Governor Gboyega Oyetola appears to be the most beautiful bride for his party in the 2022 governorship election coming up in August next year . This , according to our investigations may be due to his brilliant performance ,leadership qualities and personal character that have all endeared him tto the populace in the last few years in the state . With the above qualities , he is believed to have successfully reversed many years of hopelessness, inertia, falling income, growing debts, social divisions, drift and unemployment in Osun State .
.Specifically, there are many positive attractions to this governor . First , he is generally seen by many people in Osun State as a gentleman and a model politician. Easily the most civil and diplomatic politician in the entire state of the living spring, he has shown leadership and capacity in every respect and shared his dreams and aspirations with his teeming supporters. “My vision and dream are of a greater tomorrow for our men, women and children”
For the state, he is also known for keeping faith. He has vision and dream of an improved standard of living for the people living in the state and he has not let his people down ”, a civil servant declared . At the beginning of his administration he made his intention clear and people believed he has kept his words . “I honestly believe that we can have a future where the basic needs of human existence such as reliable infrastructure, social services, and improved quality of life would become facts of our everyday living”?, he noted . Oyetola’s towering political stature and sagacity should not be sacrificed by APC, and his followers believed he should be given a second term to perfect his good works .
After the contentious 2018 governorship election in Osun State, Gbeyega Oyetola, both in words and actions, has continued to pilot the state to a safe shore. Before his assumption of power , especially after the keenly contested election, many within and outside the state had thought that the return of the All Progressives Congress, APC would translate to a reappearance of half salary, non-payment of pensions, highhandedness, lack of economic opportunities and other problems associated with the previous administration. But all these have changed as the governor has risen up to the challenges with determined mindset to make a difference.
The governor is a strong performer who is touching lives in many ways. He is engendering hope and good governance in the last few years with his vibrant economic policies that focus on growth and human capital and development. One talking point in the state today is that the governor is very concerned about recovering lost confidence. He is daily demonstrating intelligence, energy, courage, commitment, good grasp of the issues, fiscal responsibility, business mindedness and a desire to inspire confidence. And for many people, this is a welcome development.
It is pertinent to state that this administration took off on a great and impressive note. First, it placed premium on human development and balanced it with the physical and infrastructural emphasis of the previous administration. After all, man shall not live on infrastructure at the expense of realities such as the next meal or the source of school fees.
For many people, the lopsided focus on infrastructure was a misplaced priority and a major drawback in the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who may have meant well but was in unnecessary hurry to develop Osun even when most the so-called projects were done halfway . Today, the current administration is inspiring hope, balancing infrastructural facilities while working with the people and paying salaries and pensions as and when due. Oyetola is also paying backlogs, contributing to pensions scheme, redirecting the state and empowering citizens in many ways, different from the past administration.
At the beginning, the governor’s acceptance speech said a mouthful. And in many ways, he has not yet deviated from that path of progress he promised at the dawn of his administration. “I regard the mandate given to me by the people of Osun State as sacred and I am taking it seriously. Of course, I have been part of the new beginning that started eight years ago. Nevertheless, I am continuing the glorious path on which I am familiar but this is a new beginning for me. I am committing myself the more to the good governance of Osun State and the welfare of the people”, he said.
Indeed, the governor is not leaving anyone in doubt about his abilities and commitment to a new Osun. He promised an inclusive government those early days when he took over, he is living up to that expectation. He is also consulting widely: workers, communities, traditional rulers, civil servants, traders, artisans and other stakeholders. And in many ways, there appear to be results. Unlike before, this new administration has already initiated a programme for human and skills acquisition for political office holders and appointees as a way of making government officials abreast with government’s new directions. So far, the cabinet and others in the mix are up and running. At the moment, over 22 industrialists and investors have signified interests in investing in Osun both within and outside Nigeria, including investors from Europe, Canada and North America. This is in addition to the investing companies’ commitment to deploy over 100 million naira in the mining and related sectors. No doubt, the multiplier effect will considerably and positively too, affect job creation; it will also transform the economy and energize businesses within the state.
The governor who appreciates the age-long dictum that health is wealth is also focused on revitalizing and revolutionizing the health sector. On the issue of security, Oyetola is also working round the clock to provide a peaceful state that will not only protect lives and lure investors but also guarantee investments for those who have already invested. For many people in the state, this administration is laying a solid foundation for growth and industrialization and the results are already beginning to manifest.
For a greater Osun, the governor is driving the state’s Internally Generated Revenue at full throttle for maximum effect. Already, the IGR has tripled in the last one year and it is not likely to go down with what is currently on the ground. He is also partnering with economic drivers like the organized private sector, the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE and other critical stakeholders who are contributing in no small way in revitalizing the state’s education, mining, agriculture, textile, tourism and other sectors.
As Oyetola and his team continue to maintain their leap in different areas of life in Osun State, everyone seems to be cheering, including the opposition party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP. According to the party, the significant fall in the over bloated wage bill and salaries in the state is a credit to the governor. The wage bill which increased under the former administration robbed the state of vital revenues for the implementation of projects and service to the people. The PDP believes strongly that the rise in salaries and emoluments was due to the many fictitious names of acolytes of the former governor’s Lagos-based supporters who were paid by the state for doing nothing.
Surely, history will be fair on Oyetola who is breaking new ground and restoring hope in the citizenry with his sound administrative style and unmatched performance. At the moment, many believe that Osun State is in good company with a leader like Oyetola. And it is already evident that the people will continue to enjoy good leadership under this focused leader with drive, ability, commitment, patriotism and understanding of what the issues are. However, the next few years will determine if this action governor’s place in history is assured, but if he continues in his giant strides, then your guess is as good as mine.
