Only a few will deny that by May 2011, Ogun State was a shadow of the reputation it enjoyed during the second republic.
Every infrastructure that gave happiness and good livelihood to the people had collapsed. There was general despondency which ushered in the ‘darkest period’ in the history of the state.
Ogun State, for all practical purposes, was, as at then, a classical example of a failed state.
That was the sordid and rancid background that ushered in the administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun on May 29, 2011. It was indeed a very hopeless case.
There were heaps of arrears of unpaid salaries, grounded infrastructure and a battered education industry and this was in addition to a highly demoralised work-force.
The roads were in complete ruin, industries were dead and at the point of burial, the taps were as dry and rusty as excavated pipes. Ogun State was in absolute terms, back to the dark ages.
But May 29, 2011 brought a wind of change. The rhythm of the music changed with the advent of the Owu born chartered accountant, as Amosun took oath of office as the Executive Governor of Ogun State.
Having left office almost six years ago, the least anyone as gifted as Senator Amosun can do today, is to behave like the lizard that fell from the Iroko tree: bathe itself in its own encomiums for the unprecedented feat, if nobody else is gracious enough to congratulate it.
And SIA, as he is fondly called by his admirers, has had cause to congratulate himself.
While in office, Amosun triumphed where many had faltered and fumbled.
Life story
A top-notch accountant, Ibikunle Oyelaja Oluwatoyin Amosun was born into a family of the Owu branch of the Yoruba in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria on January 25, 1958 (67 years ago today).
The Owu sub-ethnicity is a part of the Yoruba people of West Africa. Ago-Owu in Abeokuta is where the Owus are mostly concentrated, however large Owu settlements are found throughout Yorubaland.
Amosun was a very dutiful person from his childhood. His late mother, Alhaja Rafatu Alake Mojisola Amosun, was frying Ojojo (a fried derivative of yam). Before then, she was trading in foodstuffs, traveling from the village to Ebute Metta in Lagos, but later decided against the business.
So, in order not to sit at home doing nothing, she built her shop close to the house where she sold foods to students in Ita Iyalode where there were many schools. So, when little Amosun returned from school, he would hawk those foods for his mother to the extent that he was nicknamed ‘Toyin Olojojo (Toyin the Ojojo hawker).
Education
Ibikunle Amosun attended African Church Primary School, Abeokuta (1965-1970); African Church Grammar School, Abeokuta (1971-1977); Ogun State Polytechnic, Abeokuta (now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic) (1979-1983); University of Westminster, London (M.A. in International Finance, 2000).
Professional career
In 1984, he began his career as an audit trainee with Lanre Aremu & Co. (Chartered Accountants). He later joined XtraEdge Consulting as a managing consultant. From 1990, he was Principal partner of Ibikunle Amosun & Co. (Chartered Accountants) in Lagos.
Through industry and obsession for professional excellence, in 1996, he became an Associate Member, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.
In 1998, he became an Associate Member of the Institute of Taxation and in 2003; he crowned the glorious career with his induction into the hallowed portals of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria as a Fellow.
Family life
Senator Ibikunle Amosun got married to his beautiful wife, Olufunso (nee Odesanya), in September 1991.
Olufunso was born in London. She started her primary school education at St James Norland School in the United Kingdom. She returned home to attend Yejide Girls Grammar school in Ibadan (1977 – 1982), from here she progressed to Oyo State College of Arts and Science for her Advanced level education (1983 – 1985) before gaining admission into University of Ife, now known as Obafemi Awolowo University where she bagged a BA.ED in English Education.
For her youth service, she was posted to an information technology firm, where she trained professionals on ICT.
Then, Senator Amosun was a chartered accountant and the software programme for accounting was Lotus, which has evolved to Excel.
Olufunso was versed in information technology despite her degree in English Education. So, when Amosun’s company requested training for their professionals, Olufunso was the one assigned to go and train them and that was how they met.
They have been married for more than 33 years. The union has been blessed with children.
Political career
In April 2003, Amosun was elected to the senatorial seat of Ogun Central Senatorial district. He was an unsuccessful candidate to become the Governor of Ogun State in April 2007, running on the platform of the then All Nigeria People’s Party.
