By Segun Adeleye
Weaving a trajectory around a personage like the Senator representing Ogun West at the National Assembly in the running 10th Senate, Senator Olamilekan Solomon Adeola YAYI, because of his ubiquitous credentials, could be as difficult as the fable of the blind men asked to describe an elephant. Each ascribes the mammoth mammal to what he feels with his hand as the only organ of assessment and therefore, description.
A tax consultant; an accountant; an activist; a humanist and the one that gives him the shine most, a politician of the grassroot appeal. Having graduated in Accountancy and qualified as a Chatered Accountant in an examination taken in Abeokuta, leaving Lagos for the former's comfort of serenity, Senator Adeola popularly called YAYI worked for 12 years managing the operations of the elitist Guardian Newspapers, albeit from the inflow and outflow of figures. He was an Accountant before finding politics, unconsciously creating a public-private sector nursery that would later be handy in his legislative duties. His hands-on, both at the Guardian and running his tax consulting firm, SOOTEM Nig Ltd, were all he needed to unearth common patrimony knocked beneath the earth by certain MDAs with the ignoble intention of fleecing Nigeria and Nigerians. Providence papered 8/10/69 for today.
A Professional and political protégé of "City Boy", a sobriquet melted by the President and commanding Commander-in-Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during electioneering, YAYI did not just perch on Ogun West firmament. He was and still disruptive in all ramifications before and after perching. He is first, arguably though, in known history of Nigeria, to have moved West to West; back to back from Lagos to Ogun as Senator representing both districts - it's disruptive. Before then, he had consistently waved a magic wand by steeply moving from representing Alimosho State Constituency 2 as Lawmaker (2003-2011); Represented the whole of Alimosho at the House of Representatives between 2011 and 2015 when he chaired the Public Accounts Committee. Non-stop like that, he moved higher to the Senate, after a brick wall was mounted against him by the 'Super Man' of yesterday. From a House of Reps member for Alimosho, he got divinely elevated to becoming the Senator for Lagos West for two terms. He chaired the Finance Committee before berthing in his home State of Ogun. He wọn to become Senator for Ogun West, trouncing his distant rival, Ganiyu Dada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by coasting home in style and figures. The result stood at 112,887; 60,189, for YAYI of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Dada, respectively. Again, the result is disruptive for no Senator had even won by such a landslide margin in the chequered history of the senatorial district. Before reaching this milestone, morning had shown the day when he beat the seating Senator, Tolu Odebiyi with 294 to nill during the party primary, preparatory to the general election.
And talking about legislative duties which brought him to limelight, YAYI compares with the likes of Elijah Cummings, Earl Blumenauer, Dave Camp and Edward Royce all of the US Congress in terms of legislative effectiveness scores (LES). As his primary concern, the Senator representing Ogun West is reputed to have sponsored and co-sponsored 85 Bills, notably the Bill for the Establishment of Federal Medical Center, Ijebu-Ode; Sovereign Investment Authority Bill; National Commission for Women Act Bill; City University of Technology, Yaba Bill and Federal University of Technology, Ilaro, Bill in addition to the NDDC Act, amongst others. But for him, one may not have known that there is a day set aside world over to empower widows. Under his wife's CHADASH Charity, no less than 500 widows in Ogun West were empowered with requisite skills, given the tool of their respective trades and food items at an impressive ceremony recently held in Ilaro, YAYI's homestaed. He is their patron. He may want to moot the idea of creating 'Widower Day' to set yet a novel calendar for the world in the spirit of his disruptive nature! This men too, the widowers need him. One is not sure of any state which observed the IWD except the Senator's wife, Yeye AREMO of Yewaland, Chief (Mrs.) Temitope Adeola.
A commemorative Juma'at Service and Church Thanksgiving service had held at the Central Mosque and Catheral Church of Christ, all in Ilaro for the success of the hitch-free electioneering and inauguration of the Senator. The Mosque, a high rise under construction got N50million redeemed by the Senator. It was the first instalment (if I hear well which I did). The Church got a much-desired first of its kind Public Address System (PAS) which the vicarage showed much love and appreciation for. Who says the Disruptive Senator cannot spread such thanksgiving to the hinterland of Ogun West next. The economy of say Agosasa or Imeko or Igan Okoto can be impacted if and only when such activities move to them, next time. We wish the legislator a successful tenure and higher service to the Fatherland at the Executive Level in Ogun State, God willing. As a promise keeper, the entire Owode-Yewa Community awaits the contractor for the handling of Ọjà Owode-Sunday Ibadan Filling Station bye pass promised during electioneering tours and visit to Owode. Facilitation for the completion of the Owode-Ilaro road at the snail-paced section close to Owode is being awaited. Am I setting agenda? Not really. I'm doing a reminder that Saabo Market has to be saved from refuse so that traders will not move to the main road where they fled from when it became a killing field as a result of motor accidents and Customs unethical behaviour. The Owode scenario could be a metaphor for the entire Ogun West. May God further enable our AREMO for the onerous task ahead.
Congratulations, once again!
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