I have been wrestling with my mind ever since the unfortunate but avoidable impasse between Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the immediate past two-term Governor of Osun and now the Minister of Interior, all by the grace of God, and his erstwhile Chief of Staff and now the incumbent Governor of Osun, again by the grace of God. I have been willing and wishing the two eminent Osun personalities will settle their differences as professionals, deeply God fearing with the worldwide display of the Omoluabic virtues which they both revived in us during the combined tenure of the two. But because that, to date, has not been the case, I am putting my opinion fueled position down as bluntly as I have genetically been composed to hoping that the truth, as I know it to be, will guide the two gladiators, their footsoldiers and the leaders and elders of our ruling party, the All Peoples Congress (APC) and well meaning Yorubas home and in the Diaspora in proffering a lasting settlement.
Governor Gboyega Oyetola was brought into Osun politics with the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and was made the Chief of Staff, that fact is indelible in the annals of administrative history. Again, based on my observation of political events at the time (2018), one will sweat to deny the fact that Ogbeni played a pivotal and crucial role in the eventual emergence of Governor Oyetola as the APC Governorship flag bearer. Immediately after the announcement of the Chief of Staff, as he then was simply known, Ogbeni went to "war" in his characteristically energetic manner firing from all cylinders to ensure the victory of APC at that Governorship poll. Many atimes, I would cringe in fear for the safety of Governor Oyetola when Ogbeni yank him on to the roof of the campaign bus. Of course we all know, and he himself has said on occasions too many to remember that give Aregbe, the Mic with untiring backup singers and political lyrics will flow infectiously for days on political campaign trains - that is a golden gift of nature, that is Ogbeni for you and whether by push or pull, you just have to give it to him.
However, in spite of these nature's imbued gifts one must be very careful not to slip into playing God FOR WHATEVER WE ARE, IS ONLY BUT A GIFT FROM GOD. Aregbe himself, in many of his verbal biographies, has told the world how God used Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make him what he is today. Ogbeni would also often say throughout his tenure of eight years as Osun Governor, Asiwaju never made any demand of him. Ogbeni, as a deeply religious man is expected to know therefore that he was a mere tool in the hands of the ONLY and ALMIGNTY GOD, for his contributions, and they are many, in making Oyetola the Governor. If not, one million Aregbe could not have pulled it off! In the same vein, the same God said if men refuse to be used, He has the capability and capacity to raise stones to do His bidding. I therefore become confused and alarmed when some political jobbers sing "A fibi su oloore" ! Of course one must appreciate good gestures but for me, when men are praising you for a great deal, I expect a man as knowledgeable of the almighty God as Aregbe to call these arije nidi madaru to order and sternly warn them to desist and direct their praises to God.
We are Yoruba and at a point it becomes increasingly difficult to severe our persons from those sentimentalities that have been engraved in our minds. One of such is Ti a ba fagbo feegun tan, se laa jokun e le. The APC and in deed the whole of Yoruba will be eternally grateful for the roles Aregbe played in bringing Oyetola to lead the giant developmental strides in Osun and Yorubaland. Why would such a man not restrain himself from using his foot to demolish an edify he used his hands to build?
There were at least three politically active and loudly vocal former Governors during the eight-year tenure of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola: The Late Governor Isiaka Adeleke, Baba Bisi Akande and Omooba Olagunsoye Oyinlola and the three gave Ogbeni a free reign, only voicing opinion when called and none was openly at war with Ogbeni as is the case now. If those former Governors, one of whom is well respected, the Chair of the ruling APC with the ears of the President and other notable individuals both within and outside the political circle, could defer leadership of the State to Ogbeni for eight years and there was no Pem! I think Ogbeni should reciprocate the gesture by allowing development enabling peace to reign in Osun for the benefit of all.
In terms of political hierarchical deference, which I did not write, the President of Nigeria becomes the responsibility and thus deferr to the Chairman of his local government once he is in the Local Government area; ditto for the State Governor. A State can only be governed by one person at a time and we fiddle with this golden rule at our political peril.
We must call a spade by its name and be bluntly guided by facts if we want enduring peace that triggers accelerated development to reign in the State's polity. I dare most of today's war merchants, who worked closely with Ogbeni to counter me on the open fact that can the Ogbeni they know intimately take ten percent of what he is doing in Osun today? Ta lo to gbena woju Ekun when he was in the saddle in Osun?!! Of course this is not an indictment of Ogbeni's personality or modu operandi because I am Yoruba and my father said Agbo meji ki mu omi ninu koto kan. There was only one Agbo in Osun between 2010 and 2018 and it is only fair that we have only one Agbo between now and 2026.
I have lived outside Nigeria and was politically aware of the hierarchical positioning of political offices. There can be only one President, Prime Minister, Governor of a State whether in America or Osun and there can be only one Local Government Chairman. In heaven, we are told there is only one God and when Lucifer tried to usurp His powers, even God in all His magnanimity said and emphatic No! We must all accept the fact that there can be only one boss and tiny few would tolerate or allow a back seat driver. Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu was a key tool used by God to enthrone President Muhammad Buhari, but that never gave Asiwaju the audacity to backseat drive the President.
For eight solid years Governor Oyetola was professionally, politically and visibly loyal to Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. It was always Oga this, Oga that! Now that "omode" ojoun has come of age, I think we must give due oko and ada to the infant that has matured to succeed in farming the Osun landscape.
I am writing these because they are the germane issues that must be fairly tackled without any bias if a soluation that transcends Aregbe and Oyetola is to be found.
It was the disagreement between Alaafin Aole and his Are Ona Kaka Kakanfo, Are Afonja, that led to the great loss of Ilorin till date. The feud between Chief Awolowo and Chief Akintola led to the irreplaceable loss of lives and properties during the "Operation Wetie" of the sixties, Chief Bola Ige and Chief SM Afolabi fought in old Oyo State to stagnation, The ever widening gulf in Osun's wall resulting from the implacable duo of Baba Akande and Chief Iyiola Omisore pushed Osun into the political progrom of 2003 to 2010 and the list is endless. Now we are unnecessarily engulfed in a personality dispute that is grossly distracting from the developmental template of Osun for the betterment of its people.
God in His mercies has been greatly benevolent to Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; he exited the exalted position of a two-term govership of the State only to be made a core Minister of Interor in a time that the country is so violently volatile. One would expect his hands to be so full as not to have time to be distracted by Osun's administration since he has entrusted it in a hand as able as that of Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
These, in my opinion, are what the Eldership and Leadership of Osun should say to the two gladiators and their self-serving propellers and the earlier this is done, the better for the generality of Osun people and Yoruba at large.
Ebenezer 'Deji omo Akinsola (EDA)
26 May 2021.
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