Osun State Governor Ogbeni Rauf Aragbesola, shorn of all airs off office, calls himself an unconventional governor. Amidst allegations that he was coordinating plans by his party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to secede and Islamise Osun, he quipped: “I couldn’t even Islamise my nuclear family.” He spoke with KODILINYE OBIAGWU and SEYE OLUMIDE in Lagos. Excerpts:

AT a particular time, your health was an issue, how is it now?

My health was never an issue to me. I never had any health problem and on several times I made Nigerians understand that my health is in a perfect condition. I don’t know why some people chose to make an issue out of my health.

I cannot imagine why people should broadcast what is not there. Anyway, it is their problem. They should be asked what they felt or saw that made them to be concerned about my health.

They said that I travelled abroad and does the fact that I travelled mean that my health is in a bad condition? When did travelling become an issue in Nigeria? I went for the graduation of my daughter and also went for Umra Hajj (the lesser hajj), which was a religious trip.

There was never an issue with my health. I have been healthy all along and I am as fit as a fiddle. The media will do well to ask those people why they are making an issue out of my health.

What is it in the new Osun identity that you are pursuing with so much passion?

The Osun identity was an exercise to inculcate in the people a new way of seeing and doing things; it is an ethical movement, an exercise to let the people peep into their culture and value that which will motivate them to greater appreciation for themselves. It is an acceptance of their identity and roles as individuals.

We deliberately chose February 25 last year, the anniversary of the day that the Western Region gained self-government from the British rule in 1955 to launch it. We gave ourselves a new slogan, designed a flag and adopted the regional crest of the Western Region in which we could be identified. Our people now called themselves omoluabi, which is the epitome of character. This is the meaning of the new identity; it simply celebrated the power and victory of our people. It is working and it is having a positive effect on the people’s well being.

Why do you think some people have said that the Osun identity is an avenue for you to pursue a personal agenda?

Anybody is free to his or her thinking and it is not possible to determine the thinking of anybody. I have repeated the motives for what we did and I do not know what compels the reaction or response of others. But to all genuine Yoruba people, and not just the people of Osun, what we are doing has a lot of meaning and is acceptable.

I do not know why people should feel sad that our people found motivation. But from our survey, what we did is wonderful. I cannot explain what those who have issues with the identity are thinking. It is amazing that some people are faulting such a noble exercise for mobilising our people.

Do you find the allegation branding you a religious fundamentalist amazing?

I see the darts been thrown at me by a tiny group of disgruntled politicians. I want to assume that we are having the death throes of that group. We handled their concerns about my health, yet they held onto it. They acted as if it is a crime to go abroad for a medical check-up. They could not continue to dwell on that and their latest is the battle cry of secession and religious bigotry. Nobody, except the dubious could say that my public life for over 12 years in Lagos State had any religious inclination. If my public life all these years does not have religious stain, how would one year and a half become an issue about religion?

They should know that my administration has given opportunity for all religions, including animists to participate in official functions. Which other state does that? If that is the only thing I have done, does it signpost me as a religious bigot? In the history of Osun, no administration has given fillip to Christian celebrations as much as we have. In the last two Christmas seasons, we have decorated major cities in the state. Last December we went beyond the decorations and had an hour fire works to usher in the New Year. Beyond that, I am the only governor that ever gave free ride to travellers during the festive period. During the Easter celebrations, we provided free transportation to Christians travelling from Lagos to Osun. Will a man pursuing the Islamisation of a territory do that?

I campaigned with a promise to build a convention ground for Christians that will accommodate nearly 200, 000 people. I met with Pastors Adejare Adeboye, Williams Kumuyi and Matthew Asimolowo and all other Christians in Osun to see that the project is realised and they are already working on it. How could any sane mind accuse a government that does all that of Islamisation?

My background does not justify their suppositions. For example, if I have not succeeded in Islamising my nuclear family, how will it be possible for me to Islamise a state. My immediate younger sister, from the same parents is a Christians. I have not been able to convert her to Muslim; how would I therefore attempt to Islamise a state?

How worried are you about this allegation of fundamentalism especially at this time when the Boko Haram religious sect is carrying out attacks against churches in the northern parts of the country?

It can’t be a comfortable feeling when you are not an armed robber and somebody is associating you with it, but I am not rattled by the propaganda. I don’t feel anything rather than the need to educate people on this falsehood.

Did you travel to North Africa recently?

I did not travel to North Africa.

But it was alleged that you went to Cuba…

There is no iota of truth in all that. Should I continue to explain the lie in all this? It will be unbecoming of a man that has been in the public life for more than a decade to suddenly turn to a religious extremist. I am as tolerant as I have always been and nobody associated with me during my stint in Lagos would accuse me of religious extremism.

The talk about North Africa is another reason we should not take them serious. North Africa is no longer a territory free for fundamentalism. There are five countries in the North of Africa and they are no longer territories fit for fundamentalism. Egypt and its neighbour Libya (with the ouster and death of Gadaffi) have been stripped of any extremism. The fundamentalists cannot even survive talk less of anybody going there to propagate fundamentalism. Tunisia, Algeria and Morroco are countries free from any extremist tendencies and any form of fundamentalism. They are mindless characters without imagination.

What of the plans to secede?

Osun is landlocked between five states, Kwara, Ondo, Oyo, Ondo, Ogun and Ekiti. Where is the chance in hell for such a landlocked territory to think of secession? It is laughable.

As a governor, you have also been accused of perhaps being too forthright, saying things without mincing words…

I have been like this. Those who know me know that this is how I have always been. I have not aspired anything different. I am not a conventional governor. In my campaign documents I wrote that we are going to have an unusual governor and not a conventional governor. I have a duty to initiate a project of rapid phenomenal development. When I was in school I used to say that time chases Africa and Africa is in a hurry and cannot be at the bottom of the world and still be sedate and calm. I am a reflection of the turmoil in our land, which we must do everything to remove. We must do everything to mobilise our people to the hype of productivity and understanding of self-worth that will take us out of the rot we are in. If there is anything about me it is the passion to see to quick realisation of our march to progress. At the back of my action and my words, I do not see myself in expensive regalia, imperial or robust and moving and instructing like a king but I see myself as a worker.

What is your relationship with the former governor of Lagos, Bola Tinubu?

He is my brother, my mentor and motivator and he represents the focus of our political determination. He is what our land needs now.

Have you heard of the speculations that your loyalty to Tinubu is part of a succession plan in which you feature strongly?

Tinubu should answer if there is anything he is thinking about a succession plan. He is not yet ready to quit the stage; in fact we have just celebrated his 60th anniversary. If the likes of Robert Mugabe and Olusegun Obasanjo are still in politics, what is the issue about Tinubu? He is waxing strong; he is not about to go yet.

What is your relationship like with the Ondo Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko?

We are both governors and we have some similarities. I have no problem or personal issues with him other than that I want my party to progress across all the states of Nigeria and even win the presidency.

You are seen as the arrowhead of the push to oust Mimiko…

If democracy is the basis of government, it calls for struggles of territories and states. We are contesting in a democratic setting for powers and it is my desire as well as those of all the ACN members to expand beyond where we are at present, Ondo inclusive. It is my desire that my party extends beyond Ondo, Kogi, Kwara and all other places where a people friendly government is needed.

Comment on the plans of the PDP in the South West to find its feet?

PDP will self-destruct. Where do you place a party that held power for eight years and could not leave anything lasting? PDP will go with time and we are determined to provide a better alternative.

-Guardian

Posted by admin on Apr 18 2012. Filed under Headlines, Osun, State News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry