On Monday July 10, 2017 about 5000 Ogun State women under the auspices of “Gracious Sisters for Yayi Movement” in All Progressives Congress, APC  gathered in the specious private residence of Chief Olusegun Osoba at Ataba Close, Ibara GRA, Abeokuta to launch their support  for the ambition of  Senator Solomon Adeola  as a governorship aspirant in Ogun State in 2019. Osoba was not at home. He was not even in the country.  Some weeks back, another politician similarly announced his ambition to contest for a position in the state under the leadership of Osoba. Numerous other meetings of APC Ogun State are similarly held at Osoba’s.  That is a trend that was sanctioned by Osoba in his position as not only a leader in his party, APC in Ogun State but also a prominent national leader of his party and nation. For many wards in Abeokuta South LGA where the residence is located, Osoba’s house is the venue for their regular meeting of APC.

Not many politicians will so indulge his supporters and loyalists particularly when they are not running for any public office. But such is the democratic and unifying nature of the two time governor of Ogun State that his house is now a rallying point for resurgence of progressive participatory democratic politics in Ogun State. As a former chief press secretary to Osoba as governor of the state, I am aware that many decisions affecting appointments and the governance of Ogun State were taken in a democratic setting under the shadow of the trees in the court yard of Osoba’s residence. For many that are associated politically with Osoba, his democratic credentials have never been in doubt. Till date, I have never heard anyone accuse Osoba of dictatorial or unilateral tendency in relations to his style of governance. Neither have I heard it said that he  exhibits a “ know it all “, “do it all” attitude in public affairs in spite of his rich and variegated experience as a top notch journalist and successful media executive.

As a governor in Ogun State, Osoba’s development approach was biased towards the rural areas of the state and to his credit, many communities in the hinterland of Ogun State enjoys pipe-borne water and electricity, courtesy of Osoba’s administration’s rural development initiatives. Urban renewal as well as social intervention programmes particularly geared towards qualitative education and payment of qualifying examination fees for students also felt the impact of Osoba. Many will gladly give it to Osoba as impacting on people’s lives as a governor for about six years. No wonder many are making his private residence a melting point for all desirous of a people’s government.

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Osoba by all standards is an elder statesman that had paid his dues adequately in national development first as a renowned journalist, then administrator and politician. It has not always been smooth sailing for Osoba.  Indeed the story of  Osoba’s life has  many ups and down that has seen many associates desert him and later come back as whatever Osoba went through with people, he is not a man that harbours grudge for long and you can  never see him harbour bitterness against even those that are ingrates and back stabbers.  And there are many in that category of ingrates and back stabbers whose bread were once buttered by Osoba. Many that had at one time or the other fell out and strayed away from the Osoba Political Family always still feel proud to be associated with him and many had staged a comeback to the welcoming arms of a man with a good heart and unpretentious ways.

Chief Kayode Odunaro writes from Abeokuta, Ogun State