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Since the contrived exit of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola aka Yayi from his largely well received consultations to run for the Governorship seat of Ogun State in 2019 many have wondered where I now stand going forward. This is to be expected based on my close association with him following his venture into the Ogun state political space for over 6 years. For those that are conversant with my records in public service at state and federal, I am a one-track minded person in such support for those I have been associated with both in and out of public offices in Ogun State and elsewhere starting from Group Captain Sam Ewang (Rtd), Commodore Kayode Olofn-moyin (Rtd), Chief Olusegun Osoba, all chief executive of Ogun State as military governors/executive governor respectively to Rt. Hon. Dimeji Bankole as the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives.
Such rigidity have its cost that I had borne over the years but in the end I am consoled by the fact of not soiling my name in the dirty game of playing both sides for gain, betraying a principal or just sitting on the fence when you should stand by your man, whatever the circumstance until it is over. I am comfortable taking a stand in support of a cause or a person. Don’t usually like engagement that perpetually leaves me looking behind over my shoulders. That was the basis of my support and work for Yayi in addition to his fighting to redress an injustice and inequity against a section of my state, Ogun West , where I hails from. To God be the Glory that any acknowledged that I did my little part in the consultation that made Yayi a household name in ogun State as well as re-energized the quest for the redress of the injustice and inequity of Ogun West being marginalized in the scheme of things in Ogun State with a prime elusion of being the governor of the state in the state’s 42 years history while their brothers in Ogun Central and East has had repeated chance of governing the state at different times.
Beyond Yayi’s political blitzkrieg across Ogun state that gave some sleepless nights giving his unstoppable populism among majority of the people, some of whom have not set eyes on him, giving clear indication that 2019 may well be the time Ogun State will do the RIGHT thing in realization that a tripod seat cannot for long stand properly without it third leg, one had worked for the Cause in time past with the hope realizing Ogun Governor of Ogun West extraction. The reference here is to the push by the late Engineer Wale Bajomo aka “Baba Olomi”, the Ayetoro born retired permanent secretary who knows Ogun State inside out like no other through his sojourn and involvement in water supply and rural development effort to nooks and crannies of Ogun state. That was another grassroots man that cut across all sections of Ogun state and was poised to really strike a BIG Blow for Ogun West in redressing decades of injustice and marginalization. But death came calling for him and we resigned to the WILL of the ALL KNOWING GOD. Then came Yayi and once again a critical analysis indicated that his was yet another opportunity to end the injustice and inequity against Yewa-Awori of Ogun West.
But that was not to be and the story of his exit is best left for another day.
Mercifully, he is alive to tell his own story at opportune time and what a story it would be from my ringside glimpse of what went down. In this my essay, I state MY PERSONAL POSITION AND NOT THAT OF YAYI. This brings one to the subject of this essay. Where do I stand now in the race towards Ogun 2019? Yayi had established a massive political structure across Ogun State with supporters not only found in APC, his political party but also in other parties like PDP, SDP, Labour Party and UPN amongst others. I am one little leg in that structure as a foundation registered member of APC in Ogun State and the spokesman for Yayi. To understand one dilemma in the event associated with Yayi’s exit, it is appropriate to situate Yayi’s rigid stand to be a progressive all his life and not to change party because of a ticket being denied him. Even before his exit, some that are besotted to him, had abandoned ship on the basis of his unwillingness not to leave APC. But many stayed until it was finally clear that Yayi has returned to Lagos to re-contest his senatorial seat. One read of majority of his supporters returning to Alliance for Democracy, AD while some individuals in the Yayi structure, notably Osoba loyalists of SDP fame and others went cast their lot with the incumbent Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. And only recently, some APC loyalists of Yayi equally moved over to work for Prince Dapo Abiodun who recently joined the race from Ogun East just like Senator Olugbenga Kaka, Prince Segun Adesegun, former deputy governor. In all these movements, I place it on record that Yayi has never directed me in private or publicly to urge his followers to join any individual, group, faction or political party. Indeed, I have issued statement to dissociate him from some of these moves on the basis of his political party affiliation. From all indication and in absence of any communication to me and to the best of my knowlegde, one can simply say that individual politicians and groups took decision that BEST suits their interests under the contrived and heart rending circumstances that saw Yayi’s exit from his consultations in Ogun state.
For me I remain an APC member with or without any benefit or patronage. I am particular about the quality of person(s) who govern my dear state. I take full cognizance of the incumbent governor’s avowed wish and Ogun State’s APC declaration to ENSURE that an Ogun West person emerge as its candidate. I also take note of the PROVINCIALISTS from Ogun East who may as well wish us IN Ogun state to go back to colonial or even pre-colonial era to determine political geography of modern day Nigeria for their self interested political interest (More on that in other essays). And of course I remain an Ogun West indigene of Ogun State. In 2019, where I stand now with is with my party, APC and my PEOPLE, Ogun West.
Let the primaries of political parties begin and let see how all parties goes in relation to the INJUSTICE AND INEQUITY against Ogun West…… For now, I rise.
Chief Kayode Odunaro
Baaroyin of ImalaLand
Ogun State.
Written from my heart on Board a flight…..
