Honorable Samuel Olubisi Odewumi was recently appointed Chairman, Governing Council, Osun state College of Health Technology, Ilesha. Unarguably the first person to be appointed as Chairman of the school’s board since its establishment in 1977, Hon. Odewumi, who was formerly a Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Osun state, in this interview with Osun Newsroom talks about his varying experiences in and outside the field of politics dating back to 1999. A native of Asipa in Ife North local government area, where he doubles as the Oluomo of the town, the politician cum farmer in the course of the interview confidently advanced many factors that will make incumbent governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, record an overwhelming victory over his co-contenders in the coming July 16 guber elections. He described Oyetola’s co-contenders as political underdogs who are not as politically and intellectually groomed as to wrestle power from the IleriOluwa symbol of Osun state. He crowns this no-dull-moment interview with disclosure of plans of how Oyetola-led administration will make Osun state college of health technology Ilesha, one of the best health institutions in Nigeria as the school looks forward to churning out the first set of its students to partake in the national NYSC scheme. Excerpts:
Osunnewsroom:
There seems to be undue pressures on politicians especially those of you holding either elective or appointive positions. How have you been coping with the catalogue of requests here and there from people who see you as rich and influential enough to move mountains?
Hon.Odewumi:
What cannot be helped, must, of necessity, be endured. So, I must say we are coping within the limit of our patience and understanding in our day-to-day relationship with people as politicians and political office holders. Like I tell people, I don’t do or render assistance beyond what I can afford to.
Frankly speaking, let me say we live in a society where too much is being expected from the politicians knowing fully well that as politicians we were and are still part and parcel of the larger society before becoming what we are as political office holders, either elected or appointed. There’s, however, the urgent need for a total re-evaluation or re-assessment of our core value system as people. I must tell you that the concept of politics largely is to serve people and the society at large. If you permit me, I will say my own perception about the whole thing is that we have lost the track of our value system and there’s the urgent need for us to come back to the lost track.
Osunnewsroom:
Specifically, where and how did we get things wrong considering the alarming moral decadence that currently permeates our society?
Hon. Odewumi:
Home training is very important if we want to find a lasting solution to all the moral shortcomings enveloping the society. These days, parents don’t give proper attention to their children. In other words, home training is no longer the order of the day. The pursuit of wealth is now over glorified by parents at the expense of imparting morals that will shape decent approach to life for all children. How many parents now have time to sit and teach their children the way of the Lord as was the practice in the days of old? How value-conscious are some of the so called parents? We live in a society where the overriding language is now money, money and nothing but money all the time.
Parents don’t see the need to query how their children come about certain possessions. All they are after is the possession without caring to know the source.
Whether it is legitimate or otherwise, it is none of their business .
Osunnewsroom:
Could that have accounted for the rat race to get money even by children who are barely old enough to differentiate between what is right and wrong? In other words, these days, we have teenagers controlling humongous amount of money as a result of the get-rich-quick syndrome which is daily becoming the order of the day.
Hon. Odewumi:
Yes, you have captured the picture aptly with this question. The urge to make it big in life by teenagers most especially is now the ‘in thing’ in our society. Too much value and attention are given to money and as long as the urge to make it big quickly is given undeserved priority, we will continue to find ourselves in this pool of moral decadence. Children these days are not prepared to learn any trade or vocation. A reasonable parent should be able to inculcate the importance of learning a trade in his or her children apart from making them to go to school. Some of the children even no longer see the importance of going to school. It is that bad and horrifying. I am a product of home-schooling, brought up by a public school teacher in Asipa. On a daily basis, while growing up, my late father, Pa Odewumi, will assemble all of us (his children) to teach us the ideals of hardwork and honest in all we do and say. The song on his lips until he drew his last breath was Hardwork! Hardwork!! and Hardwork!!! Constantly, at that time, unknown to some of us that he was attitudinally preparing us on a daily basis for the myriads of many challenges ahead of us in life. My late father rode on a bicycle throughout his life time but kept on telling us that we would surely be great and better persons in life if we make honesty and hardwork the cardinal objectives of our journey through life. He would always emphasise that we must not cut corners no matter what. Honesty, according to him, must be the best policy we should always adopt in life. How many parents have time to spare in doing this for their children today? Very few, I must say. The concept of planning, my father will always tell us is very germane as he who fails to plan will automatically fail to achieve worthwhile things in life.
Osunnewsroom:
Is political office a spell or a curse, because one wonders why some political office holders immediately after leaving their positions become wretched?
