GOVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Saturday said all his actions and policies as governor for close to eight years were guided by intellectualism, the fear of God, courage, knowledge, determination to succeed and the need for human capital development.
Especially, he avowed that posterity will judge him right in his decision to review the Olubadan Chieftaincy declaration, pointing out that all Ibadan elders and traditional rulers actually supported the review.
Speaking at a roundtable to mark his 69th birthday celebration tagged, “The Imperatives of Building Institutions for Lasting Legacy”, held in Ibadan, Ajimobi said he, however, was not unaware that some of your policies were met with some opposition.
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“There is no Ibadan elder that didn’t support the Olubadan chieftaincy review that we did, but they will not come out openly to say it because they are elders. The beauty of it is that they are all accomplished men.
“Similarly, there is none of the current Obas that did not support that review. We didn’t do it alone but there will always be opposition to anything we do. But I take solace in the fact that the Obaship review is an innovation we require. I also take solace in the saying that the innovations of today are the traditions of tomorrow.
“There is no Yoruba town where they don’t have many Obas. Posterity will judge us right. I believe we have done what is right.
“In fact, whatever actions we have taken as governor were guided by the fear of God and determination to succeed. You cannot make an omelette without breaking an egg,” Ajimobi said.
He, however, noted that he had begun his 164 days countdown to leaving office, pointing out that he will move out of government house by March next year.
On his choice of Mr Adebayo Adelabu as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ajimobi rubbished notions that former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu imposed Adelabu on him.
He maintained that Tinubu never interfered with governance in Oyo state and his decisions as governor.
Ajimobi again avowed that he had chosen a good successor in Adelabu.
“Since I have had relationship with Asiwaju, he has never interfered with what we do in Oyo state. When we approach him and Baba Bisi Akande for advice, they urge us to do what we want to do. Besides who can tell me they have a better candidate than Adelabu. Isn’t it even better for Asiwaju who has succeeded in producing good successors in Lagos to choose for us in Oyo state? No leader is successful until he has chosen a good successor and we have chosen a good successor in Adelabu,” Ajimobi added.
Reacting to his purported influence in Adelabu becoming the candidate of the APC, Tinubu said considering Adelabu’s antecedents in the private sector, he was not annoyed if associated with the selection of Adelabu as the party’s candidate.
Tinubu assured of his support for Adelabu’s emergence as next governor of Oyo state, adding that Ajimobi was right to be concerned about ensuring the emergence of a person who could build upon the reconstruction of Oyo state that he had begun.
He particularly saluted Ajimobi for his courage in the Olubadan chieftaincy reforms, amid criticisms, further describing Ajimobi as consistent, firm and intellectually resourceful.
“If they say I was involved in choosing your successor, it is part of human quality to consult, find out and carry out due diligence about the person to know if the person can perform.
“I wouldn’t campaign but I will support your choice of Adelabu, a man who has a private sector background, rode on economic prognosis, micro and macro level, as deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, is now trying to succeed you. The All Progressive Congress will support you.
“You have exhibited a leadership quality to protect that legacy, to build upon it. You are just a foundation engineer who has reconstructed Oyo state, institutionally, infrastructurally. I don’t feel bad if I’m been associated with the process of choosing Adelabu. If we do direct primaries again, I will still vote for Ajimobi’s choice of a successor,” Tinubu said.
Making a short reference to the Friday’s debate involving Vice Presidential candidates in the 2019 election, Tinubu said Nigerians were shown the difference between a party promoting a developmental economy and that advocating for a container economy
“I watched the Vice Presidential candidates debate yesterday and you could see the difference between developmental economy and container economy. Oyo state is APC, it is progressives. Our Moses has crossed the red sea, no going back to Egypt,” Tinubu added.
In his remarks, former governor of Osun state, Mr Rauf Aregbesola called for focus on building institutions more than building great individuals.
He harped on the crucial roles of religious institutions in building morals and families, of educational institutions especially through an overhaul of the curriculum from kindergarten to university and insulation of the judiciary and political institutions from corrupt influences.
Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, who chaired the occasion, praised Ajimobi for providing focused and visionary leadership.
In their roundtable discussion, Professor Tunji Olaopa, Senator Ahmed Law an, Professor Yemisi Bamgbose and Professor I. A. Adeyemi harped on the need to promote informal education, overall development of the education sector, institutional leadership, rule of law, respect for human rights, transparency and continuity in governance.
Also speaking, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi said Ajimobi was known to want to relate with the intelligent and stood out as a performer.
He particularly called on residents of Oyo State to vote for the APC in the forthcoming general election for Ajimobi’s legacies to be continued.
Other guests at the event were the wife of Oyo Governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi; state deputy governor, Mr Moses Adeyemo; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi; Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole; Senator Fatai Buhari representing Oyo North; former governor of Oyo State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo; former governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande; Christian clerics, Pastor S. K. Abiara and Apostle Sunday Popoola; Islamic scholars, Sheik Muideen Bello and Professor Dawud Noibi; President, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Mr Yemi Soladoye; former deputy governor of Osun State, Chief Iyiola Omisore; federal and state lawmakers; local government Chairmen; elders and Obas of Ibadan land; members of the Oyo state executive council among others.
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