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Ogun Commissioner Saga: The Problem Of Hearing And Being Heard

First Bank Nigeria
By Biodun Okunola 
I have never given so much attention to the words William Hazlitt, the renowned critic and essayist in the history of the English language that “the art of conversation is the art of hearing as well as of being heard” until this moment. My attention was drawn to a statement allegedly made by Honourable Kehinde Oluwadare, the Ogun State Commissioner for Youth and Sports who is currently embattled in the media for extolling the unmatched leadership qualities of the late sage Chief Obafemi, his protégé, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the illustrious contributions of his mentor and political benefactor Aremo Olusegun Osoba.
As it is claimed by some media outlets that the Mr. Commissioner called the leader a failure, I have listened to the audio recording of the commissioner and I believe that if we all listen without prejudice in our minds, there are lots of lesson embedded in his statement. I heard the young man give strong advice that people should not be led into politics because of all they can gain but for what they can sacrifice. I think this is the hallmark of politics and the missing attribute of many Nigerian politicians. I strongly believe that the fact that we have people like this young man in a highly morally depraved Nigeria political space means we have hope. This young man seems to me one of radiant lights that will eventually fix Nigeria.
From the caption as published online, it can be deduced that publishers never meant well. The statement credited to the young man deals with many things but they decided to pick out what they think will infuriate the elder statesman. The position of the people and the government of Ogun State on this issue will be a clear reflection of where we are going in Nigeria.  If the publishers were to search their conscience, they will know that what they claimed he said is far from what he meant. As a media outlet, I believe that if you desire to speak like the gods, then they should be able to open their ears and hear like the sky. I am not too conversant with the politics of Ogun mentorship but if truly Aremo has been able to bring up one outstanding figure such as Chief Segun Adesegun then that is not an easy feat to match because one thing is to mentor people, the other is for mentees to stay and learn, unlearn and relearn. I believe that the contributions of Chief Osoba to the politics of Ogun and Nigeria in general can never be erased or reduced by anyone in a simple statement. Baba for me remains a monument in Ogun politics as aptly described by the State governor in his press release where he described him as “an accomplished journalist, consummate politician, altruistic leader, and a very forthright compass for the entire progressive community in Ogun State, South West and the nation as a whole”.
The message I can take out from his conversation is that youths should get into politics with the right intention of ensuing national development and also serve as role models for those coming in the future. I think this is the right message for this trying inglorious time in our politics where people join political parties for a singular reason of becoming rich overnight. Many have closed their booming industries to contest elections so that they can quickly make billions of dollars for their unborn generations and this is what he is simply discouraging in his speech.
Dr Kehinde has become a servant of the state by divine providence of the almighty God and the love which the sterling governor, Dr Dapo Abiodun has for excellence and performance. I do not think this brilliant mentee of the performer Vice President deserves the sledgehammer with which he is being smashed in the media for extolling the leadership qualities of the national leader of his party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I heard him state clearly that it is the visionary performance of the leader that unveiled people like the Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Kayode Fayemi, former Governor of Lagos state and minister of Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Raji Fashola, Minister of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Minister of State for Health Adeleke Mamora, current Chairman of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria Dr Muiz Banire, Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Musiliu Obanikoro and several others. He stated that by general knowledge that successful people are known by their successors.
He stated generally that the feat of Asiwaju has not been matched anywhere except in Ogun State where Aremo Segun Osoba brought Chief Segun Adesegun on board. This is not a statement that should generate such issue in the media as this is a crystal clear analysis known to even non-political initiates. That the media house that published the article decided to give it a damning caption says so much about their intentions. I believe if the publishers had issues to settle with him, it should not have been in publishing libellous but to sit across the table and talk it over.
Let us remember that the great sage, Chief Obafemi Awolwo noted in his book, Thoughts on The Nigerian Constitution that “It is safer and wiser to cure unhealthy rivalry than to suppress it.” I have known the humble Commissioner in question for a long time and I can remember vividly that when we were in school, he personally drove us to many events from Ikenne to Lagos just to see and clap for Action Congress (ACN) leaders at his own cost. For the first and the last time in my life that I was in Ipokia and other parts of the states for elections campaigns for the ACN, I went with him in his car at his cost.  Although I do not know who this mischief maker is, but I want you to know that Dr Dare is an ideological progressive who can be described as a living sacrifice for the party, an unrepentant disciple of Governor Dr Dapo Abiodun, a protégé of our amazing Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, a beneficiary of the Osoba political intellectualism, a student of the Tinubu school and mentee who has benefited tremendously from the living ideologies of the great sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
I am personally appalled why many important issues raised by the commissioner were not concentrated on except that of Chief Osoba. I am wondering why the title of the article was not “Ogun Sports commissioner charge youths to shun politics driven by personal gains’, or ‘Ogun Sports commissioner extols Tinubu, Osoba leadership qualities’ etc. If all about politics is making mischief and searching for the downfall of others; I am sure Dr Kehinde Oluwadare will excuse himself but if what Nigeria and the current government want to see is people who can drive growth from good conscience; then Dr Kehinde Oluwadare can be trusted and this can be ascertained from his speech as this is the course to which he has committed his life. The problem I see in this piece is what is being heard and not what is being said.
Biodun Okunola 
London, United Kingdom

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