Hon. Odewumi:
I don’t think so. There’s no spell of any kind but it is glaringly about inability to plan while still holding that position. As long as one does not come to terms with the reality of political office being a temporary position, one will after leaving that office be in a state of wants and penury, especially if one does not make the best use of the derivatives, in terms of the accruing benefits from that temporary office. Sustenability is and should always be the watchword. You should at all times do things that will not make you go back to point zero after any office, either elected or appointed. For instance, a Councillor whose monthly salary is between N150,000 and N200,000, he or she should know that it is not a steady salary or income forever. No. It is temporal. Therefore, he or she should first of all cast a look at where he/she was before becoming a Councillor earning such big money, where he/she is now as a Councillor and where he/she would be after leaving that position of Councillorship. In other words, planning for a rainy day is the key word here. He or she should not eat with all his ten fingers at once as Yorubas would say. Saving for the rainy day is very important. For instance, let me use my own life style as an example. Since 1999 when I became the Secretary of my local government, I got engaged in fishery and poultry farming with immediate effect. In other words, I combined the business of politics with farming and that has been one of my success stories in life today. I see politics as an avenue to serve my people and I see farming as a way of getting myself prepared for the rainy day when perhaps I will not be occupying any political office. For instance, it will surprise you to hear that one of the former members of the National Assembly was among those who showed interest in being appointed a caretaker committee chairman of one of the local governments recently. Why should this be? This might not be unconnected with the fact that that a former national law maker did not prepare for life after political office. What I am saying therefore is that it is suicidal for one not to plan for his/ her future while holding any office, be it political or non political. This is not limited to politicians alone. Even civil servants should learn to plan for life after service. A good lesson must be drawn from this analogy. While still in service as a serious-minded civil servant, you must plan ahead for life after service. Occupying a juicy position either in politics or civil service has a lot of attractions and the moment one gets carried away by it, one is a goner .
Osunnewsroom:
Have you any concrete example to substantiate this assertion?
Hon. Odewumi:
Yes, I will use my humble self as a good example. The moment I left office as a political office holder, I became “irrelevant” in the minds and political thinking of some people. Even those who were hitherto praising and glorifying my name to high heaven while occupying a political office, temporarily shifted allegiance to another person. They put me aside. At that point in time, you will instantly become a nobody before them because you are no longer in office. However, with an earlier good plan I had, having realised that one day I will leave that office, which of course I did, I went back fully to my vocation of being a farmer. I faced the business squarely. At the risk of sounding immodest, I must say that l have never lacked any money or any material thing since then because the proceeds from my farms are enough to keep me going smoothly and efficiently with members of my family. That is the beauty of planning. Imagine if I had not embraced farming while I was holding that position, how would my life have been after leaving the political office? This is a good lesson worth sharing.
Osunnewsroom:
Surely, it would have been another kettle of fish.
Hon Odewumi:
Yes, that is the beauty of planning. Again, I must emphasize that politics is one of the fields of human endeavours that is shrouded with many lies and intrigues in such a manner that sometimes all kinds of mischiefs will be concocted to pull you down by your co-politicians, especially if you have been seen to have a glaring potential of being a force to be reckoned with, politically, in the scheme of things.
Osunnewsroom:
How do you mean?
Hon. Odewumi:
Let me tell you my own practical experience. I was a member of IleriOluwa campaign Organization in Ife North local government and a strong member of the Steering Committee for that matter which fought tooth and nail for the election of Mr Adegboyega Oyetola as the governor of Osun state. However, considering the political differences of my town (Asipa) with another town in my local government at that time, and realising that I was having a good a political advantage over many people to be appointed into a political position in the state after the electoral victory of the governor, all kinds of lies were concocted and fabricated against me here and there by fellow politicians of my local government origin and even outside my local government to the extent of branding me a staunch member of a political group opposed to Mr Oyetola. In other words, I was branded a member of The Osun Progressives (TOP). But because of the kind of person I am and the kind of love and confidence Mr Adegboyega Oyetola has in me, I kept my cool and I remained resolute to the ideals of being my usual strong follower and loyalist of Mr Adegboyega Oyetola. I did not in anyway allow their intrigues and shenanigans to affect me as a person or my relationship with the governor who kept on assuring me that I shouldn’t worry because he eventually knew that I was only being maligned and painted black unjustifiably. Yes, all the allegations were mere political abracadabra to pitch me against the governor, which events and circumstances eventually proved to be lies intended to smear me and my political journey. Today, I thank God that I am having the last laugh which in proverbial parlance is known to be the best laugh.
But such is life and the dirtiness of the kind of politics some politicians play.
Osunnewsroom:
To God be the glory for coming out untainted and for having the grace and the privilege to tell the story.
