Omoluabi Progressives On Course To Fight For A Better Society – Ex-Presidential Aide

A former Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, has urged members of the Omoluabi Progressives to key into the philosophy and ethos of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

This was as he described former governor Rauf Aregbesola as a visionary leader who is dedicated to the fight for a better society.

Ojudu who is also a former Special Adviser on Political Matters to Former President Muhammadu Buhari, stated these in a speech delivered to members of the Omoluabi Progressives in Osun State, recently.

Senator Ojudu said Awolowo was a staunch advocate of true federalism whose writings in the Path to Nigerian Freedom highlight the dangers of a unitary system masquerading as federalism.

According to the former Senator, most of today’s leaders lack vision, with many prioritising short-term gains over long-term development.

He acknowledged the leadership of Omoluabi Progressives for toeing the path of late Awolowo.

He reminisce on how Aregbesola recently told some politicians who left him and wanted to come back that that they must be willing to fight and build a sane and just society before they were allowed back.

He said,”We gather not merely to reminisce but to reflect deeply on the life, work, and enduring legacy of one of Nigeria’s greatest statesmen: Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Decades after his death and more than half a century after he governed this part of our country with integrity, we still find ourselves going back to call on his ideals and ideas to inform us and direct us aright. Such is the power of visionary leadership—the type of leadership I believe all of you here today are signing up for.

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“Recently, in Lagos, at the home of our leader sitting here, some politicians who had wandered off in search of greener pastures returned to him, lamenting that the pasture they sought was not as green as they had imagined. His response left me deeply inspired. He told them: We are willing to have you back, but only on one condition—that you dedicate yourselves to the fight for a better society, to the building of a sane and just society. We are tired of the politics of “me and me alone.” We must return to the ways of our forebears who gave their lives to the struggle for a just society. This philosophy, this ethos, is what has gathered us here today.

“Let me share an anecdote to set the tone. Once, during a heated debate in parliament, Chief Awolowo was asked why he spent so much of his energy and resources on education when there were seemingly “more pressing issues” like roads and bridges. He replied, with characteristic clarity, “The best road to progress is the road to the mind.”

“This commitment to building the “road to the mind” fascinates me and is reflected in the movement that has commenced here in Osun State. If we fail to cultivate the minds of our people and continue with the current “grab, snatch, and run” philosophy, our doom is inevitable. As pioneers of this new tendency, you have a monumental task to show good examples and to spread this gospel—like the Jehovah’s Witnesses—across our land.

“Awolowo was a staunch advocate of true federalism—a structure where regions could develop at their own pace, harnessing their strengths without being stifled by over-centralization.

“His writings in Path to Nigerian Freedom highlight the dangers of a unitary system masquerading as federalism. Today, the calls for restructuring echo his foresight.

“Today, many leaders prioritize short-term gains over long-term development. The ruling philosophy today seems to be: grab power, run with it, and never tell us what you intend to do with it. What we have seen is a collection of brigands deploying power for their own aggrandizement.

“Nigeria stands at a crossroads. With courage, clarity of purpose, and a deep sense of responsibility, we can overcome our challenges and create a nation worthy of our children.”