5 Years After I Left As Osun Governor, My Legacies Are Still Intact – Aregebesola

The former Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregebesola has expressed that he will continue to praise God for the role he played in the transformation of Osogbo, the state capital, adding that five years after he left the state government, his legacies are still intact.

He stated this while receiving the Reformer of Osogboland award from the Osogbo Sons and Daughters at an event tagged ‘Asala Day’, held at the Osogbo Grammar School on Saturday.

He explained that his legacies are still intact in the good roads, the bridges, the monumental school buildings, the transformation of the environment and others.

His words: “Coming to Osogbo fills me with nostalgia – the city in which we held sway and presided over a progressive administration for eight years, before handling over to a successor from our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Osogbo has its charm. It is an enchanting city of arts and culture. It is also a city of Islamic scholarship and famous worldwide. Few people who come to live in this city will want to leave again. Osogbo is significant in Yoruba history, most notable for its role in the 18th and 19th Century wars. But it was most disheartening that the city, though a state capital, had fallen into ruins before our coming.

“We shall continue to thank God for the role he made us to play in the transformation of this city in the eight years we were in power. It has been five years that we left and I only come to Osogbo as the situation permits, but I thank God that the legacy we left behind are still intact in the good roads, the bridges, the monumental school buildings, the transformation of the environment and others.

“But more than the tangible physical structures, we have continued to live in the hearts and minds of the people. These include our human development programmes that millions benefited from, the students who went through our schools and those who directly or indirectly benefitted from any of our programmes.

“This explains why they troop out to welcome us anytime we come to the city and display to us effusive emotions. We are very grateful and have never taken you for granted. Ajose wa ko ni baje laelae. Ameen. When we were leaving, I told you in my farewell speech that if we are related, that we shall meet again. Our paths have continued to cross, indicating the strong and unbreakable bond between us.”