Osun 2018: Lessons Inherent
By Muhammed Adetoye
Osun Governorship election held on September 22 and rerun held on September 27 2018 respectively have come and gone, but the lessons and reminiscence of the occasion will linger on for years to come.
The entire people of Osun, the leaders and people in position of authority and the teeming youth should learn one or two lessons from the election.
The Osun election has shown that Yoruba nation is gradually joining the bandwagon of segment of this country where ‘Money’ is everything. People no longer care how you got your money. People no longer care about your background, moral values and your educational background. This has never been our belief as Yoruba until now. Yorubas are always proud of their values, integrity and holds their head high when it comes to academic excellence. But it is so disgracing to see even some so called elites/educated citizen of Osun supporting mediocrity. Where are we going from this? This trend, if not quickly nipped in the bud will automatically erode the values and integrity of our nation. Yoruba leaders, it is time to act.
To our political stalwarts, this election shows that as a leader, you should have a listening hear to criticism, comments, suggestions and advice given by your subordinates. Do not be an alpha and omega in decision making. Learn to manage success, always remember and never neglect those who are with you when you are nothing. Any leader who flaunts this rule is heading for outright destruction. So, leaders let the voice of your subordinates count.
The youth should learn from this election that whatever you have to do should be done diligently, perfectly and excellently, irrespective of your background. Whether you are from an affluent/rich family or poverty-stricken background make sure that whatever you lay your hands on is conclusive and certificated. This is because you might need that certification one day and it will be too late to get it if you don’t have it and this will work against you. This issue of education and certificate played a vital role in this election and this even partially decided who govern us in the state of Osun. It has shown that there is a limitation you can use money to blindfold everybody. Youth shine your eyes.
Lastly, with this election, it has been confirmed that it is only God that has power and gives it to whom HE pleases. To buttress this view, before the election, a section and group of society vigorously campaigned and decided not to vote for a particular candidate for the reasons best known to them and also decided to vote enmasse for a particular candidate. However, at the end of the day God in his infinite mercy now used the candidate “they” prefer, to crown the candidate “they” rejected. God is great!! With this, it shows that no amount of gang ups can stop whatever God has destined for you. Let us have our hope in God and HE will surely be sufficient for us.
I congratulate the winner, Alhaji Gboyega Isiaka Oyetola, may God guide him aright. I will like him to make a redress on what seems to be mistakes of the past and build on the good existing policies and projects of the administration.
- Adetoye writes from Osogbo
