*A Postmortem Exploration of Distinguished Senator Yakubu Oseni’s One Year Stewardship*
On the 23rd of February, 2019, the good people of Kogi Central Senatorial District overwhelmingly gave their mandate to the young, brilliant but unassuming and self-effacing Oseni to represent them in the Senate. It was indeed a moment of tremendous joy for the people who saw hope in Oseni, based on his laudable exploits and attainments as the head of Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue. Recall that Oseni took over a revenue board that was almost comatose and moribund and transformed same into a revenue generating hub for the state. Apart from increasing the state’s IGR from a paltry sum to a a very significant amount on a monthly basis, many young Kogites were employed by the board, thanks to Oseni’s transformation of the board.
In retrospect, one can state without mincing words that our people made the right choice that fateful day. As he marked a year in office, Distinguished Senator Yakubu Oseni has not disappointed his constituents.
Given his pedigree as a consummate financial expert, one wasn’t surprised that Oseni, a first time Senator wasn’t only made a committee chairman but was/is saddled with the leadership of one of the most sensitive committees in the Senate- Information and Communication Technology/Cybercrime Committee.
To the chagrin of his detractors, Distinguished Senator Yakubu Oseni has been performing his responsibilities and duties with remarkable dexterity and efficiency, thus proving wrong the legion of uninformed traducers who saw and still see him as a political greenhorn/neophyte.
Expectedly, Distinguished Senator Yakubu Oseni’s endearment to the leadership of the Senate and leaders across the length and breadth of our dear nation is irrevocably tied to his deep intellect and efficiency.
As a leader who is acutely aware of the problems of his constituents, Distinguished Senator Oseni is not carried away by the perks, privileges and appurtenances which the high office he occupies confers on him. Rather, he has been working assiduously and selflessly to ensure that his constituents get good governance.
For him, leadership does not confer on the leader an unfettered access and opportunity for self-gratification. Rather, he conceives of leadership as an avenue, a platform to tinker with an existing system in order to evolve a platform where the downtrodden masses will be liberated from the shackles and abyss of poverty and deprivation. This has been his preoccupation since his sojourn into the Senate a year ago.
Multitude of his constituents- young and old- have been gainfully employed via his efforts. And what is so remarkable about this young Senator is that he does what he does without caring a hoot about the background of the beneficiaries. In a society where primordial sentiments of clannishness, religion and provincialism determine who gets what from the leaders, Distinguished Senator Oseni’s broad-mindedness is second to none and therefore deserves commendation.
Distinguished Senator Oseni’s soaring popularity among his peers in the National Assembly and his constituents is irrevocably tied to his humane spirit, erudition, effectiveness and informed contributions to debates and issues of national interest.
And as a thorough-bred Ebiraman, Distinguished Senator Oseni is not given to flippant and reckless utterances as he chooses his words carefully either in the Red Chamber or elsewhere.
Distinguished Senator Yakubu Oseni understands the unquenchable desire of his constituents to see the comatose Ajaokuta Steel Company revived. It is against this background that he has been at the forefront of the agitation for the resuscitation of the multi billion dollar steel company. He has been doing this without engaging in media grandstanding.
Given the renewed efforts of the federal government towards the revival of the company, one can say that the efforts of the senator and those of others are beginning to yield positive results.
Our people’s love and yearning for education and knowledge is second to none. But unfortunately, there is a dearth of tertiary institutions in Kogi Central. This doesn’t go down well with Distinguished Senator Oseni who has singlehandedly sponsored a bill in the Senate for the establishment of a Steel University at Ajaokuta.
Given the zeal with which the Distinguished Senator is pursuing the passage of the bill into law, we are hopeful that his efforts will materialise sooner, rather than later.
By the time Ajaokuta is revived and the proposed Steel University established and in full throt, the good people of Ebira in particular and the entire nation in general stand to benefit tremendously.
Distinguished Senator Oseni has been taking care of the welfares of his constituents by way of paying their school fees, supplying them with writing materials and providing incentives to them in order to cushion the effects of the hard economic reality they are grappling with. The Distinguished Senator has also been sharing laptops and organizing IT training for our youth. Recently, he began the construction of an ultra modern ICT centre at Ogaminana in Adavi Local Government Area. One can go on and on to chronicle the achievements of Distinguished Senator Oseni in the last one year.
Senator Oseni has demonstrated with irrefutable provenance that indeed, the good people of Kogi Central Senatorial District made the right choice by electing him as their Senator. We can only pray for more from from this amiable and unassuming young man. As he continues to justify the confidence reposed in him by our people, it is incumbent on us to give him our maximum supports and prayers for as the saying goes, to whom much is given, much should be expected.
If our Distinguished Senator could perform so remarkably within the space of one year, one won’t be wrong to say that by the time he finishes his four years, he will go down as the best Senator ever in the history of our district. I wish you God’s protection as you continue to perform your duties. Indeed more power to your elbow, our Distinguished Senator Yakubu Oseni. *This piece is written by Ohueyi Abdullahi*