Collective wisdom of both the old and the young ones formed the cradle of the Yoruba origin at Ile-Ife, so goes a Yoruba adage. So, as the young grow and socialize via the wisdom of elders, the elderly should not forget their wisdom at the back of their palms by refusing to heed pieces of advice from the young ones.

Exactly a year ago (March 1st, 2021), I wrote an open letter to the former governor titled "Open Advisory Note to Osun ex-governor, Rauf Aregbesola". I considered my humble advice imperative at the time, at least, to allay Ogbeni's apprehension of displacement in the Osun All Progressives Congress party.

However, I got a vicarious exposure to Ogbeni's audacious viral outbursts on February 14, 2022, at Zenabab Hotel, Ilesha, Osun State, where he addressed members of 'The Osun Progressives' (TOP), his self-style-adherent intra-party antagonistic group. I am still none the wiser, as I could not fathom Ogbeni's rationale, in his infinite wisdom, for championing an opposition in his own party, where his leadership, especially in Osun was hitherto well accepted.

As a reminiscence of his viral vituperations at Ilesha, and public intimidation at Osogbo, and of course, the reactionary public condemnation cum vehement criticisms that followed, my humble 'Advisory Note' to the ex-governor is herewith revisited, as fore warned is fore armed!

The 16-paragraph 'Note' extolled Aregbesola's political bravery, valour and comradeship, as it described him not only as "a vibrant Engineer, but also a dogged fighter, democratic fundamentalist, and even a political revolutionist", given the role he played in wrestling power through a serious litigation cum court pronouncement from the former governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) . This description was never sycophantic at all; that was my 'objective' perception of Ogbeni.

Graduating from 'appreciation' School of Thought, I (perhaps erroneously) opined Ogbeni was a don in the same school, thus expected him to be a man of gratitude, and not a wiseacre, over public acceptance of his candidacy in Osun; a governor for eight years, and now a Minister, on the state's slot, despite the fact that he wasn't known in Osun prior to his debut in the state's politics in 2007.

In the 5th paragraph, the 'Advisory Note' states: "Sincerely, you have had it so good! And surely you can have it better and even best, but that's if you take caution and calm down. I like to sincerely advise you sir, to calm down".

However, the recent outbursts and vituperative, disparaging comments about his leaders and especially his successor, obviously show that Ogbeni neither heeded my humble advice, took caution nor 'calmed down'. Liking Ogbeni's impacts in Osun to the indelibility of sculptor's (Onirese) aesthetic designs, according to a Yoruba adage, the 'Advisory Note', in the 6th and 8th paragraphs, states:

"You are a leader in Osun APC. This is a fact, and it's incontrovertible. To allay your fears, as you apprehensively expressed in the media, nobody can displace you in Osun APC, not even Iyiola Omisore, whose recent defection to APC provoked your accusative reactions, nor your successor, governor Adegboyega Oyetola, whose 'silence remains golden".

"However, there's a person who can displace you (Ogbeni), not only in Osun, where your leadership is not in contest, but totally in the APC and of course, from the flocks of the Progressives. The name of that person is Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola. Sir, I'm sure you know him. Of course, it is yourself, who can, and will displace self, like I had earlier advised, if you do not take heed!".

You see! Unless Ogbeni quickly makes amends, he has almost displaced himself, not only in Osun politics, as I had earlier admonished, but also in the APC, as the recent public pronouncement and joyous demonstration of his proclaimed political death in Alimosho-Lagos, his hitherto believed constituency with incontestable political clout, revealed.

Again, I advise the ex-governor and now Minister, to quickly make amends, as he still has a chance to redeem himself and resuscitate his political soul from its obvious demise before his burial. Yes, his misdemeanors are redeeming, not because they are not bad, or highly disappointing, but just because the people Ogbeni is fighting are people of large hearts, who are ingenuously endowed to have envisaged his sins before he comited them and would have forgiven him before he apologized. Engr. Aregbesola knows this fact, and might be reason he's taking them for granted with sheer effrontery.

I perceive Ogbeni as an unrepentant, unapologetic, seemingly-unremorseful and idiosyncratic politician, who hardly accepts defeat and admits errors. I advise him to prove me wrong by eschewing these unwholesome attributes, especially where and when necessary. Conventional wisdom expects him to stop acting as a wiseacre, and jettison his wise-guy and know-all tendencies.

I extend my advice to people who are very close to him to kindly massage his ego and rip the wilderness in him off, so that he would see reasons why he urgently needs to be remorseful and apologetic to the party leaders, intimidated public members, and especially his political benefactors.

March 1st, 2022
Jimoh Olorede is a Doctoral Research Scholar, College don, Public Affair Analyst and Poet. He can be reached via oloredejimoh@gmail.com.