Since his inauguration, political speculators and socio-political pundits have taken a pose, presaging. Many are ready to document, applaud, vilify, criticize, and go as far as discredit the would-be efforts of the new representative. At the outset, questions of whether his political experience would measure up and if the elephantine legacy of his father, which hung precariously around his political aspiration, would not press him into the mud or, by his hands, ridicule it.
These concerns were almost right; the nature of the political successor of a political giant like Alao Akala will not only provoke acute social consciousness among those he led, and the concerns will then be to sustain the ‘Akalaism’ political thought. The demise upset and thwarted the hope and voices of many connected to it. Hence the mix of responsibility weight and legacy dangle.
Meanwhile, Olamijuwonlo Akala’s victory in the last election came with a bout of mixed feelings; it did not only set the leadership pendulum in motion for him but also reveal people’s concerns about what kind of leadership he was bringing into the system. Hypothetically, his mind was sandwiched between several distinct dilemmas. Perhaps to introduce progressive, people-minded ideas as a representative, make his impact and leave the scene, while on the other hand, marveling at the far-reaching and intimidating legacy of his father, which people were undoubtedly expecting to carry being the political heir of his father. Fortunately, however, the values align, but the all-round pressure persists. And the concern rings fiercely still.
Regardless, ‘Ojuoloore,’ as fondly called by everyone with a strong emotional ring, did not succumb to the temptation of imitation and carved a niche for himself amidst the behemoth of his father’s intimating legacy. His frequent demonstration of impeccable resourcefulness and commitment, as well as remarkable adeptness in his business of representation on and off of the green chamber, are telltales of his mezmerizing presence among his colleagues. His ability to convince and influence others into buying into the aspirations of common Nigerians, and notably to move both the ears and hands of the executives towards recognizing the voices coming out of his constituency, is admirable. With precision, each step made, each policy influenced, each motion moved, and a bill sponsored in the green chamber echoes the true meaning of people’s representation. These attributes reveal his determination towards social reconstruction and the progression of hardcore humanism in politics predicated upon need-targeting ideology.
Speaking of need-based solutions, Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala has proven to be a young political disruptor. During one of his earliest community debriefings, he suggested the need to stir the wheel of representative towards the needs of all composite communities within his constituency. His idea is predicated upon identifying the lacking and flourishing aspects of these communities to design a defined system of distribution of government incentives, programs, and projects. For instance, Oriire, one of the cardinal parts of the constituency, is an idyllic location for extensive agricultural activities, while Ogbomoso North is like an economic hub, followed by Ogbomoso South. This profound shift from conventional representative to a more pragmatic approach is a direct reflection of a leader who, as described expressly in the iconic commercial by the late Apple founder Steve Jobs said, “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. The only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”
A couple of weeks ago, Hon. Olamijuwonlo hosted in his Abuja residence a group of selected youths he sponsored to participate in the National Dialogue on Tax Reforms Bill at the National Assembly. While engaging us, the Honorable Olamijuwonlo earnestly remarks on his duty as a representative. When asked what inspires his unprecedented interest in the Oriire region of his constituency. He answered, “Well Oriire is a very large portion of my constituency and the most underdeveloped. It has the potential to be the food basket of the entire Ogbomoso and more. My concentration on the area is intentional and imperative. If we can fasten the development of that region through facilitation of infrastructural amenities and environmental awakening, the agricultural potential of the region will emerge from subsistence agriculture to a full-scale agricultural hub. Likewise, it’s a great delight and hope of our democracy when the children of farmers who feed the nation have good classrooms for educational business, solar light and other necessary amenities. ”
He proceeded with infectious joviality when someone raised concern for Ogbomoso North and South; his almost baritone voice emerged in between laughter. “You see, Oriire has been left dragging for long, and it’s apparent that the other parts of the constituency have received an almost equal level of concentration from the past representatives. So let’s take Oriire along also; let the development circulate and the dividends of representatives spread across the board. This highlights the importance of strategic planning and execution in leadership. It’s noteworthy that Hon. Olamijuwonlo has efficiently made credible impacts in educational, agricultural, youth development, infrastructure projects, etcetera. Perfectly underscores his seven-point agenda for Ogbomoso North, South and Oriire Federal constituencies.
