Otunba (Dr) Paul Akintelure Sets To Deliver The People of Ondo State
By Ayodele Ologunola
The life of Dr. Paul Akintelure, the Otunba of Osoro land, the Otunba of Ikale land and the Chief Executive Officer of Broad Hospital, Lagos is a living example of Shakespeare’s word; which says, “some are born great, some achieved greatness while some have greatness thrust on them”.
Abraham Lincoln in one of his speeches described democracy as the government of the people and for the people and by the people, while some scholars refer to politics as the struggle, control and utilisation of power.
Experience has shown that majority of power seekers; politicians and their comrades in arms within the public service are faithful subscribers to the network of Machiavelli philosophy, the end justifying the means, no matter how reprehensible such means.
Going by the later, it’s of little wonder that a large number of citizens perceived politics as a dirty game, which decent people should be weary of getting involved in. This is the mistaken notion of politics which unfortunately tends to leave this all too critical sphere of public life to rudderless individuals or groups, self-seeking opportunists and mercantile political entrepreneurs, who pursue power only to obscenely accumulate wealth at the expense of the people and development. This is really the bane of politics in Nigeria.
Our civil rule democracy, rather than being a vehicle for national development, has remained an effective flying poverty and underdevelopment. There are errand politicians who are attracted to the intrigues, manipulations, subterfuges and betrayal that tends to characterise the pursuit of power. Those in this category seek power just for its own sake and for glamorous, pleasure, fame, wealth and opportunity.
These politicians expend considerable time, energy and resources in pursuing, achieving an retaining power without giving much thought to the higher purpose that power can be utilised for.
However, there are some politicians, although they are few, who think ahead of time and make development their priority. One of them that readily comes to mind is the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who is being regarded as a political mentor in Nigeria till date.
For the category of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the overriding purpose of politics and power is to help elevate the society to incrementally higher levels development and as well lift the people out of poverty. That was why the elder statesman defined politics as,” the art of selfless service to humanity “.
In launching his campaign for the presidency of Nigeria in 1979, Chief Obafemi Awolowo famously declared that, the office of the presidency of Nigeria was an office of pleasure but one that would demand the greatness discipline, commitment, hardwork, diligence and sacrifice from anyone privileged to be given the mandate by Nigerians.
As a result of this philosophical disposition to the acquisition and utilisation of power, Chief Obafemi Awolowo saw politics first and foremost as an intellectual enterprise. A vocation that demanded ceaseless and most rigorous pursuit of the best developmental ideas for the transformation of Nigeria.
Thus, his contributions to the public discourse, the policies and the policies programmes of the political parties that he belonged to always show evidence as someone who commit time and energy to deep thinking about Nigerians problems and continually seeking workable and available ideas for the country progress.
Even, more Conservative ideological disposition politicians like Sir, Ahmadu Bello , Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Alhaji Sunday Awoniyi, were all examples of politicians who adopted a serious minded, ideas driven approach to politics.
In the present political era in Ondo State, Nigeria, Otunba ( Dr) Paul Akintelure has proven himself to be one of those who have pursued tireless and vision of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in politics.
He believes and see politics as a call to serve and not to be served. Dr. Paul Akintelure has a strong view that power should be used for transformation of the society and development of the people. His own opinion for seeking power is consistent and relentless search for transformational ideas and policies that will transform the lives of the people Ondo State.
Akintelure’s governorship ambition is kindled by his awareness of the yearnings of the people of Ondo State and the level of disenchantment among members of the APC.
His gubernatorial ambition is also informed by the determination to rescue the people of the state from pervasive poverty.
Akintelure is out to be a selfless and açcomondating governor who will not make governance about his inner circles and family alone. He is out to pacify the dissatisfied people of Ondo State and give them a sense of belonging and to ensure justice, equality and fairness within the members of APC and the people of the state at large.
In his determination to transform Ondo State, Akintelure plans to leverage on his success and to take full advantage of his national and international exposure to bring about all round development to Ondo State if elected as governor.
Paul Akintelure has in his kitty enormous goodwill and good name that he plans to leverage on in the governance of Ondo State. He is not leaving anything to chance in his ambition to change the narrative that has unenviably dubbed Ondo State as a civil service State.
Dr. Paul Akintelure, because of his philanthropic support for the widows over the years has mapped out a full proof of plans to industrialize and focus on promotion of investments which will in turn help to industrialize the state and rebuild the economy. He will leverage on industrialization to provide jobs for many of unemployed youths in Ondo State.
Akintelure takes cognizance of few rehabilitation of school structures in Ondo State, but he is of the opinion that the state has only been living on the past glory in view of the fact that educational content of Ondo State has been in a sorry state for over a decade. He had severally described as utterly unacceptable a situation where all the public schools in the state do not have a qualified teaching staff due to the failure of government to employ a single teacher in the last twelve years. He plans to adopt an encompassing approach towards achieving massive development in educational sector in the state.
He has a plan to establish Information Centre in all the eighteen local government areas of the state and this will create an environment where unemployed graduates in the state can be absorbed.
Dr.Paul Akintelure has a strong view for the health sector for the state. Some of his plans include the introduction of health insurance policies that will transform the informal sector of the state.
He has successfully mapped out some programmes that will give prominence to and that would benefit our women in the state so that our women can occupy their rightful place in government and governance.
He has already has a plan to make the local government Council get the needed element of autonomy that will make them function independently contrary to the present practice of acting at whims and caprices of the state government.
The great alumnus of the Premier University, University of Ibadan, is not new to Ondo State politics as he has worked against all odds to ensure victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the just concluded general elections, has planted his people’s across the eighteen (18) local government areas of the state. He is certainly upbeat of his bright chances and contesting to win.
The widely travelled Akintelure represents a model of “Omooluwabi” whose qualities of integrity and excellent leadership skills are never in doubt. The Otunba of Osoro and Otunba of Ikale land is a man with a large heart with a caring heart for the vulnerable people in the society.
Before All Progressive Congress (APC) members and the entire people of Ondo State, to make between a leader that will be selfless and constantly feel the people’s pulse or to someone whereby governance will be in favour of family and members of his inner circle, Otunba (Dr) Paul Akintelure is the best man and the most equipped at this time to deliver a new Ondo State of economic recovery.
Ayodele Ologunola is the publisher of The Focus Magazine.
