Rasheed: Confession of a politician masquerading as journalist By Ismail Omipidan

Rasheed: Confession of a politician masquerading as journalist

By Ismail Omipidan

Ordinarily, considering the fact that you have no credible responses to all the posers I raised in my previous pieces, I would not have dignified you with any further response. But the need to set the record straight and correct some patent lies and misinformation contained in your last article necessitated this reply.

My seniors and some well-meaning Osun citizens asked me to ignore you, but I pleaded with them to allow me puncture your lies on the equipping of Ila Orangun General Hospital and other sundry issues raised by you. I promise that after this, I will no longer respond to you except on governance and political issues.

Let me state straight away that Ila General Hospital, which you claimed was equipped by your government, was actually equipped by a Foundation, promoted and facilitated by an Ila Orangun indigene. Besides, those equipment were taken to equip Ede General Hospital. When I say you lie shamelessly, I meant it because I know you.

Please, meet your Principal, find out the facts about Ila General Hospital. In one of the pieces I wrote earlier in the year, I even challenged the rationale behind taking our equipment to Ede until a representative of the Foundation put out a post to explain that the governor actually requested for Ede to benefit from the Ila gesture. Find attached the link to that story. ( https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=624629226222261&id=100060255671000&mibextid=9R9pXO). That’s that.

Well, I am not a politician and I have never claimed to be one. I am still a journalist as at this period. For you to admit that you have been a politician since 1999 shows that you were only masquerading as a journalist. Now, we know better. You may have worked in all those places you mentioned but your antecedents with those who have encountered you, including a former female lawmaker shows you do not have any enviable record of service. Since you left the Abuja office of the Nigerian Tribune, the people there have appreciated what is called peaceful co-existence.

I am on leave of absence from The Sun Newspapers, and I can return there any time. I had previously worked with the defunct The Comet. Even when they were owing me eight months’ salary arrears, I got an advert and did not use the proceeds to pay myself the arrears I was owed. Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, former Lagos State Information Commissioner was my editor at the time. He is alive. Cross check with him.

I have had working relationships with prominent Nigerians, including former and serving governors, ministers, and lawmakers.
Meet them, meet those close to them, ask about me in private and public. Olawale Rasheed, the difference between us in strength of character is like the difference between light and darkness because I have never exhibited any blackmail tendencies in my dealings with them. Olawale Rasheed, do you have such enviable record?

Let’s look at the media industry, in all the newspaper houses where I have worked, there was no time a notice was placed banning me from accessing the premises for embezzlement and fraud. Again, let our colleagues in Osun, Abuja and Lagos states subject the two of us to public scrutiny with respect to competence, character content, attitude and human relations. I certainly will tower above you in all ramifications. Heed the advice from colleagues in Osun so they can have better tales to tell about you by the time you are out of office. You challenged me, that is why I have come this far. It was never my intention. And even at that, I think I should even stop here so I don’t offend the sensibilities of some of my admirers and well wishers.

On Edenisation, I never changed the goal post. I was only bringing in additional points. I spoke about the appointment of permanent secretaries which was tilted towards Ede. I spoke about appointment of commissioners where Ede and all those close to the Adelekes were favoured. Look at the state Ministry of Health, your Principal appointed a lawyer to oversee the ministry not because he loves the lawyer but so that the friend of the Adelekes who is from Ondo State can oversee the ministry as Special Adviser on behalf of the family. That’s another Edenisation. The conceptual definition of Edenisation is the process of appointing only Ede people and those close to the Adelekes into strategic positions and favouring Ede in project siting and execution.

I make bold to say that the Edenisation going on is not strange. The late Senator Isiaka Adeleke as Governor did the same thing. But I will not expose all that now. At the appropriate time, I shall return to it. So, if anyone is praising the governor today, it is those within his cycle who have benefitted from the Edenisation. Even the governor recently acknowledged the fact that all was not well. Recall that during the inauguration of the Special Advisers and chairmen of boards, he sang ” ko si ogbon to le da… (There is nothing you can do to satisfy human beings ).” This, shows clearly that even within the fold, all is not well. Let’s leave the details for another day.

Most times, when you guys have nothing to say, you just say I lied. But you are usually unable to point out the lies. I have pointed out some of your lies here and in my previous articles. For instance, it is on record that we abolished the use of Coordinating Directors and Council Managers before we left office. So, which reform have you carried out in the civil service that you are talking about?

You guys know how to lie. All the governorship candidates who attended the Channels TV and BBC governorship debates heard your Principal loud and clear. It was in response to that, that my Principal, Oyetola, warned his fellow contenders not to play politics with people’s lives by promising what was practically impossible considering the fragile economy of Osun. Even the pensioners you met with and signed a pact with are still alive. You promised them six months. Stop lying.

I am glad that for the first time you have admitted that about three million naira (N3m) was expended on each of the boreholes. But why did it take you this long to tell us the cost, even though I know it is not true.

However, I hope you will not come back in the future to say you never said so by the time we publish the details of the said contract.

Recall that after lying to the public that we engaged 12, 000 workers, you came back three months later to say you did not know where the figure came from.

Finally, Olawale Rasheed, apart from the fact that your responses are usually very watery, I have also come to realise that it will be a waste of my precious time to continue to engage with you because we do not share the same field of experience. I wish you well. But you will do well to change tactics and drop your blackmailing tendencies.

Omipidan, a journalist and Public Affairs Analyst writes from Ile Olorisa Compound, Eyindi, Ila Orangun.