Former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, has finally responded to series of attacks made against him by an Afenifere chieftain, Senator Femi Okurounmu, describing Okurounmu of being envious, frustrated and as an unfulfilled politician who also failed in his chosen profession.
Osoba said this while speaking with newsmen in Lagos in response to Okurounmu’s claim that he was a double agent and a traitor, who, among other Yoruba leaders betrayed the late MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
The former governor pointedly said that Okurounmu’s relentless attacks against him were borne out of envy and wickedness, even as he insisted that he would not descend into using uncouth, insulting and gutter languages as Okurounmu did against him.
“I will not descend into using uncouth, insulting and gutter languages as Senator Okurounmu did by referring to me as a traitor, a security agent and a double-dealer. In spite of his sustained attacks on me in the last two weeks, I was unruffled, unmoved as a tested fighter and warrior,” he said.
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Osoba, who used his recently launched book titled: ‘Battlelines’ as a reference point to show that he suffered a lot of blackmail to reach the level God has placed him today in life, declared that Okurounmu’s relentless attacks on him were borne out of what Yoruba adage itself described as jealousy and envy as well as wickedness.
“On the day I launched my book, I showed a series of pictures and one was me as a boxer at the age of 10. I also titled my book ‘Battlelines’ to show a lot of the blackmail that I suffered in both my professional and political life.
“As for Okurounmu, I will describe him as a frustrated, unfulfilled politician as well as a failure in his chosen profession. His relentless attacks on me are borne out of jealousy and the major factor is envy and wickedness.
“Yoruba language is highly proverbial and Yoruba will describe Okurounmu’s situation as somebody suffering from a proverb that says ‘Ija ilara ko tan boro, anjuwon ko see wi l’ejo,’ literally meaning, ‘quarrel emanating from envy cannot easily end, the reason for such cannot be easily explained. That is the situation between me and Okurounmu,” he said.
Osoba, who described himself as a success in every ramification, dismissed the allegation of being a double or security agent, saying evidence of dreaded Sergeant Roger, who had listed him as one of those to be assassinated by late General Sani Abacha had since shown otherwise.
According to him, if he had been a security agent, he would not have been among the hit list, praying that God and the spirit of the heroes that died during the days of democracy struggle and thereafter, including Pa Alfred Rewane, Pa Abraham Adesanya, among others should “forgive Okuroumu in his 80s.”
and then