The Ife and Ijesha people in the Eastern Part of Osun State are on the March again with the election of a strategist in the person of Francis Fadahunsi, a retired Deputy Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs as the next Senator representing Osun East at the Nigerian Senate. This is coming two decades after representation by Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa (1999-2003), Senator Iyiola Omisore (2003-2011) and Senator Christopher Babajide Omoworare (2011-2019) respectively. Without any prejudice, Fadahunsi was the most qualified in every respect having attempted the Senate seat after two unsuccessful attempts. He was not discouraged. While pursuing justice at the election tribunals, he went ahead to pay outstanding electricity bills, a conditionality that re- connected Garage Olode in the Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State, a community that hitherto experienced power outage before his intervention. He paid hospital bills for the sick, he catered for the widow. He paid tuition fees for many students at the tertiary institutions. Francis Fadahunsi registered many students for the Unified Tertiary Matriculations Examinations (UTME).His Foundation has provided accommodation for the homeless and start up capital for many entrepreneurs.
The poverty alleviation Programme according to his Public Relations unit would continue in fulfilment of his electioneering campaign with a special consideration of 100 indigenes of Ife Ijesha extraction in appreciation of his victory at the polls. Having familiarised himself with issues and developments at the senatorial district, he was clearly elected ahead of Jibola Famurewa of the All Progressive Congress. Observers of the new political dispensation at the Osun East are now suggesting by way of agenda setting what Fadahunsi could do differently. FADA as he is fondly called by his admirers should do away with politics of malice and politics of segregation. Those were ill winds that blew no one any good at the Osun East in the last two decades. There are many priorities ahead of Fadahunsi including the business of lawmaking and oversight functions for Osun East, monitoring Federal Govt inflow into the Senatorial District, monitoring of Employment, Promotion and Political Appointments of Ife Ijesha people in the Public Service, Military and Paramilitary establishments on the altar of Federal Character Balancing.
Political analysts are wondering what manner of investments and capital projects Ife/ Ijesha Communities attracted to herself in the past two decades? What about entrepreneurship programmes? Are things looking up for Osun East? Steve Hankes of the University of Baltimore in the United States reported Nigeria as the sixth most miserable country on earth coming behind Venezuela and Iran. This is in consideration of a high inflation rate, a high unemployment rate and a high bank lending rate. The first agenda before Fadahunsi the new strategist is to ensure that no Ife Ijesha person, not even one, is miserable Hence, Fadahunsi should strategise and work with stakeholders in the Senatorial District which includes Rep Ayeni/ Ijesha(APC), Rep Wole Oke/Oriade (PDP) and Abimbola Taofeek Ajinisoro/Ife(PDP) and members of the Osun House of Assembly. Since no man is an island, FADA would be sharing the red chamber with Senator Ajibola Bashiru(Osun Central/APC) and Senator Lere Oriolowo(Osun West/APC) . Osun East would not operate in isolation and hence contemporary issues relating to Osun cannot be dismissed with a wave of the hand. Most recent is the minimum wage bill signed into law by Mr. President. This suggests the new wage bill of the state workforce should increase by a minimum of 67 per cent.
It would be recalled the Federal Government is not ready to change the revenue allocation formula, consequent upon which no increment is anticipated veer the monthly FAAC. According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics Total Osun IGR in 2018 is N10,381,663,677.38, 2018 Net FAAC Allocation N22,837,305434.54, 2018 Total Income N33,218,969,112.52,.Total External Debt in $ 99, 085,406.37 and 2018 Total Domestic Debt (N) 148,101,117,664.94. 2018 Osun Nominal GDP is N1,469,983. Some observers are of the opinion that one of two things could happen either a right sizing in the work force of the state or another bailout fund from the realm of the unknown. From the optimistic point of view, it is a new season of redefining way of doing things, especially in the context of internally revenue generation. Fada is coming from a bloc of new thinking different from what had happened in the last two decades. Senator Fadahunsi should also recognize existing large scale agricultural entrepreneurs in the Ife Ijesha communities, build new bridges that should facilitate exportation of cocoa and other cash crops waiting to be harnessed.
This is the proactive move indigenes and residents of Osun East have been waiting for. Analysts of this new political dispensation are expectant that Fadahunsi, the new strategist in the Osun East Senatorial District should deliver on this expectation
- Olufunke, a Public affairs analyst, sent this report from Osogbo
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