Amosun won the April 26, 2011 election running on the Action Congress of Nigeria platform with 377,489 votes. The late Adetunji Olurin of the People’s Democratic Party polled 188,698 votes and Gboyega Isiaka of the People’s Party of Nigeria came third with 137,051 votes.
In 2015, Senator Amosun contested for a second term as governor and won and completed his term on May 29, 2019.
On February 23, 2019, he was elected as the senator for the Ogun central senatorial district at the National Assembly.
Achievements as a governor
On assumption of office on May 29, 2011, Senator Amosun outlined the ‘Mission to Rebuild’ agenda of his administration, which was anchored on a five-cardinal programme namely:
*Affordable and Qualitative Education
*Efficient Health Care Delivery
*Agricultural Production and Industrialization
*Affordable Housing and Urban Renewal
*Rural and Infrastructural Development/ Employment Generation.
During his eight-year tenure as the governor of Ogun State, he remarkably and visibly changed the status of Ogun State for the better.
For most people in Ogun State, the momentum and tempo of development surpassed their wildest imagination. Road network in Abeokuta, Ijebu Ode, Sagamu, Imeko-Afon, Aiyetoro and hinterlands had never been so good.
The sheer size, spread and speed of economic activity generated a compelling, not just for indigenes in Nigeria and abroad but also for new businesses.
The development of Ogun State’s economic potential in the agricultural sector was a critical part of the ‘Mission to Rebuild’ agenda of his administration.
The proximity of Ogun State to a vibrant consumer market and the abundance of land and labour made the development of the sector compelling.
More than 40,221 hectares of agricultural land were allocated to the development of various crops and the raising of livestock, notably poultry. Priority crops included Cassava, Rice, Oil Palm, Cocoa and a range of vegetables. His administration entered into an agreement with the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture to develop a 500-hectare rice plantation, positioning Ogun State to help drive an important dimension of the national economic diversification efforts. It also developed farm estates for both crops and livestock, engaging young farmers within the state in agriculture.
Senator Amosun’s administration also launched 86 units of land-clearing equipment, the very first of such quantum purchase in one fell swoop since the creation of Ogun State, thus opening a new chapter in the history of the agriculture sector in the state.
The farm machinery included 4 CAT bulldozers, 30 MF 275 Xtra tractors, 33 Baldan Disc Ploughs, 15 Baldan Disc Harrows, 2 Baldan Rotary Slashers and 2 Baldan 4 Row–Planters.
In order to attract graduates of Agriculture and allied disciplines to farming and reduce unemployment, a model Farm Estate in Owowo, complete with modern social amenities was developed.
The Owowo Model Farm Estate was modeled after Farm Settlement Schemes of the old Western Region. It was built to create a modern farming community for youths to engage in integrated and sustainable agriculture – producing crops, livestock and applying best practices to ensure optimum returns.
Ultimately, these projects helped to change the view of young graduates towards agriculture as a wealth creation opportunity, especially in the area of value chain prospects.
Aside from related buildings, the settlement had 42 fully-equipped residences providing a good environment within which the participants carried out their agriculture production activities.
During his tenure, Ogun State reaped the maximum benefits from the enabling environment created for business growth.
The state was unarguably the most industrialized in Nigeria. More than 150 new industries were inaugurated between 2011 and 2019 and many more indicated interest in setting up their businesses in Ogun State before Senator Amosun left office.
In addition to these milestones, significant work was also done to support the Micro, Small and Medium size businesses. His administration partnered with the Bank of Industry to provide much needed funding for MSME entities, restructured and upgraded several markets across key cities in the state.
In eight years, several hundreds of kilometres of roads were constructed, expanded and resurfaced. The vision of the government was to create an environment that enabled businesses to thrive, attract investment and open up new and existing areas for growth.
Senator Amosun’s administration constructed the Ibara-Totoro Road, the first international standard six-lane road in the state.
He built the flyover at Ibara, Abeokuta, also the first constructed by any administration since the creation of the state in 1976. The first 10-lane boulevard, which begins at Sokori and opens up into the elaborate Itoku Bridge, is a stamp of modernisation affixed to the state capital.
