever in giving him the necessary support and encouragement from time to time.
Osunnewsroom.com
Three years down the line,how far and how well is education in the state of Osun under him ? .
*Prof Olu Aina;*
As you all know ,my area of interest and specialisation ,no doubt , is education. One would have thought that Governor Oyetola had been a student of education as he also understands the problem of education and human development so much.
In Osun a lot of work is going on now and we are happy and elated that education is having the required human face in the state. Before the end of Oyetola’s first tenure, I am sure that the people of the state will not have any difficulty calling on him to continue what he is doing presently. I must also say that I have worked with quite a number of people in political offices but I earnestly commend Oyetola for his careful choice of people to occupy different positions.
*Osunnewsroom.com*
Still talking about education, you were the chairman of Osun Education Review Committee which eventually cancelled some of the policies earlier made by the immediate past administration in the state led by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. Sir ,as the chairman of that panel, how do you feel eventually with the kind of mixed reactions that enveloped the findings and recommendations of your panel ?
*Prof.Olu Aina ;*
(Cut in sharply ) Well, fortunately for me when Mr Adegboyega Oyetola approached me to chairman the panel, I was a little bit taken aback because I didn’t want to be dragged into murky waters of politics.
However, before acceding to the request of Mr Oyetola, I approached and talked to Ogbeni Aregbesola ,the former governor before accepting the request to head the committee on the school reclassification in Osun. Aregbesola gave me the support and approval to do the job since it is in the best interest of the state and its people
*Osunnewsroom.com*
Really ?
*Prof.Olu Aina ;*
Yes of course. There was no hidden agenda about the whole thing and even when I finished the job before I submitted it to governor Oyetola who in the first instance made me its Chairman , I discussed our findings with Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and we had a mutual understanding on all the resolutions made on the Osun Education policy review as inherited by Oyetola from Aregbesola.
*Osunnewsroom.com*
Why then the eventual misgivings in certain political quarters that greeted the recommendations ? With all these revelations that we are now hearing from you Sir ,for the first time ,isn’t it then strange and surprising ?
*Prof.Olu Aina ;*
When Somebody like Chief Bisi Akande ,the former governor of Osun said he has not seen any problem between Oyetola and Aregbesola but there may be problems with those who are their supporters, I agree with Chief Akande very much. I interacted very much with both Aregbesola and Oyetola and I know how they usually feel with what they share with me also.
So, If you ask me further I will tell you categorically that I consider the Education Review policy itself as an act of humility and understanding from the two leaders (i.e. the incumbent Governor,Mr Adegboyega Oyetola and his predecessor,Mr Rauf Aregbesola.
*Osunnewsroom.com* How do you mean Sir ?
*Prof.Olu Aina ;
Both of them (Oyetola and Aregbesola)worked on it as Oyetola was the chief of staff, when Aregbesola was the governor and they worked harmoniously on virtually all the issues that were germane to the growth and development of the state .
*Osunnewsroom.com*
What are your inherent deductions from all these Sir ?
Prof Olu Aina:
For me it is a sign of humility on the part of the two leaders and to me as the Chairman of the panel on Osun school reclassification exercise , it was a privilege to be part of it.
*Osunnewsroom.com*
From a statesman’s point of view and by virtue of your widely known position as one of the elders and founders of the state,what is your interpretation of the present political development in Osun ?
*Prof.Olu Sina:
You see there’s nothing wrong in doing one thing in a particular way today and seeing another need to take another look at it tomorrow. I must tell you, I asked Governor Oyetola why he wanted to carry out the exercise on schools ? And he told me that after the elections, he went round the state on a “Thank You Visit”to all the towns ,cities and villages . According to him, there was virtually no place he visited that they did not demand taking another look at the education policies put in place by the immediate past administration of Mr Aregbesola . To accede to the requests of people ,Mr Oyetola then decided to involve the services of experts and there were quite a number of experts who worked with us in that committee including University professors, education administrators including development experts from UNESCO. They worked with us and we were unanimous in our consideration and need for the revisions of some of the policies on schools which were at variance with peoples demand and expectations in Osun and the larger society. And we did the job courageously and patriotically too without any sentiment attached . I must say that we have no apology for the position that we took. We were convinced that it was the right thing to do. In the course of the assignment,we related the various aspects of the terms of reference to the global practices and realigned same position to the issue that we considered to be the National Policy on education in Nigeria .
With all sense of humility and responsibility, we were professional in our considerations of the outcome of the resolutions of the panel.
*Osunnewsroom.com*
Lastly Sir, we are moving towards another democratic experience, especially in the state of Osun in 2022, what will you consider as the most valuable consideration to guide people to pick their leaders?
*Prof Olu Aina*
Thank you so much. I think for me, the commitment of Governor Oyetola as well as former Governor Aregbesola to the needs of the people and to the development of the state is high. And I have not seen that kind of passion for a long time. The two of them, are very passionate. If there are small issues on which they disagree, I think they should not be reasons for people to say yes or no to either of them.
I have seen commitment on the part of the current governor,Mr Adegboyega Oyetola .
There is a constitutional limit to how many years Aregbesola can spend as a governor and he has exhausted that time. He has made his contributions no doubt and some of his legacies will stand forever, part of which is the humility to accept change when changes are necessary. When I play back some of the things he said to me when I was considering whether or not to accept the position of the chairman of the Policy Review Panel on Education in Osun, I heard him say that one reporter had asked him that if his successor( Oyetola ) made some changes, how will he feel ? And Aregbesola did say that if he sees the need to make any change, he will have no qualms about it.
So, I think Aregbesolas supporters should play back the tape and give it deep thought.
*Osunnewsroom.com*
Can you be specific for record purposes regarding who will earn your vote in 2022 in Osun ?
*Prof Olu Aina:
(Laughter)If you insist, I
think leadership requires a lot of sacrifice. It requires a lot of introspections which is very rare in the society these days. So for me, those are the kind of things I will be looking for when I want to cast my vote. Fortunately for me, I am a neutral voter as I do not belong to any political party. I will vote for an individual that I believe can carry out his work diligently and conscientiously for the growth and development of Osun.
