…Re- elect Oyetola
By ISAAC OLUSESI
isaacolusesi@gmail.com
Excellence, the hallmark of the Osun State public service is well stating the obvious. Away from that, in the quick-sands of years since the creation of Osun, the observed is a curious paralysis of will, decrepit and despondent amidst opulence of the past. The paralysis infringed on the state workers and kept them in fits and starts at fast, dizzying pace, tragically marginalized in the throbbing arena of irregularity, fluctuation or deprivation of statutory entitlements.
But today, the Osun public servants have got a kiss of desirable life and living with Governor Gboyega Oyatola’s applied private sector initiatives, committed to firing up the state labour force for sustainable quality service deliveries. A man of appreciable private sector stature, aura, strides and accomplishments before his foray into politics, read by me with perfunctory interest, his magic is hinged on his government’s veritable relationships with the state workforce, adjudged the best and brightest across the nation’s federated states. More than that? Of course, yes. There’s something congenital that he’s wont always, in the habit to appreciate and motivate workers for excellence, dedication, courage, and zeal requisite for increased public service efficiency. And that’s the tonic that has steadied his All Progressives Congress (APC) government smoothly and consistently with the state workers as brain box.
Excuse me! The Osun first ever sterling car, other _numero uno_ , peachy trophies to the state superlative public servants for excellent performance at work imply that Oyetola’s good times have been here with us in Osun these three years plus now, also mindful of the entire strata of the state, bottom-up. What? The economy gets strengthened with statewide infrastructure developments, education, health as well as tourism, culture and mining, their industrial outgrowths, other horizontal, vertical linkages that have drastically reduced state dependence, unemployment, poverty or hunger.
The state under Oyetola is fair that provides conducive atmosphere, peaceful, for legitimate ventures, other acceptable enterprises. His monthly 50kg free food for the vulnerable in the state acknowledges that the pain of hunger is a personal torment, the dire symptom of what’s paradoxically the masses concern, but much more appreciated by him; not a laughing matter. He also knows that hunger harbingers such behavioural issues as discordant tunes, undesirable. It is gladdening that in Osun, the story of youngsters, mistaken for happy-go-lucky fellows, accosting you with a plea, “please, help me, I need money,” is no longer a common scenery.
Two. Public politics and politicking in the state get managed in a way that stimulates the growth of the polity, generating energized environment for all to realize their potentials for self-development and refinement. Osun under Oyetola’s watch is not a frightening place and Osun populace, not a frightened people. Three. His governance as democracy of foresight and comfort has continually identified with the destiny of the people of the state by the profundity of deep instincts for Osun development. And that’s the stabilizing factor in the evolvement of democracy and peace in the state, tangible for the governed. It could not have been otherwise; he’s treasured for his superb felicity to the rhythms of the governed, away from the top-bottom tendency that’s too shy of identified or listed thoughts, wishes and interests or aspirations of the governed by the governed. The governed or masses pay dearly for the top-bottom governance that ought not to be at all.
And four. In Osun, governance is a simplified art even for the infant to act a Day-Governor. Oyetola’s politics after politics, policies after policies, programmes after programmes, and projects after projects have shown simple relations between governance and life, governance and vision, governance and mission, and governance and strides so much that the myths of rigid or hard stance governance is debunked and detached. His governance style, noted for its social answerability and populist gravitas has exposed the chilling brutalities of the top-bottom governance, abrasive to the feelings and interests of the governed. In brevity, his governance, bottom-up empirically is more simplified, more mellowed, more meditative, more diversified, more pleasantly rich, and informally adventurous. His rule of constitutional engagement or governance has not ridden roughshod over the governed. His kind of mind Nigeria should look for and harness for national development. He’s quietly principled, consistent, courageous, dependable, urbane and kind-hearted Nigeria of Olympian reputation.
The Osun APC-Oyetola government has always opened itself up to a close scrutiny of approved commendations, and again, this early January. For the state public service, it is the month of egrets egrets and good tidings of the harmattan’s quickening chill of torrents of coveted car and other stellar, prime trophies in the full glare of the Osun publics. The trophies from Governor Oyetola to the public servants struck a carefully satisfactory balance of his vision and pageant renewal of the state workers’ commitment to increasing productivity with the harmattan, the new guest in town as witness. The astounding event, a penultimate Tuesday in Osogbo, state capital, at the Bola Ige House state government secretariat, held in thrills, public servants and capacity assemblage of others, in and out of government for the 2021 Inter – religious Prayer blitz, by tabula rasa at the slicks of the blue- chip, blue- ribbon trophies, lined up, understandably for the state workers. Why?