Senator Amosun’s administration also brought to reality the Mobalufon overhead bridge in Ijebu Ode, which had been in the master plan of the state for decades, thus closing the slaughter-slab at the Mobalufon end of the Sagamu-Benin Road.
Other overhead bridges in Sabo, Sagamu, Lagos Garage in Ijebu Ode, Sapon and Iyana Mortuary in Abeokuta were also completed and commissioned.
A number of housing developments were also completed, catering for a range of income levels. These included HID Awolowo Housing Estate, developed by the Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Plainfields Estate, developed by the Ogun State Housing Corporation and targeted at middle income earners in the state and A.A.K Degun at Laderin, which was built primarily for civil servants.
There was also the President Muhammadu Buhari Estate. It is on a 170-hectares expanse of land along the Abeokuta-Sagamu expressway. It was designed as a Site-and-Services scheme and is strategically located at less than two minutes’ drive from the main Abeokuta township.
The introduction of the Homeowners’ Charter Programme in December 2013 also helped to redress the inherited huge stock of illegal residential buildings in the state and allowed homeowners to regularize the legal status and documentation of their properties with a view to curbing the spread of illegal developments across the state. Such measures were supportive of efforts to reposition housing in the state and to support the value of both land and property.
It is on record that Senator Amosun’s administration delved into areas hitherto considered off limits by past administrators of the state.
On assuming office, he promised the people a new lease of life and emphasized he had no business in government than to serve.
Bills sponsored as a Senator
Passed
.A Bill for the establishment of Federal University of Medicine & Medical Sciences, Abeokuta, Ogun State (SB.26).
• Child Rights Act 2003 (Amendment) Bill 2019 (SB.227)
• Nationwide Toll Bill, 2020 (SB.583)
Awaiting Committees’ Report
• Electronic Transactions Bill 2019
• South West Development Commission (EST ETC) Bill 2019
• Insurance Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (SB 578)
• Abduction, Wrongful Restraint & Confinement Bill, 2021 (SB 762)
Second Reading
• Counterfeit Goods Bill, 2021 (SB 768)
• National Industrial Technology Park (Establishment) Bill, 2021 (SB.850)
First Reading
• Investment & Security Act CAP 124 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill 2019
• Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (EST ETC) Bill 2019
• National Hospital for Women & Children Abuja Act (Amendment) Bill 2020
• Motor Vehicles Third Party Insurance Act (Amendment) Bill
• Miscellaneous Offences Provision Act CAP M17 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (SB. 597)
• Emergency Powers Bill 2021
• Mortgage Institutions & Allied Matters Act CAP M19 LFN 2004 Amendment Bill, 2021 (SB 757)
• National Institute for Sports Act Cap N54 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (SB.781)
• Suppression of Piracy Bill, 2021 (SB. 827)
• Patent and Design Act Cap P2 LFN 2004 (Repeal & Re-enactment) Bill, 2021 (SB. 880)
• Hazardous and Electronic Waste Control and Management Bill, 2022 (SB. 971)
Awards and honours
Senator Amosun’s leadership qualities and outstanding achievements have earned him recognition nationally and internationally.
In October 2012, he was awarded as the Best Security Conscious State Governor in West Africa by Security Watch Africa in Accra, Ghana. The award was presented by the Chairperson, Board of Trustees, Security Watch Africa, Dr. Theresa Oppory Beeko.
In September 2013, he received the Investment Development Icon Award for 2013 from African Leadership magazine in New York.
In November 2013, Businessday Newspaper in Lagos honoured him with the Good Governor Award as the governor of the fastest growing state economy.
In September 2014, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan conferred on him the National Honour Award as the Commander of the Order of the Niger.
He bagged the Governor of the Year award for 2016 for his outstanding achievement in leadership and infrastructural development. The award was conferred on him by the Nigeria Union of Journalists. He also won the Independent newspaper Nigeria Parliamentarian of the Year in November 2021.
There is no doubt that Senator Amosun had the drive, the initiative and the vision and he left Ogun State better than he met it. Very modest, articulate and principled, he is a silent performer who warmed himself to the hearts of the people with his populist programmes.
Happy birthday to Ajiri Omo Oye.
Durojaiye, Executive Editor, THE POINT NEWSPAPER, was Special Adviser (Information & Strategy) to Senator Amosun
