Will Tinubu be fair to Baba Fashoranti this time time? – Akeredolu

The current news trending in Ondo State is about Pharm. Kehinde Fashoranti, the son of the Yoruba Patriarch and living legend, Papa Reuben Fashoranti. The talk of his deputy governorship ambition for Ondo in 2024 has been prominent in major political arenas, projecting the likely outcome of the situation.

There is no doubt that the governorship is going to the southern senatorial district of Ondo State, which includes local governments like Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Odigbo, Irele, Ile-Oluji-Okeigbo, and Okitipupa. Many political bigwigs have shown interest, such as Chief Olusola Oke, H.E. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and Bar. Morayo Lebi, Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim, Hon. Jimmy Odimayo, and others. In a contest of this magnitude, there will be many pretenders negotiating for other positions which may explain the innumerable aspirants currently jostling for number one seat.

The heart of the matter in today’s article is about the deputy governorship slot coming to Ondo central senatorial district, which includes Akure South and North, Ondo East and West, Idanre, and Ifedore local governments. Akure South may likely produce the deputy governor in preparation for the topmost political seat that will be coming to Ondo Central after the tenure of Ondo South in the upcoming dispensation which be Akure’s turn to produce the governor .

Many great individuals may show interest, or rather, are far more qualified for this position of the second-ranking citizen in the Sunshine State. Examples include Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde (Abena), a former two-term representative member, board chairman, and SSG. Hon. Oluwatuyi (Tukana), a former chairman of Akure South, a former commissioner in Dr Mimiko’s and Aketi’s administrations, and served as SSG when Abena resigned towards the end of Aketi’s first term.

Others, such as Mrs Wumi Edet, a former SA to the governor and elected parliamentarian in Lagos state, who was also a commissioner in Aketi’s first term, a representative and senatorial aspirant. Bar. Adaramola Adu, the popular Adu Cubana, and many illustrious sons of this great and friendly community may still signify their interests. Akure has many great individuals who are achievers in their various fields of endeavour. This time, many of them will compete, considering the timing and advantages.

In 1998, when the military junta led by Gen Abubakar Abdulsalam started the transition program to democracy following the demise of the dreaded Gen Sanni Abacha. The NADECO group members, the major democratic agitators against the Gen. Sanni Abacha’s administration , were the targets of this Kano-born, highly favoured commissioned military officer but the most wicked dictator of all times in Nigerian history. Many of its members, such as Mr Alfred Rewane, Mrs Kudirat Abiola, and her husband, Chief MKO Abiola, paid the supreme price with their lives for our democracy.

In the same vein, many of them were remanded in various prisons across the nation for their singular offence of asking for our current democracy. This group later metamorphosed into the Alliance for Democracy as a party, and Yoruba Patriarch, Papa Reuben Fashoranti, was contacted to be the governor of Ondo state, considering his great contribution to the struggle for the actualization of the then-nascent democracy during the transition stage.

He behaved like a typical Yoruba leader, full of the virtues of Omoluabi, rejecting this great offer of his life and preferring it for his friend, Chief Adebayo Adefarati from Akungba Akoko, who later became the governor between 1999 to 2003. It’s worth noting that both Pa Reuben Fashoranti and Chief Adebayo Adefarati were disciples of Chief Awolowo and Chief Adekunle Ajasin. They served as the commissioners for finance and work in the administration of this evergreen Owo-born former Ondo state governor.

The Alliance for Democracy later lost out due to political shenanigans orchestrated by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003, except for Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu of Lagos state, who survived the evil plot of the PDP that denied the rest of the AD governors in the Southwest a second term and subsequently sent the party to extinction. However, the Yoruba social-cultural association has been recognized as the voice for Yoruba’s interests.

When Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu had a problem in 2018/19 in the APC, contemplating quitting the party, he came to Akure to have a closed-door meeting with the Afenifere group, led by Pa Reuben Fashoranti. Later, the issue was resolved with the replacement of Chief Odigie Oyegun with Comrade Adam Oshiomole as the APC national chairman.

In 2022/2023, when people like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, and some Yoruba leaders decided to support an Igbo man of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, Pa Reuben Fashoranti, Bashorun Sehinde Arogbofa, and some Afenifere members supported Jagaban of Borgu and ensured the dream of another Yoruba man ruling the country became a reality. Thank God, Asiwaju of Lagos state, with his present position, has fulfilled the greatest dream of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief MKO Abiola.

Since the inception of this democracy, many who never suffered for the earned government of the people, by the people, and for the people, which has transcended the two decades, have enjoyed it with their children. For example, Gov. Akeredolu Oluwarotimi SAN, who served as the attorney general to a military administrator of Ondo state while his kinsman, the national leader of NADECO, Pa Adekunle Ajasin, was arrested in suppression of this agitation. Arakunrin has benefited, with his family members turning into the Alpha and Omega in the Sunshine State, despite being used by the military dictator in the past against democracy.

It’s only a few individuals like Pa Reuben Fashoranti who haven’t benefited anything from the politics of this dispensation, despite being at the forefront of the democratic struggles from day one to this moment. Now that his bona fide son, who is also an Afenifere member, has been implored by various professional groups to join the deputy governorship race, will Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and the entire Ondo state indigenes use this opportunity to compensate Pa Fashoranti’s family for their past pains and sacrifices? There is no doubt that the influence of Jagaban of Borgu in the upcoming governorship election in the Sunshine State cannot be overemphasized. The recent national assembly leadership elections are pointers that our current president will have an interest in and decide where the pendulum swings when the chips are down in Ondo 2024 for both the governor and its deputy.

Peoplesmind