Chief Olusola Oke’s Interview
We have observed over time that you have been showing interest in the exalted position of the governor of Ondo state. One will wonder why have you kept on showing interest. Are you not tired of contesting for the governorship seat of Ondo state? What’s your motivation?
If the old testament was without faults, there would be no need to search for a new testament. I am a professional and I am satisfied with my success in my practice as a professional. But I’m concerned about the state of affairs in the state. I’m being propelled by the vision and the mission to change the narrative of management of Ondo state. I believe that we can reduce the poverty level, given the abundant human and natural resources. I believe that we can transform our economy from a civil service economy to an industrialized economy. I believe that the deficit, the huge wide gap in our development level can be bridged. In Ondo state today, there is deficit in our infrastructure, in education, in health, in road network, in virtually everything.
The cumulative effect of these deficiencies and deficits is a very threatening poverty level. The micro economy, which sustains every economy, in Ondo state is very lean. If you go to any buyer and seller in Ondo state, you find out the totality of the market does not give them a leverage of relief for one week. It is not enough, because the capital involvement is very poor. I believe that the economic situation of Ondo state also aggravated the level of unemployment that we have here. And this helps breed criminality, because when people are poor, poverty denies them of their pride, their dignity and integrity.
In Ondo state today, our educational setting is such that if you don’t make it to the university level, then you are a dropout. Nothing, no skill, no capacity to put you in the labour market. You will ask the question, what has happened to our technical schools, our vocational schools, where capacity can be built and people can be useful without holding degrees, without holding Ph.D.? Ondo state is blessed. We have the longest coastline in Nigeria. We have abundant agricultural resources. We have human resources. We have mineral resources which, if tapped, can make our economy great. I am being propelled to ask that what then is our problem? I think it has to do with leadership.
I’ve been around this state for decades. I’ve traversed the length and breadth of Ondo state. In fact, I have toured virtually all the communities in Ondo state six good times. So, I am familiar with the challenges in virtually all the communities. And I’ve been part of their suffering and denial. Therefore, because of my closeness to the various administrations, especially, the administration of Dr. Olusegun Agagu, I was able to see that the roadmap to progress, to development mattered, that if it had been followed to its letters, by this time, Ondo state would have been on a path to recovery and prosperity.
Can we allow Ondo state to continue like this? Can we allow the poverty level to continue to increase? Can we allow unemployment to continue to increase? Can we allow the deficit in the various aspects of our lives to continue? My answer is no, given my experience, political experience, professional experience, administrative experience, my involvement at virtually all levels of governance. I’ve been a lawmaker at the highest level, I’ve been a party administrator at the highest level, I’ve been involved in executive position where I’ve been able to manage resources and human beings. I believe I can bring all these experiences to bear and change the narrative, change the direction, put Ondo state on the path of development, intervene in our educational sector, in the health sector, in the infrastructure, so that Ondo state can take its pride of place in the comity of states in Nigeria.
If you go to some of the new states and you see what is happening there, you will be wondering why is Ondo state lagging. You will be wondering, and I believe this is the question of vision and dream of leadership. It may take ten leaders to allow the perversity to continue. It takes only one leader to change the direction. Most of the nations that developed in the world today came to their development level because a leader came in the course of their history who changed the direction, who changed the narrative and put them on the path to prosperity, and the people insist that development must continue.
So, what is driving me is a desire to bring a new order, a new agenda, a new dream, a new song to Ondo state, so that we can change our economy from civil service economy to industrialized economy. We can generate employment. We can tap our natural and human resources for the betterment of the lives of the people of Ondo state.
In your response, you mentioned that the hallmark of leadership is vision and mission. And that’s what can bring the desired change or change the direction. In concrete term, can you just tell us, simply, your vision and mission for Ondo state as a leader seeking that office?
My vision is to have an Ondo state that is prosperous, developed and secured, believing that if we attain this, it would attract investments. My mission is, as a leader, to change the narrative, to harness the available resources, to drive the state to the path of development so that we can address the various challenges that are currently facing us in terms of unemployment, poor standard of living, crime and insecurity, lower esteem and pride of the people which are by-products of extreme poverty.
Sir, what do you think stands you out among other people that may be eying the same exalted seat?
What stands me out is my experience. It is my tenacity of purpose. I lost elections a couple of times. It would be enough to discourage anybody. Because I am being propelled by my desire to change the narrative, to change the direction, to put Ondo state on the map of development, that stands me out. I am not coming because there is going to be a transition. I have persisted that I am going for this state. I have a dream for this state which I want to actualize. Notwithstanding personal lost and cost to myself, I still insist. I have the experience.
If you want to gauge a politician, you want to determine whether this person is a politician, if he could be a good administrator, you ask him, have you ever been a lawmaker? I’ve been one. Have you ever held any executive position? I’ve held one. Have you ever held a position in party administration? I have held it at the highest level.
I have said at the beginning that I have spent the whole of my life in this state. I have never been away for six months at once. I have never been away from the state. So, I understand the people, the people understand me. They know me and I know them. I have traversed the entire length and breadth of the state. I came from a very difficult terrain and live in the upland. So, I understand the economy, the people, their denial, their psychology, their desires. All these I understand perfectly. And I am loved.
I am running my seventh decade. I have completed six. I am running the seventh one. You won’t see any record of criminality anywhere. You won’t see anything that I have done that anybody can hold against my person. I live above board. I am empathic. I have assisted so many people. I have excelled in those positions that I have occupied. Therefore, I believe that the people will trust me. I have earned their trust over the years. They will trust me. They also associate me with a successful administration in this state. That’s the administration of Dr. Olusegun Agagu that was going to put us back on the path of development. Yes, everybody has the constitutional requirement to run. But I have more than the constitutional requirement in terms of earning the respect of the people, earning their trust and they believing me.
Finally, sir, given your experience as a politician and as a candidate in past elections, one would have thought that you should be discouraged by now to say that why do I want to spend my resources, spend my energy, spend my time? But on a positive note, can you tell us shortly your motivating factors. What is pushing you, what is encouraging you that this time around, you still want to have a shot, believing that you will get it? Are you not discouraged?
I am encouraged by the verse in the book of Habakkuk that this vision is on appointed time. Though it may tarry, it will surely come. I believe that for everything there is a season. Yes, I have contested a number of times and I didn’t win. I believe this is the appointed time that I am going to make it. So, I am motivated by the love the people of Ondo state have shown to me. I am encouraged by their insistence that they want me to rule them. Anywhere I go, I am encouraged by the people. And the people believe me, they trust me. I believe them and I also trust them. I have them behind me on this particular instance.
This is a time when Ondo state is beaconing on men of good conscience to come to its aid. It is like a child looking at his mother, saying come and carry me. Come and lift me. Ondo state needs a new order, needs a new leadership, needs a new direction, requires men of courage, men of vision and direction to come and be at the saddle. And I believe that, given my experience, given my exposure, given my connection, given my influence, I will be able to take Ondo state away from the present state of squalor and abject poverty to a state of prosperity.
