A Response By Kwara South Youth Frontiers For LAF to Chief Awoyale's Restoration Movement
Our attention has been drawn again to the recycled article by a group sponsored by Chief Gbenga Awoyale and his Restoration Movement against the APC Kwara South Senatorial Candidate, Prince Lekan Adewoye (LAF).
Let us be clear from the onset. This conversation was never about who built who. It is about facts and verifiable records, and on that basis, the sponsored write-up fails woefully.
The authors claimed that their principal Chief Awoyale has held public office for long and therefore deserves respect. With all due respect, respect is not bought, it is not imposed, and it is not gotten by holding office. Respect is earned by consistent character, humility and genuine service to the people. Holding public office for years without tangible impact in your immediate community does not automatically confer respect. With fact at our disposal as a vibrant youth organization in Kwara South, Chief Awoyale never held public office for years like you claimed, he was only appointed for an ordinary board member for 2 years after they were dismissed for having no impact on Government, The people of Arandun and Kwara South will like to know where and when he held public offices for clarity purposes.
Secondly, they claimed that someone made Prince Lekan Adewoye known. The question we ask is, known to who? How do you push someone who has no value or impact to an audience that already knows value? Prince Lekan Adewoye was known for his business acumen, philanthropy and quiet community support long before this senatorial contest. He did not need any political godfather to validate his relevance. The people know him.
They also queried why he is propagating Lekan Adewoye Foundation instead of creating something else. This exposes their ignorance. The Lekan Adewoye Foundation is his own foundation, created, funded and sustained by him personally to support education, health, business start-ups and community development. It is not a borrowed platform. It is his personal vehicle for giving back. If his giving is genuine, as even his opponents admit, why should he hide under another name? Responsible leaders own their philanthropy.
The most laughable part of their attack was on solar energy. They mocked Prince Adewoye for securing solar energy for his house in Arandun. This argument is ridiculous, naive and can only come from petty politics. Is Prince Lekan Adewoye expected to live without prospects like their paymasters? Every reasonable Nigerian today provides alternative power for his home because of the failing national grid. That is common sense, not a crime.
If your federal road is bad and you have the opportunity to buy a Hilux to navigate it, does that make you a bad person? No. Their supreme leader at GRA, Ilorin also has solar in his house. Did Kwarans blame him? Providing alternative energy for yourself while you work to fix the general problem is responsible living. Prince Adewoye is not Minister of Power. Blaming him for national power failure is mischievous.
On the claim that he did not fulfill promises, we ask: is your article a genuine reminder or a calculated attempt to ridicule a man? The human mind naturally forgets some things, but what about the numerous good deeds that made even Chief Awoyale himself stay glued to Prince Adewoye before he lost political relevance? You cannot erase years of goodwill with one sponsored article.
They celebrated a quiet donation of N1 Million that is now on radio across the state. That is not quiet giving. Quiet giving does not need a town crier. We were at a community meeting two weeks ago where Prince Lekan Adewoye and his entourage donated N25 Million for community development and till today, it has not been taken to any radio station. Learn to give without noise, otherwise your N1 Million will continue to be subjected to ridicule.
If you want to do calculations, remove that N1 Million from the enormous amount Prince Adewoye committed to the rehabilitation of Arandun Road. Or did you forget that too? Or do you fly by helicopter to your house to enjoy your electricity? Thanks to the Chief Imam of Arandun for openly lauding Prince Lekan Adewoye's commitment to Arandun people. That is the voice of the community, not that of political jobbers.
On the hospital issue, to say that identifying with a sick team member at General Hospital, Ilorin is wrong because Arandun hospital is not functioning, shows the true motive of the writers. Identifying with the sick is humane and mandatory. It is love for humanity. Besides, Prince Adewoye's manifesto clearly states that his vision is not just about Arandun road or hospital, but about quality representation for all communities in Kwara South to ensure hospitals, roads, schools and empowerment reach every corner.
The group highlighted only 2 areas and asked Prince Adewoye to list his achievements. What about the other 98 areas? If you continue to talk about Chief Awoyale's N1 Million, talk about the 98 other areas Prince has supported.
If Chief Awoyale with all his claimed influence could not solve the light issue in his township, just as Prince Lekan Adewoye intervened on Arandun Road, then what moral right does he have to attack others? If everyone in the community picks one problem to solve, no problem will remain.
We urge the good people of Kwara South to disregard Chief Awoyale and his Restoration Movement. They are political jobbers whose selfish interests do not represent Arandun Community or Kwara South.
Signed:
Amb. Jamiu Oyediran
Coordinator, Kwara South Youth Frontiers for LAF From Offa.
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