OYO'S GUBER ASPIRANTS - Kehinde Ayoola JP.

Oyo State has been mightily blessed with a surfeit of gubernatorial aspirants this election cycle. I look across the parties and I see an array of men (sadly, no woman yet) who are eminently qualified to steer the ship of our state.

 

It is a thing that elicits gratitude to God that for once, Oyo State voters are no longer to be faced with a Hobson's Choice when they choose their governor next February.

Number One on my list is Engr Seyi Makinde, my friend, brother and political associate in whom thankfully, I and a lot of Oyo State people see a man finally, who could subsume his personal interest, make the necessary sacrifice and drive this state in the direction of economic prosperity, govern with humility and relate with her people without any air about him unlike the wont of many governors.

Ki Oluwa Seyi t'ó dara fun was ni'pinle Oyo. Amin.

Across the aisle, I am excited at the aspiration of Dr. Yunus Akintunde not because of his education ( he is well-educated) but because he is from my native Oyo Town.

Gone are the days when certain people condescendingly said: " Oyo 'ò lean" (Oyo is devoid of qualified personnel). Those were the days when people from other zones of Yorubaland represented us in government. They shined their torch to look for a nonexistent familial thread linking them to Oyo and pronto, they got imposed by the powers that be. But now, we have a man boldly putting himself forward. He has therefore followed in the illustrious footsteps of Prof Wande Abimbola and late Alhaji Adekunle Aruna-Elewi.

I shall be happy for him if his party puts Hadji Yunus forward.

Then there is my egbon, Dist Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin - a suave, easy-going and unobtrusive individual that comes from a thoroughly distinguished political family.

From the Upper Ogun River, my brother, Prof Adeolu Akande strikes you distinctly. A man of ideas, Deolu, Yunus Akintunde and I with a few others once collaborated in celebrating Atiku Abubakar in 2004. The synergy generated then held these guys up as achievers.

One wonders, though, how it happened that none of us is in Atiku's camp currently.

Sadly, only one of these guys can be put forward by their party as they are struggling for the same ticket.

You cannot but notice the artisan of our brother, Adebayo Adelabu, former Deputy Governor of the CBN. This young man has packed so much into his short years.

There is Joseph Tegbe, the not-so-new newcomer. He has a first-class brain and that may be why the powers that be in his party seem to want him there at all cost.

Egbon mi, Prof Soji Adejumo is who his title suggests - an erudite politician who instantly "infects" you with his erudition and calm mien if you come in contact with him.

Again, among himself, Tegbe and Adelabu, only one person can win their party's ticket.

There are very many others who are also capable across the parties but I've picked the few that I know and how I wish I could say same for Dr. Morohunkola Thomas...!

Omi Tuntun Igba Otun!

By Rt. Hon. Kehinde Ayoola JP.

Share: