AIYEDATIWA: TEARING DOWN THE JERICHO OF LIES WITH SILENCE.
Sunday Olugbenga Abire .
It is no longer news that Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa is a prayer point in Ondo state and Nigeria today. His three names have been adopted everywhere. People sing his names. They freely give their newborns. But has anyone looked into the special travails his destiny carries everytime? Has anyone thought about the gargantuan stone rolled to stop him whenever anything good is in sight? Has anyone imagined the gang-up, chicanery, mischief and deliberate falsehood that are pushed to knock him out? You will probably not envy Governor Aiyedatiwa if you take a cursory look at his travails. It can be overwhelming. No man would have survived the onslaught targeted at him if God has not been with him.
Governor Aiyedatiwa didn’t bargain for a political life. He was a very private business man who never thought of joining the murky waters of politics let alone becoming a Governor. But we cannot do anything against fate. It’s sealed and settled even before we were born. Aiyedatiwa found himself around politicians and his invaluable service was needed to represent the state in the Niger Delta Development Commission. In good faith, he gathered his strength together and represented the people of Ondo state. After a short stint, it was dissolved and he happily retired to his private life.
Governor Aiyedatiwa didn’t begrudge anyone. It’s part of his fate to serve a short term. He supported others massively and this was attested to by his late boss, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu. Aiyedatiwa is a man who will go all out to support his friends without bad blood. This was noticed by the late Governor. Remember he wasn’t the Deputy Governor during Aketi’s first term. Yet, he couldn’t get a chance to win the party’s ticket in 2019 to get a seat at the National Assembly even when he was favoured by the state chapter of the APC. He did not leave the party or work against its candidate. He even turned down a juicy offer to fly the flag of another party like most disgruntled politicians did then. You remember the disruptive politics of 2019?
Aiyedatiwa waited for his time in 2020 as the late Aketi considered him to be a worthy Deputy because he had demonstrated temperance, perseverance, assiduity, patience, loyalty, courage and integrity. In a world where everyone wants quick access to power, Aiyedatiwa showed that God blesses all men in their time. Aketi couldn’t look away from these sterling qualities despite the deluge of bickerings from power mongers to stop him.
However, every student of political history in Ondo state would have documented the odoriferous power grabbing festival that greeted the state before Aiyedatiwa became a Governor. It was so messy. The travesty, deliberate falsehood, gaslighting and gang-up were thick. In fact, the constitution was suspended in Ondo state. Our passion for education didn’t count. Common sense was suspended. For the first time, the bush meat claimed it must supervise the hunter. How else do we describe an elected Deputy Governor being supervised by an appointee of the Governor? Democratic abracadabra right? Ondo state turned off the light of its civilization and returned to chronic primitivity. Thankfully, the willful mission to break down our state received the attention of President Bola Tinubu who acted pronto in order to rescue the state from power mongers. It is on record that the President met twice with the actors of division to save Ondo state from total ruin.
Interestingly, Governor Aiyedatiwa is the Governor of Ondo State today by the grace of God and the benevolence of spirited humans who stood by and for the truth. Shortly after he declared to lead beyond 2025, the sponsors of lies went back to work. It’s either he has no wife or he has no certificate at all. It is a blessing that nobody has ever called him a thief in 100 days. They know he won’t steal. They know he’s upright. But come to think of it, how Ondo people who are reputed for quality education believed that Aiyedatiwa doesn’t have a secondary school certificate even after progressing to study in and outside the country is something we must investigate. That his examination numbers were quoted conspicuously in the ‘Oluwole police report’ and nobody chose to find out is another shocker. They passed through WAEC office in Yaba Lagos and none stopped to ask questions there? What has happened to scholarship in this state? Why were they fixated on the minimum requirement when there are incontrovertible evidences of higher qualifications? Has bitter politics taken the best part of us?
In all these things, Governor Aiyedatiwa kept mum. He didn’t utter a word. He was so focused on governance and delivering values to the people of Ondo state. He acted like the naysayers didn’t exist. No pressure, no fear. As much as they wanted him to talk, he won them with the power of silence. They finally had a reset and got to know that he has a certificate when they bought the WAEC card to check. They have moved to the quality of grades and we won’t discuss that until they apologize for maligning an innocent man as well as misleading the people of Ondo state.
Before you pray for the grace of Aiyedatiwa, be doubly sure you can carry his cross. Be sure you can focus even when detractors are assigned to derail you. You need to learn the power of silence too. It is working for Aiyedatiwa. It is a potent tool. In case you hear that Governor Aiyedatiwa’s father is from Isanlu or Okene in Kogi state because he’s contesting, you are free to believe. A man who has been raised by God has nothing to fear. You cannot stop an idea birthed by God himself. Aiyedatiwa is reigning in his time. He’s unstoppable.
