About two months ago, I listened to an interesting account on Rave FM by the Chief Press Secretary to His Excellency, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, Mr. Ismail Omipidan on his encounter with his boss.
According to him, he was barely two weeks old on the job and needed to issue a statement on the contentious Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) matter. He said he had gone to see Mr Governor on the need to respond to certain misinformation in the public space concerning the University at the time.
He said Oyetola reluctantly accepted that he do the statement. However, the Governor’s initial hesitation was said to have emanated from the fact that he detests controversy, no matter how little. However, Omipidan said that as he reached for the door, Governor Oyetola called him back, emphasising that “CPS be sure of your facts, dont give account of what we haven’t done. Don’t say things that will embarrass us”.
Continuing, Omipidan said that day, Mr Governor made a strong impression on him. He said as he left his office, he knew his job was simple as he wouldn’t struggle to communicate the policies and programmes of the Oyetola-led administration to members of the public.
Meanwhile, I doubt if the CPS was aware of the magnitude of impression he also made on our minds or at least on sons and daughters of Osun like me. Of a sort, he had unknowingly raised a benchmark by which the government would be judged. I, for one, have studiously followed the administration to catch it wanting on this promise of “the truth and nothing but the truth”, and found out that the Oyetola administration being a responsible government engages the electorates with facts and figures as a liar’s worst enemy, they say, is someone with a good memory.
Therefore, in spite of the avalanche of lies out there in the last few weeks, as if the next election would hold tomorrow, people like me won’t join the bandwagon.
Leadership, according Dr. Myles Munroe, is “20 percent talent, skill and technical knowledge and 80 percent attitude”, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, no doubt has so far shown the right attitude.
Dr. Munroe, further posits that the attitude of passion is the most “indispensable attribute of leadership and serves as the driving force of motivation that sustains the focus of the leader.”
Therefore, I see Oyetola remaining focused and it’s my fervent hope that he won’t be distracted. It is also my earnest hope that in the end, the people of the State of Osun will be glad they voted him in the first instance.
