MAGAZINE: Appreciating Years Of Symbolic Progressivism (II)

The symbol of progressive politics in the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has continued to receive enconium, judging from his interventions in all sectors of governance during his era of transformation. SOLOMON ODENIYI got the views of the Secretary to the State Government, Senator Mudashiru Hussein and the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Honourable Rasaq Salinsile on some of the interventions.

Osun Under Aregbesola Peaceful Than Ever

OSDF: Assessment Of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola Administration?

HUSSEIN: My assessment of Ogbeni Aregbesola will be based on the development that everybody can also see. If we start to count, it will take us a long time to do because of his numerous achievements. However, let me just point out few of them, which include, road construction, agricultural revolution, youth empowerment, economic development, social interventions like O’School, O’Meal, O’Reap, OYES, and many more. These are things that are unquantifiable.

Honestly, right  from  inception when we started campaigning to the people of Osun before  the emergence of Rauf Aregbesola as a governor, throughout the campaign period, people  did not even believe where we were going to get the fund to execute all our projects but this  thing  surpasses the imagination of human being . Whenever you want to do a project and you put God first, there is nothing God cannot do easily for you if you believe in Him.

As a result, no government since the creation of Osun has done half of what Rauf Aregbesola had done interms of development. We can’t appreciate it because we may not see the value now but I can assure you when he leaves office, the people will begin to realize the achievement of this gentleman.

OSDF: How can the achievements be sustained?

HUSSEIN: Honestly, if you want good things to continue I am urging all Osun indigenes as well as non indigenes to vote for continuity. Before the emergence of our party, APC, there was no peace in the state. Banditry, hooliganism and heinous, crime were the order of the day, but today you can sleep like a baby with your two eyes closed. All over the world, the security of lives and properties are very paramount. Why do we travel to European countries? It is not because they have more than us; what we have Britain does not have it, but because of the determination of their citizens and their government to the security of their environment, they have peace.

So, if we are truly interested in the continuity of peace and other development going on in our state, we must vote to consolidate these gains. The people of the state must vote for a person that has their interest in mind. Therefore, if you want the peaceful coexistence of the state to continue, it is important to vote for Oyetola Gboyega, the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

OSDF: What are the interventions made in the security sector?

HUSSEIN: Here in Osun, security of lives and property is guaranteed for everyone due to the intervention of the government in that very important area of governance, and you might not appreciate it if you were not in Osun before Aregbesola assumed office.  If you are to compare and contrast the governance within the seven and half years of the last administration to the present administration, honestly speaking, you will realise that there is a big difference unless we want to politicise it. The security of the state has been given priority than any government.

Before this time, during periods like this when election is fast approaching, there would have been panic everywhere but now, the situation is as calm as ever. The opposition can’t move around then, but now, they are having the liberty to go about their activities without restrictions, some even go to the extent of abusing our government and we have not had a course to retaliate, that is what we call peace.

OSDF: Your relationship with Ogbeni Aregbesola?

HUSSEIN: Aregbesola is a wonderful man. I knew him before he became a governor. I was a member of the House of Representatives representing Lagos State when he was the Commissioner for Works and we have been friends since then. He is a very transparent man, accommodating, intelligent and God fearing. It seems God chose Aregbesola to come and deliver his message to the people of Osun. What he is doing is delivering God’s message. Look at him; can you compare the stature of Aregbesola with other governors? That is the man that has focus.

I hear people saying that he is after the state money,  if he wants  money he would have gotten it, because the budget of his ministry in Lagos superceded our own budget here but because he was determined to have his own quota contributed to the development of the state. Honestly, if not for the paucity of fund, the state would have been better than Lagos. That is Aregbesola for you. May God reward him.

 

Aregbesola Has Brought All Round Development To Osun

OSDF: What’s your assessment of Ogbeni?

SALINSILE: So far so good, every Osun indigene home and abroad, especially those who have not been around but have been coming to Osun in the last eight years will see that the man Aregbesola has tremendously changed the face of our state. Some may not appreciate this much unless we cast our minds back to years before 2010 when Aregbesola took over the mantle of leadership in Osun or have  the privilege  to view the video clips  of what  Osun  was many years ago and what it looks like now before you  can  appreciate the very good job the man has done.

