I have good plans, ideas to move Oyo State forward —Adeolu Akande

Professor Adeolu Akande, a teacher of Political Science at the Igbinedion University and an Oyo governship aspirant, speaks on the number of contenders from Oke-Ogun and why he believes he is the best man for the job.

 

YOU are political scientist, don’t you think calling for power rotation or zoning can be at the expense of good governance, as some people believe zoning will hurt the consideration for merit in the race for the Agodi Government House in 2019?

That is not correct; zoning and merit are not necessarily incompatible. Yes, we want a governor that comes from Oke-Ogun but that does not mean we want it at the expense of merit. If you look at the array of aspirants from the entire state and you compare those from Oke-Ogun with those from other zones, you cannot say people contesting from Oke-Ogun are seeking to be governor without merit. Some of them parade excellent credentials. So, you can marry zoning and merit.

 

But there is this age-long belief that Ibadan holds the ace in the race, as it has the population advantage. Do you think Oke-Ogun can succeed in this effort?

My personal conviction is that Oke-Ogun cannot do it alone; we need the understanding of all the other zones of the state, especially Ibadan, who has 52 per cent of the zones. I believe we have friends, classmates, schoolmates, in-laws and so on who are from Ibadan. We have to explore all these channels to say that in the spirit of fairness and equity, let an Oke-Ogun man be governor. But we are not saying that Oke-Ogun can insist on it and have it.

 

Which party are you in and what are your efforts at securing the ticket of the party?

I am a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). But I don’t think it is right to reveal the efforts I am making to get the ticket of my party. Awon agbalagba ma nso pe oruko ti a o so omo eni, inu eni nii gbe [the name one intends to christen his child should not be disclosed until one gives the name]. However, I can assure you that I am taking all the necessary steps from the top to the bottom in order to come out victorious are being taken.

 

But why do you think it is Oke-Ogun’s turn to produce the next governor?

If you look at it, since the creation of Oyo State, an Oke-Ogun indigene has never become governor. And everywhere around the world, it is the belief of people that such position should be occupied based on the principles of equity, fairness and justice. If we want the progress of Oyo State and the peaceful co-existence of its people, every section in the state should have opportunity to govern the state. That is number one.

The second reason is that if you look at Oke-Ogun, we are being deprived of a lot of things and people believe that if an indigene of the area becomes governor, he will be able to do what is right for all zones including Oke-Ogun. The third reason is that a lot of our youths in the area are currently unemployed and it is the belief of our people that if someone from Oke-Ogun, who knows where the shoes pinch the people the most and knows the great advantage the area possesses in terms of agriculture, will be able to set the right priorities that will ensure that an end comes to the menace of unemployment in the state.

 

Going by the number of contenders from Oke-Ogun, why do you think the people should present you as the candidate?

I believe I have the theoretical and the practical experience to make a difference. I read Political Science at the undergraduate, Masters and Ph.D. levels and I teach Political Science as a visiting professor at the Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State. I have had the opportunity of serving in the executive, in the Presidency, as Special Assistant to the vice-president and as Chief of Staff to the Oyo State governor. My area of specialisation is Comparative Politics; how you compare the experiences of how good governance can be put in place around the world, so I believe I have the theoretical and practical experiences to do well as governor. I also have good plans on what to do to move the state forward. So, I am persuaded by experiences and the insights I have had into the problems and the solutions we can use to solve the problems confronting the state.