SEFIU AYANBIMPE takes a cursory look at the arguments of true Awoist politics of progressivism that ensued from different political quarters in the South-West geopolitical zone of the country by two governors of the region, Mr Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola and Dr Abdulrahaman Olusegun Mimiko of Osun and Ondo States respectively, who both recently spoke on the need to prioritise on education, a cause championed by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
The legacy of the late sage and first Premier of the defunct Western Nigeria, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, is the imperishable name he left behind in the political realm of the country particularly in south western Nigeria which comprises of six states today.
His principles and ideology, coined ‘Awoist politics’, is championed by many political giants in the region who each hope to further realize the ideals of the late sage and unite the South-West as the great Awolowo once did.
Recently, the political fight of true Awoist politics of progressivism and regional integration between the Labour Party (LP) Candidate, the incumbent governor of the State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) led by his Osun State counterpart, Mr Rauf Aregbesola has reached its climax as the two political titans were exchanging words at an academic event in commemoration of? Obafemi Awolowo Free Education in old Western region organized by the Faculty of Education, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife ,Osun State, on who is true Awoist of progressive politics.
Ondo State, popularly known as the ‘Sun Shine State’, is also gathering momentum for its governorship election slated for October 20th this year. However, political observers have remarked that the political climate of the state has been charged from within and outside the state.
LEADERSHIP recalls that Aregbesola has been charged with the responsibility of unseating the incumbent Governor Mimiko from office by the ACN for Mimiko’s failure to align with the other governors of the party in the geopolitical zone to join the mainstream political party that ruling the zone.
Also, Aregbesola was saddled with the responsibility of having discussions with Governor Mimiko some months back on how to join the party (ACN) from his party (LP) in order to give all the governors in the zone an opportunity to have one blueprint for the regional integration as way to return it to the Obafemi Awolowo days of glory as premier of the region.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the talk and permutation was as a result of an gentleman agreement between the Governor Mimiko and the ACN national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the struggle to reclaim his (Mimiko) stolen mandate from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) former Governor of the State, Dr Olusegun Agagu, the unconfirmed source added that Mimiko had promised the ACN that he would cross over from Labour Party (LP) to ACN whenever he reclaimed his mandate.
Delivering his lecture entitled “Funding Free and Compulsory Basic Education in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges”, Dr Mimiko stated that progressivism lies in positive, verifiable and visionary programmes rather than verbal platitudes, revealing the details of the performances of public schools in the South-West in public examinations, compiled by the Federal Ministry of Education, showing, for 2010, the wide gap between Ondo’s 31.2 per cent and Lagos’ 9.1 per cent and then Oyo and Osun’s five per cent.
He added that the pass rate for Lagos private schools in the same year was 62 per cent, meaning that pupils must attend private schools if they are desirous of any great future in the Centre of Excellence. “And that is why,’’ he said with candour, “We are building public schools which will be the envy of any private school anywhere in the world’’.
He also spoke of the June 12 landmark in Ondo State, when the free shuttle buses were commissioned, saying the pupils would never forget what the late Chief MKO Abiola fought and died for because the symbolism of the date could not be lost on them.
Mimiko stressed that the June 12 struggle beyond merely declaring public holidays for the commemoration of the day, adding that it is not by empty posturing and grandstanding.
He then told the crème de la crème that gathered at the event that the increase enrolment of students in public schools in Ondo State was as a result of sterling performance of the pupils in WAEC and other national examinations as part of the harvests of democracy dividends in the education sector which Awolowo and Abiola fought and died for, saying that good governance in which the life would be more abundant for the citizenries was the Awo’s credo.
Governor Aregbesola, who was represented by his deputy, Otunba Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori has described the Osun state governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, as true son of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, saying that the governor is totally committed to the educational ideals and visions of Awolowo.
Otunba Laoye-Tomori stated that the present administration in the state was committed to restoring the lost glory of the education as being propagated by Chief Awolowo.
She said, quoting Aregbesola, as follows, “It is in this respect that I unreservedly commend the dynamic leadership of the faculty of Education of the OAU, Ile-Ife for initiating the Obafemi Awolowo Free Education lecture series, which in my view, is the celebration of the undiminished, continuous social relevance of Chief Awolowo’s outstanding idea in the area of education in the old western region”.
Mimiko further stressed that only education as an instrument of social change can be given to the people in order bring them out of socio economic doldrums like poverty, armed robbery, loitering and kidnapping.
He said, “The best way to raise people from the mirage of poverty is through sound and qualitative education. I want to say that if we fail to invest so much on education, the poverty will be regenerating from generation to generation. That is the reasons why my government in Ondo State, invest heavily so much on education and that is why we build public schools that are envy of private schools in the state”.
The governor urged the government at all levels to let the equity be their watch word in service delivery to their people, stressing that if government educates people, they have liberated that society. Governor Mimiko added that Awolowo recognized education as a tool of socio-political justice and promised that the clear vision of Awolowo on education legacy will continue enduring in the country particularly in Ondo State.
In her speech, the representative of Awolowo dynasty at the event, Chief (Mrs) Tola Oyediran thanked the organizer of the event for honour their late matriarch with the annual lecture, explaining that the organizer was celebrating the enduring legacy of selfless service to the people by the late sage and later commended the Governor Mimiko for following the footstep of Chief Obfemi Awolowo’s ideal educational policy.