Nothing can be more painful than losing a promising child. Life in its entirety becomes worthless and meaningless if death strikes unannounced to snatch a loved one.
But, vital lessons must always be learnt from occurrences within our environment, these always serve as a yardstick for precautionary measures to evaluate life and counsel others.
Our ambition to become relevant and assume positions of authority is subject to the approval of God and our existence as mortals, the age-long wise saying, and “Man proposes God disposes” is still as effective and potent as ever. Henceforth, we should manage our lives using the Isiaka Adeleke’s model.
A personality who was bubbling with life, vigor and energy preparing for the 2018 gubernatorial election in his state, died suddenly, owing to uncertified report of medical negligence.
In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “nothing can be certain except death and taxes”. Life is indeed a vanity. Adieu Adeleke.
His rise in politics was meteoric. He was generous and charitable. He exhibited the attributes of great men as a tax collector in the old Ede district, a governor and senator. He was the political equivalent of Late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Arisekola Alao.
He was accessible, open and compassionate; finding a replacement for the late Adeleke philanthropy may take a long while. He lived a fulfilled life attaining heights and status of a statesman. His domineering influence is not less of a politician, he tried his best.
However, since the news of his death filtered in, across the length and breadth of Yorubaland, speculators and propagandists who have an axe to grind with another enigma, Rauf Aregbesola have not stopped pointing accusing fingers towards his direction.
This is understandable, out of sheer hatred and envy for his political sagacity and stardom; do not forget threat Ogbeni remains the only second term governor in the history of the state of Osun. This insinuation is as stupid as it is cruel.
Why will Aregbesola plot the elimination of Adeleke? Informatively, the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke, then an incumbent and serving senator under the PDP was roundly defeated in the 2011 National assembly elections in the Osun West senatorial district by a little known acolyte of Ogbeni; Senator Mudasiru Hussain. The margin of victory in this election was close to 50,000 votes.
This electoral drubbing was repeated in subsequent elections for the House of Representatives and House of Assembly in Ede. The defunct ACN decimated Adeleke and all his political machinery. The question therefore is why will Aregbesola, a consummate democrat, seek to kill a person who has turned an ally, a brother and veteran of the same political struggles?
Another interesting historical development was the golden opportunity handed over to Adeleke by Aregbesola when Senator Adeleke’s profile was threatened by the vampires in the PDP. We must not forget the harassment, humiliation and physical assault he experienced in the hands of the murderous gang in Osun PDP run-up to the 2014 gubernatorial election in the state.
The truth must be told, had Adeleke remained in the PDP to join forces with Senator Iyiola Omisore, Aregbesola would have won the August 9, 2014 election despite the over militarization of the space and intimidation of electorates. The reasons are not far-fetched, Aregbesola had become an unstoppable movement, a model of good governance, his footprints and monumental achievements have been inscribed in the minds and hearts of average residents and citizens of Osun.
His presence and symbol were everywhere, spread across the 30 local governments of the state of Osun.
To be sure, Rauf Aregbesola controls the political structures of the APC in Osun. He has demonstrated this position over and over again. It was this influence that gave Adeleke the senatorial ticket for Osun west district under APC against the dictates and advice of party stalwarts who rooted for the return of Senator Mudasiru Hussain.
Their claim then was that Adeleke had not spent two years as a progressive. If Aregbesola had allowed an open primary election, Hussein would definitely have emerged: So much for the wicked assassination humbug.
Politicians should place premium attention to their health status through comprehensive and regular medical check-up; we are all human and predisposed to sickness and illness. The fragility of life calls for care and caution in the management of it.
Osun PDP should mind its own internal crisis rather than seek to use the unfortunate demise of Adeleke to precipitate tension in Osun. Our State is not for grabs and certainly not a territory for hoodlums, political jobbers and vampires.
WRITTEN BY LATEEF KAREEM ADEBAYO
APC YOUTH LEADER, WARD ONE.
OSOGBO LG, STATE OF OSUN
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