Oluomo Sunday Akere recently got appointed as Special Adviser to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola on political matters. By every inch a socialite and political colossus of progressive inclination, with a knack to say things the way they are not minding whose ox is gored especially in political arena, Oluomo Sunday Akere was a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Osun state. In this special interview with Osun Newstoom, he x-rays the many beauties of the personality of his principal, Mr Adeboyega Oyetola, his approach to governance and his achievements in the last three years. He also analyses in particular the many factors that will unarguably return Governor Adegboyega Oyetola back to office in the gubernatorial election in Osun . Excerpts:
Osun Newsroom:
Just like yesterday, the present administration of Mr Adeboyega Oyetola is already three years. You may not have started with the administration but to describe you as a silent key player until your recent official appointment as a Special Adviser to the Governor on political matters won’t be an understatement. Three years down the lane and still counting, could you please give a quick assessment of the journey so far?
Sunday Akere:
Let me first and foremost congratulate the government and good people of the state of Osun on the third anniversary of the administration of Mr Adegboyega Oyetola. As a person and the chief executive of the state in the last three years, we have never had it so good under this governor who is a cool, calm and unassuming leader. He is a person whose second name is ‘peace’. A man of few words but full of action. He is one governor who is very versed in the business of management of men and resources. Anothrt feature that stands Governor Oyetola out in his time in the saddle of the State is the fact that he listens to people. We should appreciate God for giving us a person like him.
My assessment of the administration in the last three years? Let me say, with the benefit of hindsight, that it is
quite impressive and superlative with a lot of many things to point to as achievements. One thing that gladdens my heart is that there are quite a number of governors across the country, who today, are quite astounded with the way Oyetola is having a smooth sail in governance especially in the regular payment of salaries and pensions, notwithstanding the dwindling resources from the federation account. Majority of them are silently coming to Osun to engage Mr Oyetola as a way of tapping from his governance style, particularly the (supposed) ‘magic’ being employed in having it smooth to pay regular salaries on a monthly basis.
Osun Newsroom:
It takes special grace and ingenuity to make this impact. Do you believe this?
Sunday Akere:
There are no two ways about it, the ability of the governor not to bite more than what he can chew is one of his secrets. It’s that simple. He has a knack to manage resources prudently and frugally, using tact and wisdom. He is a governor ebulliently gifted with a lot of ingenuity.
Permit me to again congratulate Mr Governor for making an impact like no other on the lives of the people of Osun.
The era of “Afusalisation” of workers’ salaries is over in Osun. An average civil servant can now boast of not only getting salary as and when due, but also in full. This is an affirmation of the friendly disposition of Governor Oyetola to workers in Osun.
Osun Newsroom:
Could that have accounted for a near absence of industrial face-off between the government and workers in the last three year?
Sunday Akere:
Absolutely correct. There’s total peace in Osun because Oyetola is living up to the expectations of the entire workforce of the state. In the immediate past administration, it was one industrial crisis over the other. Government and workers were at loggerheads over one demand or the other. Can you recall for once in the last three years when workers in Osun down tools because of one agitation or another? Never! The era of face-off is gone and gone for good under Oyetola.
Osun Newsroom:
Let’s shift emphasis to other sectors also.
Sunday Akere:
Okay. Let’s take the sectors one after the other.
Osun Newsroom:
Let’s take a look at roads.
Sunday Akere:
Beautiful. In the 22 years of democracy in Osun, the people of Ede & Ejigbo will never in a hurry forget to mention Oyetola as one governor who made the impossible to become possible for them. Virtually all the roads in these two historic towns are now motorable as opposed to their hitherto dilapidated nature. For instance, if you are motoring from Osogbo to Ejigbo, at the risk of exaggeration, in 15 or 20 minutes, you are already in Ejigbo now. Why? Because of the well-tarred nature of the road which provides smooth motoring. Let’s take a look at the situation of things, road-wise, in my ancient town of Igbajo. For over 30 years, coming from Igbajo to Osogbo was a Herculean task for motorists. The roads were bad and almost impassable. It took several hours to get to Osogbo from Igbajo. But today, in 30 minutes, you are in Osogbo or Igbajo. Apart from making life easy and eventful, social and economic lives of the people have improved astronomically courtesy of Mr Adegboyega Oyetola led administration.
Other towns and cities in Osun are no less impacted as the administration has made it a priority to make its impacts felt . The records are there. I want to say with all sense of modesty and responsibility that there’s no sector that Oyetola has not touched meaningfully which for now are far better and greater than any other administration that held sway in Osun.
Osun Newsroom:
Let’s discuss party politics in Osun in the last three years.