He has so much  transformed the state to the extent that some people who have been away  for  the past four, five years confess to how they cannot easily trace their family compounds again especially  in Osogbo here. This development is all round. We have the physical development, economic development and when we talk of security we are doing fantastically well.

OSDF: Which of his achievements appeals to you the most?

SALINSILE: Just like you have the parts of the body, tell me which one is not important?  In essence all what he has done are important and appeal to me.

OSDF: As a party man what can you say of him?

SALINSILE: He is an achiever, he is a workaholic. He is a visionary and a proactive leader. To the party, he has been fantastic. I have the opportunity of comparing his relationship with the party in Osun vis-a-vis other governors in other states, because as the Secretary of the party, we have a forum of the state secretaries all over the country especially where we have APC in government. In comparing it, Aregbesola has done very well. He has always been a true party man. Generally the man has been good..

OSDF: Your advice to the electorates?

SALINSILE: First and foremost, I urge them to go and collect their PVC. It is very important. It serves as an instrument they will use to perform their civic duties. Secondly, it is an instrument to elect the leader they want to govern them. I will also advise them to be law abiding before, during and after the forthcoming election.

Finally, I will advise the people of the state to reciprocate the good that the government of APC has done by voting them in as kindness begets kindness and one good turn they say deserves another.

Comparatively, they will see an improvement, a great one over and above what PDP did in the state during their seven and half years. This government has to a large extent developed Osun state more than anybody’s imagination. I make bold to say, nobody  has ever  accused the administration of Aregbesola of stashing public funds, all they have been going  about saying  is that he bites more than he can chew and this is because, there are so many  things  to be done in Osun that has not been done before he came on board.

He had so much at hand, he wanted Osun of his dream to come to be within the shortest possible time especially coming from a state like Lagos where he was a pillar of development there. That vision and that mindset are the ones driving him here and he has always wanted to do more. If not for the paucity of fund, may be we would have had cause to clamour for a third term for him.

OSDF: What’s your assessment of Ogbeni?

SALINSILE: So far so good, every Osun indigene home and abroad, especially those who have not been around but have been coming to Osun in the last eight years will see that the man Aregbesola has tremendously changed the face of our state. Some may not appreciate this much unless we cast our minds back to years before 2010 when Aregbesola took over the mantle of leadership in Osun or have  the privilege  to view the video clips  of what  Osun  was many years ago and what it looks like now before you  can  appreciate the very good job the man has done.

He has so much  transformed the state to the extent that some people who have been away  for  the past four, five years confess to how they cannot easily trace their family compounds again especially  in Osogbo here. This development is all round. We have the physical development, economic development and when we talk of security we are doing fantastically well.

OSDF: Which of his achievements appeals to you the most?

SALINSILE: Just like you have the parts of the body, tell me which one is not important?  In essence all what he has done are important and appeal to me.

OSDF: As a party man what can you say of him?

SALINSILE: He is an achiever, he is a workaholic. He is a visionary and a proactive leader. To the party, he has been fantastic. I have the opportunity of comparing his relationship with the party in Osun vis-a-vis other governors in other states, because as the Secretary of the party, we have a forum of the state secretaries all over the country especially where we have APC in government. In comparing it, Aregbesola has done very well. He has always been a true party man. Generally the man has been good..

OSDF: Your advice to the electorates?

SALINSILE: First and foremost, I urge them to go and collect their PVC. It is very important. It serves as an instrument they will use to perform their civic duties. Secondly, it is an instrument to elect the leader they want to govern them. I will also advise them to be law abiding before, during and after the forthcoming election.

Finally, I will advise the people of the state to reciprocate the good that the government of APC has done by voting them in as kindness begets kindness and one good turn they say deserves another.

Comparatively, they will see an improvement, a great one over and above what PDP did in the state during their seven and half years. This government has to a large extent developed Osun state more than anybody’s imagination. I make bold to say, nobody  has ever  accused the administration of Aregbesola of stashing public funds, all they have been going  about saying  is that he bites more than he can chew and this is because, there are so many  things  to be done in Osun that has not been done before he came on board.

He had so much at hand, he wanted Osun of his dream to come to be within the shortest possible time especially coming from a state like Lagos where he was a pillar of development there. That vision and that mindset are the ones driving him here and he has always wanted to do more. If not for the paucity of fund, may be we would have had cause to clamour for a third term for him.