How Aregbesola Changed My Life, Lifted Me From Poverty – Railway Engineer
A Locomotive Inspector with the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Imran Saheed Kayode, has narrated how former Osun State Governor and immediate past Interior Minister, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, transformed his life from a struggling secondary school leaver into a professional engineer with over a decade of experience.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with OSUN DEFENDER on Tuesday, Kayode, who also runs a solar engineering firm in Osun State, recounted his early struggles and the pivotal role Aregbesola’s policies played in shaping his future. “I was a fresh secondary school graduate in 2011, working in a private school with no financial support from family. Life was tough and uncertain,” he began.
According to him, after securing admission into Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, the government at the time, led by Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, increased school fees, further compounding the hardship he faced.
However, the tide turned when Aregbesola assumed office and immediately slashed the tuition to ₦25,500, a move that enabled him to proceed with his studies.
“That single decision gave me hope. It brought immense relief. It felt like someone finally remembered people like me,” he said.
Shortly afterwards, Kayode was enlisted into the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES), one of Aregbesola’s flagship programmes targeted at tackling youth unemployment.
He said the opportunity not only provided him with a monthly stipend but also gave him the strength to support his immediate family and sustain himself through his National Diploma (ND) programme.
“Balancing OYES with school wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. I could eat, I could save, and I had something to look forward to,” he explained.
After completing his ND, he secured employment with the Nigerian Railway Corporation as a young engineer.
With a stable income, Kayode furthered his education, completing both his Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Kwara State University (KWASU). He is now a COREN-registered engineer with more than ten years of field experience.
He also praised the OYESTECH initiative, another of Aregbesola’s programmes, describing it as a “top-notch and eye-opening experience” that deepened his knowledge in engineering.
“Everything changed because of those programmes. I’m proud of where I am today, and it all started from the intervention of one man, Aregbesola,” he noted.
Kayode expressed his heartfelt desire to one day meet the former governor to personally thank him for what he described as “a fatherly and humanitarian contribution” to his journey out of poverty.
“No politician has done anything close to what Aregbesola did for the youth in Osun since he left. His impact is unmatched,” he added.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
