By Adeyinka Adeniran
A Professor of African History, Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Ibadan, Isaac Olawale Albert has appealed to Nigerians to be mindful of the criticism of the policies of President Bola Tinubu so as not to discourage him from reaching the full potentials of his vision.
The don who was the Pioneer Dean, Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies said the recent creation of some new ministries by the President, particularly the ministry of Marine and Blue Economy as well as that Art, Culture and Creative Economy among others are indications that that the President saw several things that could take the country forward.
Prof Albert spoke on Saturday as the lead paper presenter at the 6th Annual Senator Abiola Ajimobi Roundtable and 74th post humous birthday of the late former Oyo State governor held with the theme “Re-Engineering Nigeria for Sustainable Development, Options, Costs and Prospects”
The event which held at Senator Abiola Ajimobi Resource Centre, Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Ibadan held under the chairmanship of Vice President Kashim Shettima while Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and immediate past Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje was the special guest of honour.
Delivering his lecture, Prof Albert commended President Tinubu for the initiative on diversification of the economy saying the people are expectant on the administration.
He said “The President has created some new ministries and one of the most interesting of them is the Blue Economy. The Blue Economy in Nigeria is rich. With oil not properly exploited, divesting into the sea suggested to me that the man saw several things and we should allow him to come up with all that he is looking at that will take this country forward.
“Criticism of the President might prevent him from telling us all that he saw or that he is seeing and therefore, we should encourage him.
“And the next one also is the Ministry of creative industry. Anywhere I go in the world, people talk about Nollywood than any other thing.”
He at the event recount an experience in one of foreign trips when he approached an hotel and people started coming out to see him and look at him thinking that he was a Nollywood actor from Nigeria.
He said the foreigners were disappointed when he corrected them that he was a teacher and not an actor or movie star from Nigeria as speculated.
“Now, If we have that type of reputation outside as a result of Nollywood, I was asking myself why is it that government cannot see it, invest in it and use it to the advantage of the country. And that we are just seeing”, he added.
Governor Seyi Makinde was represented at the event by his deputy, Bayo Lawal.
Also, politicians from major political parties within and from outside the state were at the event in their good numbers.
Ajimobi, who died in 2020, ruled the state as governor between 2011 and 2019.
Some of the notable personalities at the event Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State; Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu; Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Dr. Zacheus Adedeji; former Minister for Trade, Mrs. Onikepo Akande; former Minister for Finance, Kemi Adeosun; and the deceased’s wife, Florence Ajimobi.
Others are the senator representing Oyo North, Dr. Abdulfatai Buhari; Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Saliu Adelabu; Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale; former Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Professor Adeolu Akande; former APC Chairman, Chief Akin Oke; Professor Tunji Olaopa and Professor Tajudeen Akanji.
Also at the event are former Assistant Inspector General of Police Leye Oyebade, former ALGON Chairman Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, friends, family members and associates of the former governor.
In his remarks, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu appealed to the leadership of the APC to put mechanisms in place to address the grievances of members of the party in Oyo State.
Noting that the party does not have a unifying leader in the state at the moment, Adelabu described Ajimobi as his great benefactor who persuaded him to contest the governorship election in 2019.
He said that Ajimobi encouraged him to resign as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to contest the governorship election in 2019.
Also in a goodwill message, the Vice Chancellor, UI, Prof Kayode Adebowale described the deceased as one of the most highly revered personalities Nigeria has produced.
He added that the former governor introduced some initiatives which helped to ensure the security of lives and property in the state during his tenure.
Adebowale said, “Today, we are here gathered again to honour posthumously one of the most highly revered personalities that this country has produced; an illustrious son of Ibadan, a former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the first two-term Governor of Oyo State who served from 2011-2019 and thereafter served as the Deputy National Chairman South of the All Progressive Congress (APC) – the Late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
“Everyone who knew Oyo State and especially Ibadan before his reign can attest to the high level of crime and insecurity in the state, such as armed robbery, including banks in front of University; the NURTW perennial crisis in the state, and all manners and forms of insecurity.
“The establishment and equipping of the ‘Operation Burst’ took care of the problems of insecurity in the state. With regards to the NURTW menace, some people went to prison and that brought about peace in the state throughout his eight-year tenure”.