Hon. Odewumi:
All praises and adorations be unto God. It is not me but God. In all things, we should stand firm and believe in Him as One Who determines the affairs of all that we do and say in our day-to-day endeavours not only in politics but life generally. Throughout the period the political bad blood was being heaped on me, I never for once allowed the mutual relationship I have over the years with Governor Oyetola to be affected. I kept on telling myself that one day, the political storm will be over and that was what happened when eventually Mr Governor counted me worthy to be appointed as the pioneer chairman of the governing council of Osun state college of health technology, Ilesha. I thank and appreciate His Excellency for his love and support over the years and particularly for his unshakable trust and confidence in me as one of his loyal political disciples of many years. I can’t thank him enough. I also use this opportunity to again pledge my complete loyalty to the governor and leader of our party, APC, in Osun state, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola.
Osunnewsroom:
How prepared is the Party for the forthcoming guber elections of July 16?
Hon. Odewumi:
As a political party and the ruling one for that matter in Osun state, I must say that we are fully prepared. We are only waiting for that day to come. Not only is the Party ready, Mr Governor is ready and of course the entire people of the state who voted him to power during his first term of four years are equally ready to repeat the feat of getting him re-elected for another four years because he has lived up to the desired billings. His achievements throughout the state speak volume, to get him back to Bola Ige House as its CEO for another four years. I can tell you authoritatively that Oyetola will record a landslide victory in the coming guber election. I see him as having a wide margin over and above others. For instance, in Ife North local government where I hail from, I don’t know what the opposition parties will bring confidently to showcase before the people as to persuade them not to vote for Oyetola. Is it road? Is it health facilities or the various intervention schemes already put in place for the people by Oyetola? This is a steady governor with a steady mind who does steady things for the steady development of the steady people of Osun. Can you now see that we are in all aspects at par with the yearnings and aspirations of the people of the state? There’s a perfect equilibrium.
Osunnewsroom:
No doubt, enough plans are on ground.
Hon. Odewumi:
Of course, there are enough and enough plans. As progressives under the banner of APC, we don’t take the issue of planning for any electoral contest for granted. Planning is a serious agenda of the business of the day by us the progressives. While others are frolicking around or busy enjoying their sleep in the wee hours of the night, we are busy awake crossing our ‘T’s and dotting our ‘I’s. Therefore, with what Oyetola has put on ground so far and still planning to do more, I don’t know of any opposition party or candidate in the coming election that will conveniently unseat Oyetola. It will amount to a mere wishful thinking to be thinking in this way. On a daily basis, we are test-running our plans of action and the feedbacks we have been getting from the good people of Osun state are good and heartwarming enough to warrant our not preparing any more . But no, we are still on our toes doing the needful legitimately. With God on our side and the support of the people, there’s going to be another victory dance in Osun for Oyetola after the July 16 contest .
Osunnewsroom:
What has been your experiences in office since you became the Chairman, College of Health Technology Ilesha governing board?
Hon . Odewumi:
To God be the glory. So far so good, the journey has been quite smooth and good. Let me, however, start on a note of using this opportunity again and again to appreciate Mr Governor for the love and support we have so far been receiving from him, particularly for the so much confidence he reposed in us to turn things around for good in the almost completely moribund school until we came on board as the first governing board chairman and members. On arrival, what we met on ground was nothing to write home about. As health institution that it was originally meant to be since its establishment in 1977, the school was like a glorified secondary school. Nothing concrete on ground I must say but with the tenacity of purpose with which we assumed office shortly after our formal inauguration by Mr Governor, a visit to the school now will attest to our resolve to make it a true health institution of learning for our children. Though it is not going to be a tea party for now but I want to assure you that we are not resting on our oars.
Osunnewsroom:
Are you planning to go outside the state for financial assistance to augment the ones to be provided by Governor Oyetola’s administration?
Hon Odewumi:
No doubt, we are looking at many possibilities in this regard through the various intervention funds of the federal government and other stakeholders in the education sector, locally, nationally and internationally. Currently, we are working on an all round master plan for the school which will last 32 years by God’s grace so that those that will succeed us will have a smooth sail.
Osunnewsroom:
Really ?
Hon. Odewumi:
Yes, on a daily basis, we are putting one plan or the other in place. The school has just been upgraded and a law to that effect put in place in 2020 pronouncing it to be a full time tertiary institution in Nigeria that is based in Osun. It gladdens my heart to also tell you that for the first time since its establishment many years ago, students of Osun State College of Health Technology, Ilesha, will be taking part in the nation’s NYSC scheme. The school currently runs a Higher National Diploma (HND) course in Environmental Studies. The students offering this course will soon graduate to enable them partake in the compulsory scheme of serving their father land through NYSC. Additionally, I want to say that it is also a thing of joy to know that the certificate being issued by the school after the completion of studentship, either for OND or HND or combination of both is a United Nation Organisation recognized certificate. By implication, the certificate being issued to graduands of the school is officially accepted and tenable in any county of the world.