How was it like before Oyetola and how is it now under the Oyetola administration?
Sunday Akere:
It was a bag of mixed feelings. Before the advent of Oyetola’s government, party politics in Osun was more or less in shamble.
Osun Newsroom
Shambolic? How do you mean?
SundayAkere:
I will give you one or two examples. Before Oyetola came into office as the governor of Osun, the affairs of the party, the All Progressive Congress, was more or less being handled by very few people at the expense of the larger party leadership in the state. About two or three people ran the affairs of the party like a private business. Minority had a say at the expense of the larger majority that formed the party structure and hierarchy. Whether one likes it or not, one must dance to the whims and caprices of these few people whose final words were laws of the party. It was that bad and harrowing. But the moment Oyetola assumed the leadership of the state, he gradually and systematically effected the needed changes that made and still makes an average APC member in Osun to have a say in the affairs of who takes what, when, where and how, as far as the Osun APC is concerned.
Osun Newsroom:
How?
Sunday Akere:
Good. What the governor did was to first and foremost return the power of the day-to-day affairs of the party to the party leaders, elders and excos, and even members of the party. He did not stop at that, he went further to empower the leadership of the party in a way far beyond the imagination of the people. In other words, he ensured that they have a strong and final say in determining the affairs of Osun APC. No interference of any kind and that is one of the beauties of democracy under Oyetola’s leadership. Take for instance, the selection and eventual composition of those who made the list of Caretaker committees of the various local governments. It was devoid of Oyetola’s interference as he allowed the party leaders, elders and members to have a say leading to an efficient and effective input. Today in Osun, democracy runs deep and even deeper under Oyetola’s watch. And in return, he conveniently earns the love and respect of all in the party. Notwithstanding the seeming hues and cries that greeted the outcome of the last congress which produced the recent Famodun-led State Exco of APC, Osun had the best if not one of the best congreses in Nigeria. Kudos must be given to Oyetola for returning sanity and Omoluabism into Osun APC fold which was hitherto more or less a one man business.
Osun Newsroom:
The song now on the lips of people of Osun is the July 2022 guber election in Osun. How prepared is your party?
Sunday Akere:
Giving all the available indices of peace and harmony that reigned in Osun in the last 3 years, the coming election by the special grace of God will take similar trend. The whole essence of democracy is to allow people make their choice and I believe this will be the posture which again will make the people of Osun re-elect a governor with a difference, an Omoluabi par excellence, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, come July 2022 guber elections in our dear state. And you will agree with me that Oyetola has laid a solid foundation for the actualisation of his reelection. The governor is not only ready, the party is ready and the people of Osun too are ready to return him back to the government house in 2022.
Osun Newsroom:
Given the fact that Mr Governor loves peace, what can you advise to be done to kill the differences in the same political party as it is now in Osun APC ?
Sunday Akere:
(laughs) I want to tell you that there’s no iota of truth in the fact that there’s misunderstanding in the Osun APC. There’s none. Osun APC is one family and in any family setting, there are bound to be times when members would have conflicting views and interests. And again that reminds one of the beauty of democracy where there are bound to be disagreements from time to time. However, the case of Osun APC does not even qualify to be described as such.
Ours is one family affair which I will use this opportunity to tell you it will soon be resolved.
Osun Newsroom:
When or how soon are we expecting this reconciliatory move?
Sunday Akere:
Very very soon. A scheme towards achieving a lasting solution to the political feud in our party is underway.
Those who are already glorifying and rejoicing in the fact that we are “fighting” will soon be put to shame as Osun APC will soon come out stronger, better, more virile and politically cohesive than before. The body language in the two camps is gravitating towards reconciliation and that is the more reason I am always at ease to tell anybody that cares to listen to me that there’s no division in Osun APC. Behind every dark cloud, there’s always a silver lining .
Osun Newsroom:
Is this the disposition of the entire members of the party or it is your own personal impression?
Sunday Akere:
It is the collective view of the party leaders, elders and members of Osun APC family, that we are still one and strong as we used to be right from the commencement of Progressive governance in the state of Osun.
Osun Newsroom:
Mr Governor is the father of the party in the state.
You are his Special Adviser on Politics. What have you told him regarding the way out of this political logjam?
Sunday Akere:
Thank you for this question. Like I earlier told you, Mr Governor loves peace. In fact, peace should be his second name. Against this backdrop, anything short of achieving everlasting peace and harmony will not, even in a dream, be condoned by Mr Governor. He is a man of the people who believes vehemently in people towards the actualisation of his many dreams for the growth and development of Osun.
In all my private moments with Mr Governor, he has always given me the assurance, confidence and optimism that the party is on its way to achieving total peace and harmony.
