Op-Ed

Like Rauf Aregbesola, Like Bob Marley

Like Rauf Aregbesola, Like Bob Marley
  • PublishedFebruary 4, 2025
  • By Matthew Alugbin

Random Thoughts on Individual Responsibility, Societal Justice and God’s Justice

In 2005, during the Osogbo Oroki Day celebration, Rauf Aregbesola, then a gubernatorial aspirant under the Action Congress (AC) for the 2007 elections, who was vying for the governorship seat of Osun State, was attacked. Olagunsoye Oyinlola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was his main opponent and was eventually declared the winner of the April 14, 2007, election, though this decision was later overturned by the election petition tribunal.

Now, Sikiru Olaboye, Aregbesola’s assailant from 20 years ago, appeared on Fresh 104.9 FM, Oshogbo, to seek forgiveness for his act of attempted murder on Aregbesola, and he has been forgiven. He recounted on the local station how his fortunes—and those of the other assailants—had worsened since the attack. Rauf Aregbesola met with him yesterday and forgave him!
Bob Marley once asked, “Is there a place for the hopeless sinner who has hurt all mankind just to save his own?” Rauf Aregbesola seemed to have taken inspiration from Isaiah 1:18 and Ezekiel 18:21.

In December 1976, there was an assassination attempt on the legendary Bob Marley. The attack was part of a plot to stop his upcoming free concert, which was perceived as highly political. He survived, despite being shot in the chest and arm, and still went ahead with the concert.

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When asked why he didn’t cancel the event, he responded, “The people who are trying to make this world worse aren’t taking a day off. How can I?”

With this response, he sent a powerful message, not just to his attackers but to the entire world. Years later, Bob Marley reportedly met one of the gunmen involved in the assassination attempt. He forgave him!

Forgiving someone who has tried to harm or kill you is an incredibly difficult and rare act. But did the Bible not say, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you”?

Unfortunately, Aregbesola’s forgiveness may easily be dismissed as a political move, especially given that he has since fallen out with the very party he once took bullets for, and has been expelled. His meeting with the shooter must have sparked many discussions: Who sent them? How much were they paid? Is there a dimension of societal justice in this kind of situation? How many more people have been killed in similar ways without the opportunity to seek their victims’ forgiveness? Have some of the politicians who allegedly sponsored these killings not courted Aregbesola in the past, despite the failed attempt?

More questions to ask:
Who killed Dele Giwa?
Who killed Bola Ige?
Who killed Alfred Rewane?
Who killed Kudirat Abiola?
Who killed Funsho Williams?
Who killed Ayo Daramola?
Who killed Christopher Ogbonna?
Who killed Dipo Dina?

Tope Alabi was right when she sang, “Ejo n be l’orun”—“There are unresolved matters in heaven.”

DON’T GAIN THE WORLD AND LOSE YOUR SOUL; WISDOM IS BETTER THAN SILVER OR GOLD.

The opinions expressed in this publication are solely those of the author. It does not represent the editorial position or opinion of OSUN DEFENDER.