A history-making governor

At Public Accountability Platform, Senator Ademola Adeleke of Osun State rekindles hope, promises to be governor for all and pledges to bring peace, development and improved economic wellbeing to his people

Amos Adetunji

Governor Ademola Adeleke is proving to be a great leader with a clear vision and understanding of his peoples needs. Lately, he has added integrity, honesty, courage, humility and clear focus in the administration of Osun State. And today, everyone is excited about a great future that beckons, regardless of the difficult social and economic realities of the moment. Nevertheless, these signs of a great future became evident at the maiden edition of Ipade Imole, an accountability platform, where the governor roared up at full throttle as he promised to change governance patterns by ensuring continuity and building sustainable development goals.

Governor Adeleke began his speech at Ipade Imole by calling on the people of Osun State, especially the combatants and all the feuding parties in the Ifon-Ilobu communal crisis, to give peace a chance. Like every forward-looking and responsible leader, the governor is fully aware that security and peace are very fundamental to people’s livelihoods, improved quality of life, growth and development. And it is gratifying that he is leaving no stone unturned in his efforts at engendering sustainable peace and good neighbourliness among the people of Osun State.

However, what remains one of the most important high points in the governor’s speech that fateful day, is his stewardship scorecard, and that excellent move remains unprecedented. In addition, his decision to also create feedback mechanism to track development and check the rising incidents of corruption, has also been described as a masterstroke.
“I am here to deliver my stewardship and to get appropriate feedback. I adapt two strategies to achieve these goals. First, my full speech containing details of my accomplishments across the sectors are included in the Imole Magazine. Kindly check the inside pages. You will find sector by sector reports of happenings and outcomes from November 2022 to date. Second, we have created questionnaires for all delegates attending this event. I urge you to fill your responses and submit to our officials. We want honest feedback from where myself and my team can learn”.

As opaqueness and gross absence of transparency spread in government circles these days, it will not be out of place to congratulate Governor Adeleke for daring to be different. Without any prompting, he has gladly opened up his administration for public scrutiny by asking for impute, criticism and evaluation where necessary. No one can over-emphasize the multiplier effect of openness in government, especially with regard to the local economy, accountability and transparency. It is actually a mirror to see the government inside out, and that decision must be commended.

Adeleke is also engendering hope among indigenes of Osun State, and bringing about a feeling of returning home to the ideals and practices that once made the state great. At the moment, everyone is on the same page about creating employment opportunities, addressing poverty, creating a sense of belonging and running an inclusive government that will cater to the needs of everyone irrespective of faith, political affiliation or social status. In the immediate term, the Adeleke-led administration must be supported with its plans to establish agro-allied companies that would plug into the agricultural value chain and create value for products. Osun is still an agrarian state and this is incontrovertible. Therefore, the onus is on this new administration of hope to follow the road to recovery, sustainable development and growth. The government must open up the farms, encourage modern agricultural practices and resuscitate food and cash crops for the betterment of society today and the years to come. Osun is already in the lead, and there could not have been a better time for other states across Nigeria to tap into this model as it unfolds.

The governor who provided an itemized list of his laudable
achievements, ranging from ambitious bore-hole projects, N2 billion Palliative Fund, payment of pension debt and white papers on disputed kinship to recruitment of teachers, streets light at Osogbo and other towns and communities, cost of infrastructure update, state spread in projects and appointments and continuity in governance. The last item (continuity in governance) received thunderous accolades because the governor is intentional, and he is currently breaking new grounds in governance and project management in the state, and the lesson is not lost.

It is now very clear that Governor Adeleke is deliberate and also futuristic in his style. And he is already planning a future with his people who are excited about how he is constantly re-thinking governance and public policy at a very high speed.
“Let me also give you a peep into my plan for the future. Our people should expect the following new projects: Dualization of roads at two per senatorial districts; flyover bridges at Osogbo and some other towns; street lights for newly constructed roads; second stream of 332 boreholes across wards; commencement of Imole Transport Service; and Imole Housing Estate at 500 units per federal constituency”.

On the whole, the people of Osun State are happy that a new dawn is finally here. They are counting on the family’s (the Adeleke’s) demonstrated performance, good name, compassion, cosmopolitan nature, love for humanity and inclusive politics as exemplified by their patriarch, and later, Isiaka Adeleke, the current governor’s elder brother.

However, the task and challenges ahead are enormous. But the hope is that the governor is under no illusion about the problems facing his state and the need to be at his best. That is why many people are encouraged by his vision and firm grip on governance issues. As they say in Africa, the morning makes the day. And it will not be an understatement to say that the future is bright in Osun State based on recent developments. For everyone, including a few who may not necessarily share in the signs and wonders of this administration, things can only get better, and that is the general notion.