Bridging the Past, Present and the Future of the State of Osun; the symbolic representation of the Iconic Olaiya Fly-Over Bridge. By Oluwaseun ‘Atoloyemaja’ OWOJORI

By Oluwaseun ‘Atoloyemaja’ OWOJORI

Just like every mortal being has a past, present and future, so also every city, town, villages; even states and nations. Our dear State of Osun has her own fair share. We could say that our past started from time immemorial and officially when the state was created on 27th August, 1991. We can equally say that the past lapsed when this present administration led by Alhaji Gboyega Isiaka Oyetola came on board and assumed duty at the Bola Ige House on November 27, 2018. Going forward, we are able to determine our future from now. But happenings in the State of Osun around the keys areas of administration show that future is open and bright.

Being an optimistic and enthusiastic electorate, the current tumultuous instances will not blind me that we are indeed in the best of time in areas such as Agriculture, Mining, ICT, Tourism and Culture, and Commerce. Incidentally, these are the focal points of the Governor Gboyega Oyetola led government. Most significant of the moment is the level of infrastructural development in the State. In all modesty, Governor Gboyega Isiaka Oyetola as the man in the helm of affairs in State of Osun has many insightful governance achievements going well for him and his style of administration stands today. His performance is making way for him in the heart and mind of the electorates.

Governor Gboyega Oyetola has started and completed the following programmes and projects; 332 Primary Health Centres at all the Wards in the State, Free Osun Health Insurance Scheme (O’ HIS) for 60,000 elderly and vulnerable population, 270,000 citizens have benefitted from Osun Food Support Scheme, prompt and full Salary and Pension payments, over N160 billion to settle pension and gratuity issues, and so many projects and programmes that this page will not permit. The project of Olaiya Fly-Over Bridge is one that cannot be overlooked, even if you do subscribe to it. The bridge is iconic and gigantic; it is actually a symbolic connection between our past and future.

Flyover is a bridge that carries a road or rail line above another. Flyovers play a most important role within streamlining the system of traffic control. All the way through flyovers, lots time is saved avoiding traffic congestion. Effect of pollution is reduced, and flyovers decrease risk of accidents. Flyover may refer to: Overpass, a high-level road bridge that crosses over a highway interchange or intersection. Olaiya Fly-Over Bridge is one and will solve these problems and serve these purposes in the Capital City of Osogbo. It is no doubt that lives and assets have been lost due to accidents at this spot. This will certainly be a thing of the past by the coming of the FLY-OVER BRIDGE.

The question of "What can I do to win re-election?" should be paramount to Governor Gboyega Oyetola now.

This is the time to harness the gains of his achievements in the last three years plus. All efforts should be politically and strategically focused on political electioneering; sustaining the political gladiators in his camp, winning more of those outside his camp and canvassing majority of about 2,780,498 electorates that will go to poll in Osun State on Saturday, July 16, 2022.

Osun might have experienced proper administration cum good governance in the past, but the Oyetola present administration is giving us better governance that is being witnessed when you have a technocrat cum politician at helm of affairs- Our people are feeling the positive impact. These are enough to sell Oyetola's candidature to the people. Oyetola today can market himself with his achievements and dividends of democracy as experienced in the State of Osun in the last three and half years. He is being accepted everywhere; he has gotten endorsement for his re-election bid from NURTW, Barbers, Welders, Furniture-makers, and Farmers’ Associations,  Iyalojas, Babalojas, Iyalajes, Babalajes, NLC, TUC, National Union of Pensioners, Nigerian Union of Teachers. Majority of all known and tested political structures in the party are with Oyetola. The best of the endorsement are the traditional institutions in the state led by Imperial Majesty Oba Babatunde Ogunwusi, Ooni of Ife; they always have ears of their subjects and can naturally take them in for the favour of Governor Oyetola. Mr. Governor should be more concerned of these people and continue to work for the interest of the generality of the Osun people. These are the needed electorates, not the politicians, who seek political relevance for personal exaggeration.

All the oppositions in the State, especially PDP do not matter as at today because they cannot put up a good defense against the incumbent. We should rather reach out to the aggrieved opposition members of our own party. We know those who will intelligently and sincerely see the good in our candidate and his achievements in less than four years, and make them see reasons that he deserves another four years at the Bola Ige House.

Governor Oyetola and his winning team should hit the ground running in campaign and election administration and management. The task now is how to win the re-election based on achievements and good governance offered to the residents of State of Osun in the last three years or so. The iconic Olaiya Fly-Over is a promise kept, and an indication that the future is open and bright for State of Osun in the hands of Alhaji ADEGBOYEGA ISIAKA “ILERI-OLUWA” OYETOLA.    

In my twenty-four years of experience in politics of Osun, core progressives do not change addresses no matter how aggrieved they are. Some may be proving malicious, voracious, irrational, comic and tendering unworkable demand; they will work grudgingly for the re-election of the governor. We should manage and monitor them till last minutes to Saturday July 16, 2022. In any case, we are more than them and politics is a game of numbers.