Run, Ojudu, run

BY SEGUN DELE DIPE

Truth be told, being the next governor of Ekiti State after a rough rider like Fayose is herculean and largely unrewarding. Such a person will be spending quality time clearing filthy stalls. It is thus not in my character to goad anyone into such unfulfilling terrain. But, according to my late dad, the two occasions when an advice really matters are, first, when it is solicited, second, when the situation is life-threatening.

If you ask me, I would confess that the advice I am offering here is unsolicited. It therefore doesn’t fit into the first occasion. No one has solicited my advice as to who the cap of Ekiti governor in the next dispensation fits, more so that I have not seen or heard from any of the would-be contenders in the last six months, Ojudu included.

But it fits perfectly into the second occasion. To give the baton to just anyone at this point is life threatening. Yes it is. And why should the Ado-Ekiti-born Babafemi Ojudu be the one to mount the saddle? Simple. He knows where the shoe pinches and he knows how to remove whatever pinches, be it nail, needle, thorn or fish bone.

Again, why Ojudu of all? Well, there is no way around this other than that he is a tried and true highly politically exposed Ekiti passionate. Here is a person who has risked all for his country, and has risked even more for his state to be free from enemy occupation. Here is one Ekiti-man with a squeaky clean criminal record, highly wired nationally and relevant politically. He had every opportunity, like others, to choose blue-chip Lagos as his political state. He is highly rated there, like elsewhere. He is both dreaded and respected in several fields, including journalism, arts and politics. But Babafemi Ojudu has chosen Ekiti, the state of is birth, even when all he keeps getting in return are spits and spats.

Alright, I agree that so many people know what is wrong with Ekiti and we can all discuss the pitfalls of our politically myopic state till kingdom come. But the long and short of it all is that generally, the fiercest warrior, who fears no foe, and speaks the truth, even when it is neither placating nor convenient should lead this liberation war. Here again, the Ojudu that I know is well primped. Both his words and actions are in sync. His body is giant enough to tell that he can always lead from the front. He has the words also to assure that all will be well. Simply put, he is a Fear Factor to the territory of our enemies.

Ojudu is not alien to getting oneself into uncomfortable situations for the sake of others. He has done this severally and on several occasions, even when it was the least expedient. After all, whoever we eventually push forward knows he will be getting some heat and should know how to handle the kitchen. The last thing he would want to be is a second-rate version of James Clapper, rubbing his forehead nervously, while telling us all that all is well when it isn’t or crying wolf where there is none. That will lose us all the credit that we are still labouring to establish.

The Ojudu that I know thinks in congruence. He is not that kind of person that would say he is sincerely receptive to a dialogue with a group of people, yet all the while snubbing them. He is conscious of those things he shouldn’t do alone and knows how to command the battalions without wearying them. He gets in the mirror every day to monitor not just his face, but his entire body and conscience.

Whereas, what we have in so many others jostling is: “I’m doing all of this for YOU because I CARE.” While they say it with smile, their body disagrees and they are quick to have a conversation with their feet when the situation becomes uneasy. Not Ojudu. He is such a politician who delivers in a convincing and reasonable manner.

Come to think of it, don’t we need someone who can effortlessly attract significant favourable notice from the news media, national party officials, campaign strategists, and donors? Ojudu is a five-star general in all of these.

Make no mistake that we should be inward looking only in our search for arsenals (resources) to prosecute the coming political war. We need someone who can attract lots and lots and lots of goodwill specifically from friends who have money. There is strength in numbers for sure, but we must also look for people who can flit us across the state for our campaign needs. I don’t know about others, but I know Babafemi Ojudu very well. He can and he will.

I hope my voice counts.

Dipe, a journalist, is based in Ado-Ekiti