Ladi Adebutu: Coming to Macedonia to Help – Adedeji Babington-Ashaye

Ogun State is a blessed land. It may not be rich in some areas of human endeavour but its wealth in terms of leadership, intellectualism, administration and organisational dexterity, socio-cultural values and high educational standard cannot be understated.

Ogun State came into existence on February 3, 1976. The state had been ruled by military administrators and executive governors who during their reign brought a feeling of hope to the people. They ensured resources were shared evenly among all and development came to the two divisions of Ogun State – Egba/Yewa and Ijebu/Remo. Their era witnessed glorious moments thereby creating relevance for the state in the nation’s political equation. It was indeed a glorious past.

It is instructive to know that the glorious past I refer to with nostalgia is as a result of dedicated and patriotic commitment of past executive governors like Chief Bisi Onabanjo, Chief Olusegun Osoba and Otunba Gbenga Daniel (permit me to limit myself to the executive governors).

Onabanjo laid a solid foundation for the state. He introduced free education and established the first television station among others. Added to this feat is Osoba’s success in the areas of infrastructure, rural electrification and rural roads.

Otunba Daniel, on his own part, woke up the sleeping giant in Ogun. He provided visionary leadership and administrative ingenuity. He distinguished himself in the field of sports, provision of infrastructure, functional local governments, human capital development, industrial revolution, massive employment, grassroot development and education.

Unfortunately, all that have been diminished by the sorry state of affairs in the gateway state since 2011 till date. Ogun is no longer what it used to be. The economy is not buoyant. Unemployment rating is unprecedentedly high. Total infrastructural decay. Deplorable roads. Reckless abandonment of sports. Decayed health facilities. Fallen educational standard. Arbitrary taxation. Abandonment of uncompleted projects of previous government among others.

Given that, Ogun State is in dire need of an “angel of hope and assurance”. One who can return the state to its path of gloriousness. One who is resourceful enough to follow in the footsteps of past governors and create his own path to prosperity for the state such that history will record him well as a MAN OF PROSPERITY WITH A TOUCH OF MODERNITY. A man who will be described as “oba to je ti ilu toro, ti ilu tuba to tuse”. Ogun people will, no doubt, rejoice and be happy.

Of course, I see a new Ogun State rising from the ashes of today’s maladministration into a new dawn to be made possible by Hon (Dr) Oladipupo Olatunde Adebutu come 2019 and beyond.

And from all practical signs, the new dawn is imminent like it is said, “the darkest hour of the night heralds the glorious dawn”. Ladi Adebutu is it.

Adedeji Babington-Ashaye, a member of Ladi Adebutu Democratic Organisation, writes from Ogere Remo, Ogun State.