As Governor Oyetola Steps Aside(1): Education, Healthcare At Their Bests In Osun

By Abdulkareem Haruna

The hallmark of a good leader is measured by his calmness, clarity of vision and ability to stimulate hope for a better tomorrow even at the most difficult moment of his stewardship.

That leadership quality was brilliantly exemplified on Saturday, November 27, by the former governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, when he bid his state farewell as his constitutionally allowed four years tenure as governor ended on that day.

Mr Oyetola was declared to have lost his bid to secure a second term on July 16 to his major opponent, Adeleke who has now been sworn as Governor. Mr Oyetola is currently challenging Adeleke’s victory at the court.

In his valendivtory message, the former governor assured the people of the state that he would be back to serve them again as he has faith in God and the courts to reclaim their mandate for them.

The Governor, much unlike some of his contemporaries who would vanish into the thin air once they lost power, took time to recount the unprecedented record of achievements and developments he was able to bring to the state while executing the mandate the people of the state freely gave him four years ago. His milestones touched virtually all sectors of human endeavour.

“As I step aside today following the conclusion of the four-year tenure you freely gave me, I thank God and I thank you for your support, cooperation and prayers over the years.

“I recall how the journey began four years ago; how by your belief in me and your conviction in the plans and programmes of our Party, you exercised your right to vote for me.

“As we draw the curtains on this first tenure, we are convinced that we neither reneged on our promise nor disappointed you. We kept faith in you and maintained fidelity to our electoral promises. 

The Humanitarian Times is more fascinated by the good-natured governor recorded in achievement in the areas of education and healthcare delivery.

Even as he exits the Government House Oshogbo, the governor still maintained his calm and calculating mien as he recalls what his government was able to emplace for the state.

“The laudable and people-centred projects
we were able to deliver include the feeding of 30,000 vulnerable persons in Osun on a monthly basis,” he recalled.

He said that was achieved “through the Osun Food Support Scheme and financial support for the aged and widows; opening up of the Mining sector that attracted big investors to the state; reforming of the educational sector, including the recruitment of 2,500 teachers…”

Mr Oyetola said his tenure as governor saw to the “review of the single school uniform regime among others in line with the demand of the people; renovation of school buildings, distribution of educational materials to our pupils, provision of free education and free meals to them as well as training and re-training of our teachers to provide quality education for our children to enhance their performance as leaders of tomorrow.”

“In order to increase access to quality and equitable education at all levels with a view to empowering Osun citizens to
realise their full potential, we upgraded the existing Osun State College of Education,
llesa to a full-fledged Iniversity of llesa, with a world-class funding strategies that
would not exert unnecessary pressure on the finances of the state…”

To ensure quality healthcare for the people so that they can enjoy the benefits of the critical infrastructures he and his team delivered to the state the former governor he had to focus on “fixing of the State Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro and
equipping same with state-of-the-art equipment, where we constructed120-bed
ward and 30 units of Doctor’s Quarters.”

Oyeyola’s first tenure will not be forgotten “rehabilitation of the Ejigbo and Ifetedo General Hospitals.

“We also instituted the
Osun Health Insurance Scheme delivers affordable healthcare to our workers while offering free health services to the
vulnerable under the scheme; retaliation of 332 Primary Health Centres – one per ward across the state.”