Listen to Mr. Governor: “Your passion, discipline and conviction in our Development Agenda constitutes the wings upon which our administration flies in fulfilling its sacred mandate.” He added, “Indeed, the journey of the last 3years plus since our assumption of office cannot be told without taking stock of the invaluable support we have enjoyed from you.” Meaning, the state civil servants’ doggedness, selflessness and excellence at work gave the state an edge in the success story of the year 2021, just ended, the year described by Mr Governor as “one in which the state recorded very significant achievements that made life better for the people of the state and placed them on a surer footing of sustainable economic development.”
Not every civil servant coasted home the first-string car, other gilt-edged trophies. There is nothing more to the criteria used than meet the eye: no closet dealing, no power play that is akin to any hide and seek game, no nepotism or favouritism, and no frosty relationship or animosity as aftermath. Implying, all extrinsic, accidental influences were removed that made the search for the beneficiaries of the top shelf trophies, not a tall agenda. The beneficiaries must have come under watch over time and made the work-related assessment for exceptional industry, exceptional diligence, exceptional dependability, exceptional resilience and exceptional partnership
Although the state governor has re- cast his hat in the governorship ring, he declared: “For us, motivating you is beyond any clear political point. It is a sacred duty we owe you and our God…We shall continue to sustain this injunction without fail.” The state work force had earlier glowingly noted that Mr. Governor has diversely touched lives, communities, towns and cities in Osun, assuring him, he has no wall to climb or political volcanic ash getting in his way back in office with the governorship poll in the state listed for July, this year. The Osun workers urged him not to lose sleep over the barrage of opposition attacks, pungent or acidic criticisms or any awesome manipulative critics replete with noisy, spicy, vulgar pre- occupations.
Certainly, the top-shelf trophies to the state workers are a development, unprecedented in Osun’s history; it never has been and probably never will be after Oyetola’s 2nd term. The largesse climaxed his effortless search on what it takes for the government to be public service centred. For the record, the event remains a devotional guide of what the private sector does to win customers; and in the Osun context, the devotional guide is the bridge to the heart of the governed.
It is just profoundly rewarding that Mr. Governor, a private sector professional, divergent, robust, suavely consummate and progressive, has brought his experience to bear on Osun governance and his performances on the brighter side. Higher. I recommend the style of the unstoppable gentleman governor in penetratingly rewarding governorship to a generation of governors after 2026.
And the trophy concept? At the root of the grand car, other hype trophies was Oyetola’s more catholic zeal, moral mission animated and powered by his kinetic gratitude conscience, vivaciously honest efforts with superior private sector knowledge intent at all times to put bloated, full, over filled smiles on the face of the Osun government workers.
But the Osun labour is not just getting fresh smiles with the supernal car, other star trophies Memory lane! The implementation of the minimum wage regime which took off promptly in Osun has continued with the payment of salaries as and when due, car loan scheme restored, 10,000 hectares of land approved for the construction of over 18 housing units for state workers, and lately, the fantastic car awards, other crackerjack prizes, among various other interventions. And “government is committed as well to all retirees. Not only we continue to pay the pensions, we shall also redouble efforts in meeting up with the obligations owed by previous administrations,” Mr. Governor said.
Me, running through Oyetola’s governance, discovers his abiding love for the people of the state. He constantly feels the pulse of the masses about what his government does and, what robs off positively on the governed. He passionately cares so much about the welfare of the state that also finds him the state helmsman to depend on for his vision, industry, with his red ink, scribbling on policies, programmes and projects of good effects. His simplified governance, disarmingly informal, is a confluence of his efficiency, justice, equality, fairness, promptitude and tenacity of governance, mobilizing the Osun signatures for his re-election.
*Reproduced by exigencies*
*_*OLUSESI writes at the Foot of the Most Merciful. Most Gracious. All-knowing_** .