HOW I’ILL TRANSFORM OSUN STATE- AYOADE LAWAL, GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFUL
Story by: Oki Samson
Engr. Lawal Ayoade, Osun State APC Governorship Aspirant
The Twenty Seven (27) years old State of Osun is set to get a new democratically elected Governor come 22nd September. As the election gathers heat with political parties scaling up plans to field a credible candidates, many contenders has shown interest in succeeding Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and one of them is Engineer Ayoade Afolabi Lawal, an indigenous son of iwo in Osun State and Ile ife by mother side, a devoted member of the ruling All Progressive Party (APC) and a grassroot politician highly respected among his people.
Engr. Ayoade Lawal met with media personalities in Lagos recently to speak on his decision to run for the Osun State governorship election. The APC gubernatorial hopeful spoke on his driving force, economic development and modalities to reengineer sustainable growth and development for the sun shine state.
He said that “godfatherism” would not be a factor for him in the 2019 governorship because he has decided to make the people of Osun state his political godfathers. He commended the current administration led by Ogbeni Aregbesola he stated that, “The current government has embarked on aggressive infrastructural development and the next stage is to attract real investors to the state and with my fountain of knowledge as an engineer, the state of the living spring will wear a new look during my regime as the newly elected governor”.
Below is the excerpt, enjoy:
Trek Africa: Can we meet you Sir?
Lawal: My name is Engineer Ayoade Afolabi Lawal a native of iwo and my mother is from Ile ife the cradle of Yoruba race, I am an engineer and chemical engineer to be precise.
Trek Africa: How do intend to govern osun state with the unattractive resources?
Lawal: The resources is lean and as an Engineer, these are part of the reason why we people like engineer are in place, if the resources of Osun State is being managed optimally, humanly, there will be a huge capital differences in natural resources within the country, I have a strong passion for development I am optimistic that the challenges in Osun State are temporary as most people don’t look at future but only what they want to benefit they get at the present moment.
The fact that Osun State is not attractive at the moment doesn’t mean that is how it is going to be forever at least we can all see without any sentiment that good project are being put to place by the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola starting from Infrastrural, Education, security to agriculture, I will turn around those impression by bringing a drastic turnaround in terms of investment which I have the formula.
Trek Africa: What qualifies you to be the forthcoming governor of Osun State?
Lawal: As a chemical engineer, what we do in that area of the profession is industrialization, I have a vision of Osun being the future industrialization in the whole West Africa in human capital in production and this is where we can create job for the youth and the old which I strongly believe with my working experience, I have the capability of making Osun an industrious center.
Engr Lawal Ayoade, how i’ll transform Osun State if, elected
Trek Africa: What do intend to focus on if elected?
Lawal: Governor Rauf Aregbesola has done his best as a mechanical engineer which his legacy has been set in terms of visible infrastructure projects which people are going to appreciate when he leaves office, my focus is industrialization and it’s going to pump in other sector like Agriculture, Education, Security, Health and others positively. Building of Agro Allied company to increase the GDP and enable people to live comfortably.
Redefining the youths by setting up meaningful employment through the Agro allied as it is very wide for the youth so as to put a stop to vices and menace in the state is also part of my agenda.
Trek Africa: We all know all know Nigeria politics is all about cash, how do you intend to finance your gubernatorial ambition?
Lawal: Nigeria politics is not different from any other politics all over the world as long as we are under a democratic government, I will tell you in terms of finance I am doing my bit as we get support from those who strongly believes in our dream. Finance, I will continue to do my best while we cannot thread above the mortal vein.
Trek Africa: Most of your opponents are politically motivated and what are your chances of winning primary and how far have you gone in consultation?
Lawal: As per my opponents, everyone has freedom to contest so as I also have freedom to gun for any position I desire, I believe in primary and by the grace of God I shall triumph as I have been consulting the who and who in Osun politics and taking the advice given at every point in time.
I am showcasing myself and I advice them to do theirs and it will end up being the people’s choice to decide because they know what they want.
Engr. Lawal Ayoade; i can turn osun state to the industrial hub of africa if elected…
Trek Africa: What is your relationship with Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola ?
Lawal: Governor Rauf Aregbesola is a well respected leader in Osun State politics and we look up to him as the leader of the party, asides that there is cordial relationship between us.
Trek Africa: Are you ready to step down if eventually the party party resolved to inform you about this decision?
Lawal: Who is going to tell me to step down?
In the current dispensation there is internal democracy and as such everyone should face the primary and whoever win shall be the party candidate and this will never makes me change my decision and love for the party even if I don’t win at the primaries, i will rather drums support for my party and it’s candidates to emerge in the forth election.
Trek Africa: Why did you think people of Osun State should choose you above other aspirant?
Lawal: First of all, we have different stages in life and I have seen life, the good, the bad and the ugliest. I have a burning passion for Osun State and with my working experience and exposure, waking with most international, Chevron, Exon Mobile to mention few, I believe I can use this as leverage in developing Osun State. I know how to manage wealth, I know how it looks when one is unemployed, I see myself in the best position to manage aggressive human capital in a responsible and optimal ways.
We can put together pool of intellectual with the connection we have to bring drastic changes to the state of Osun State. We will focus on production and this is why we are going to bring much producing companies to boost the Internal Generated Revenue of Osun State.
Culture and Tourism too will be leverage to boost economic growth.
Trek Africa: Can you rate the current administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola so far?
Lawal: As we can all see, Governor Rauf Aregbesola has performed wonderfully in terms of infrastructure, and my regime by God’s grace will focus on production industries after the governor has open up the state with good road network.
On eduction, he has also done his best in putting in place quality education for the people of Osun State and my government shall continue from wherever he stops.
Trek Africa: How are you going about the huge debt of the state, How do you intend to go about it?
Lawal: In accounting, they say debt is an asset but what one must be focused on is ability not to go beyond limits. Well, the debt, we will look for options of negotiations and incentive of striking a deal in payment of the huge debt.
When I become governor we shall put to place benefits of cost ratio measures by looking at the perceptions where we are spending the money and the benefits within the period of borrowing.
Trek Africa: What is your view on zoning formula in the forthcoming election?
Lawal: It is highly welcomed, and for the fact that I happened to come from the west and I comes from the expected zoning senatorial district and I believe in all fairness
Trek Africa: How are you going to handle the education sector as so many graduates are not well grounded as we speak? What plan are you putting in place to end this menace.
Lawal: It saddens me when I think of the education sector in the country as the level of education depreciates day by day as most pupils have gone with computer age, even to recite times tables which is the basis of knowledge during our days is difficult to so many students of this generation instead they make use of calculator to get simple calculations. Without any iota of doubt all these ipads, computers are taking over our educational culture. We are going to return to the basis and the pupils will be mandated to learn the way we did to enhance the mental health of our upcoming generations. And I will want to go and teach basic subjects in one of the schools to encourage the teachers and organize trainings for the teachers go go more or less traditional to come back to our normal culture.
The mushroom school will follow a natural terrain as it will die a natural death after inspection will have taken to check it out.
I’m the next Governor of Osun State- Engr. Lawal Ayoade