“Ojuoloore” shines bright. Even though the term ‘Federal Representative’ might have been misconceived and beaten out of scope, sensitization is prominently needed. The misconception is not only cancerous to the overall perception of democratic society but has also ensured, in effect, that hardworking innocents suffer. This is usually the fate of Federal Representatives like Olamijuwonlo Alao Akala. Masses often misunderstand legislators for the flaws and inadequacies of the executives. How outrageous to see several lawmakers, in spite of their unremitting service, despite voicing out vehemently on critical issues and conducting impactful empowerment programs, in a twist of fate, stand at the receiving end of acerbic rhetoric. While the idle, lily-livered executives zoom their SUVs around untouched.
To maintain decorum and create a nexus of responsibility, the public must be educated about the role each person plays in the grand scheme of affairs. Meanwhile, over the years, the young legislator has played both the role of legislator and executive. Without a single complaint, has demonstrated uncommon leadership qualities. Needless to mention his unique need-based empowerment program conducted in accordance with his unique formulas. With integrity, he has delivered the federal government incentives to his people without reservation, following his need-based ideas.
Fascinatingly, Olamijuwonlo is moving the needle and changing the narrative altogether. His vibrant performance in motion for the creation of a new state (Oyo-Ogbomoso) is highly commendable. Olamijuwonlo has demonstrated unparalleled analytical skills and critical judgment, almost all with timely and quality contributions. Recently, he called for redress of a budget that excluded the Oyo-Ogbomoso-Ilorin road. He expertly expatiates on the issue with the road and how it plays significant roles in the economic activity of North, South, and Western Nigeria, making it one of the busiest roads in Nigeria. And this critical comment reshaped the budgetary and reechoed proper representation. That being one major influencing factor that necessitated President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval of the completion of the dualization of roads and the construction being transferred to Messrs. JRB Construction. It alleviates the longstanding concerns of the masses as the JRB Construction’s equipment has arrived in their numbers, signaling better days ahead.
A couple of days before the 2023 general election, Mr. Sunday Adepoju presented an interesting subject capturing the sustenance of the Akala Legacy in his illustrious article, “How Akala’s history may die if Olamiju Alao-Akala…” The article did justice in establishing the twists and turns nature of issues that usually animate the succession of legacy in Nigerian political figures. He cites numerous historical figures and how their children failed to leverage the legacy of their predecessors to the best of it. The assertiveness of this article laid bare the important implication of each decision that Akala’s son makes in the future. But all was resting precariously upon the outcome of the election. To the surprise of the public, Hon. Olamijuwonlo Alao Akala has not only demonstrated excellently; he has raised the bar and stands as a representation of pragmatic leadership.
However, he’s not without his flaws. He’s absolutely not an inerrant in any way. One of the major concerns that people ceaselessly raised is more transparency and proper oversight in the distribution of dividends from his representation. Some have suggested that a system should be devised to control the directions and locations of projects and programs facilitated to ensure far-reaching distribution beyond the existing network of few people. While some proffered that “Ojuoloore” himself should start overseeing the disbursement of the proceedings of his efforts.
Nevertheless, it’s sane to agree that Olamijuwonlo has been a pleasing people’s choice, and his efforts to make Ogbomoso heard are noticeable. Meanwhile, as I round up this canto, I must reveal that the hallmark of “Ojuoloore’s” representation is pragmatism–constantly hitting bullseyes. Without mincing words, Olamijuwonlo started with an impressive momentum leading to his incredible performance as a representative. It’s equally fascinating to watch him scribe his name in the hearts of people. Because of their deep people-minded leaderships, one could hypothesize that his father would have started and served this same purpose had life handed him the legislative role.
Rather than downplaying the impact of the young legislator by comparing him with his father, it’s advisable to redirect the efforts towards seeing the indelible impact of the young legislator since elected into the office. Despite the constraints imposed by limited resources, his efforts have outweighed expectations, making him shine bright despite the odds stacked against him. He’s a progressive leader whose next action the public, particularly youth should anticipate.
