Nigeria’s former Ambassador to the Netherlands and Executive Director, Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, Dr Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, has disclosed that contrary to popular notion, she is not a partisan politician but only seeks to uphold the legacies of her legendary father, Papa Obafemi Awolowo.
The former ambassador of Nigeria to the Netherlands made this known on Saturday, during the 64th birthday celebration of the minister of interior and a two-time governor of Osun State, Mr Rauf Aregbesola.
She congratulated Aregbesola for the milestone of another year and lauded his passion for Awolowo principles and his contribution to nation-building at large.
“I wish to congratulate the celebrant, His Excellency, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on the occasion of another major year,” Dr Awolowo Dosumu began.
“I should state that I may be Awolowo’s daughter, but I am not a politician. I do not participate in partisan politics. My role is simply to ensure that the legacies of my father should be upheld and not perish. We should sustain these legacies for the coming generation for them to also benefit and learn from.
“However, there are many reasons why I could not reject Ogbeni’s invitation to this celebration. All of them are personal. The first is that when the Awoist Movement was formed in the run-up to the third republic, I heard about Ogbeni’s efforts and his enthusiastic participation in the movement.
“Also, when he was in government, he set up the Awolowo Centre and invited my participation in the centre. The anthem that is now widely adopted as Yoruba anthem in the South-West was composed by Papa Awolowo. It was Ogbeni Aregbesola that first adopted it as the anthem for Osun State. For many reasons, he has demonstrated unapologetic admiration for Papa Awolowo, “the Executive Director, Obafemi Awolowo Foundation told the gathering and thereafter prayed for the celebrant.
“Being an unapologetic admirer of Papa Awolowo and his profound philosophy, I will offer this prayer for you. Wherever you go and in whatever company you may find yourself, may the spirit of Papa continually guide you in your actions and vision.”
Also speaking at the event, the Ooni Of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi described Aregbesola as a man whose contributions to humanity will be remembered. The royal father, while acknowledging the former Osun governor as a grassroots politician, said nobody can rubbish his sterling contributions to Osun State.
“Nobody can rubbish your legacy in the state. It was during your tenure as governor that I became the Ooni of Ife and in the area of provision of social amenities for the people in the state, you blazed the trail in the state.
“Aregbesola is not an ordinary person and the grace of God will never leave him in all his endeavours. He will live long. I want to charge his foot soldiers to always be loyal to him at all times for there is reward in loyalty.
“Personally, I can never forget him. Though no one is perfect. Everybody has his own shortcomings. That is why he should be forgiven for his shortcomings and not be persecuted,” Ooni said.
In his own remark, the Executive Secretary of Awolowo Centre For Philosophy and Ideology, Comrade Temitope Mustapha Adeyemi, explained that “the centre is running with the brilliant vision of the sage , even the general principles of Awoism , carrying culture of leadership perfection and permanence into sustainability.”
He described Aregbesola as a man of passion saying, “in our days in which too many people have chosen to be Awoists only by the nature of their caps and glasses rather than living by the spirit, philosophy and ideology of the sage, our Aregbesola is known for always travelling the road less travelled by lesser minds.”
Also speaking, the celebrant Mr. Aregbesola, warned those calling for secession to desist from doing so, saying if the country is destroyed “ it will take fifty years to rebuild it “.
The interior minister who admitted that the country is facing a lot of challenges, maintained that it could still be salvaged to charging those drumming the drum of secession to drum it for themselves.
While commending those behind the formation of The Osun Progressive to strengthen the structures of the APC in the state, the former governor said, he allied with them and charged them to maintain the tempo Aregbesola who pointed out that, formation of a caucus within the political party to make it more formidable is in order, saluted their aims and objectives in consolidating the legacies of leaders in the party and illumination the party structure the more.
He thanked all well-wishers that graced the occasion saying they would also be celebrated.
Source : Nigerian Tribune
