I Was Born Into A Progressives Family – Engr Saheed Oladele

I Was Born Into A Progressives Family – Engr Saheed Oladele.

Engr. Saheed Adeyemi Oladele (SAO), a budding politician from the Ibarapa extract of Oyo State, has expressed his intention of sustaining humanitarian services to the less privileged, irrespective of his political disappointment.

SAO made this revelation on Inspiration 92.3FM Ibadan during his feature on a programme titled Máa báwon só, anchored by Omole Fisayo.

The Ayete-Ibarapa politician said that he was born and raised in a political family that believes in humanitarian services and a strong political movement. Such that it seeks to advance the human condition through social reforms based on advancements in science, technology, and Human Capital Development.

In his words, SAO explained that his political sojourn, like that of his grandfather, is anchored on progressive ideology. He stated that “My grandfather, Pa. Ganiyu Onikola Oladele, was among the close political associates of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and late Chief Bola Ige. Although he was not as educated as his contemporaries, people from Ayete and its environs know that my grandfather was a great politician. Therefore, I did not join politics by mistake, and I have been contributing towards the progress of the APC since I officially joined the party”.

Explaining further, he said that he learned the core of politics after his brief exit from the APC during the 2023 electioneering period. He counted his journey as a blessing because it drew him closer to his people from a different standpoint. “It was painful that I was denied a Federal House of Representatives ticket in the APC in the last election because my main aim in politics is to change our nation’s narrative from the grassroots. I work in the United States; I know the condition that I left Nigeria in, and I always feel the present bad situation, especially in the Ibarapa axis, whenever I visit”, he said. He further explained that his denial and that of his co-contestants are largely because no party leadership in Oyo State was ready to fight their course. Hence, they were denied an opportunity to run the primaries in the APC. Nevertheless, he saw everything that happened as a blessing in disguise, since he is open to several opportunities to advance the course of his people.

When asked about his view on the return of some immediate past governors like Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai and Nyesom Wike as ministers, Engr. Oladele praised the choices in President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial nominations. He described them as excellent given their past performances, and he urged Nigerians to support them with prayers. In his view, the Office of the President has the prerogative to select suitable cabinet members. To him, Asiwaju is a human manager based on his antecedents. Hence, his present choices show that he places competence over politics. Moreover, Tinubu sees nothing bad in the government’s inclusiveness and competence. He particularly lauded Mr. President for selecting the former CBN deputy governor, Chief Bayo Adelabu, as his ministerial choice from Oyo State. “Adebayo Adelabu is unarguably the right peg in the right hole, whose impacts would be progressively felt in Tinubu’s led administration,” SAO stated.

When asked what would have been his contribution if he were elected a Representative in the last election, he expressed his displeasure with the lawmakers for shying away from the masses plight, especially during this hardship period. He claimed that although there are not yet enough metrics to measure their overall results, they have not done well in terms of negotiating palliatives to cushion the effect of the fuel price hike as a result of subsidy removal. He further stated that “I cannot say much about their #70B vehicle allowance request, but my concern is that they should have done well enough to alleviate the ongoing hardship”.

Based on the ongoing developments, Engr. Saheed urged Nigerians to shift their focus from an oil-dependent economy to a modern technology-driven economy. In his words, he stated that “It is high time Nigerians think outside oil derivation to embrace technology and renewable energy. Otherwise, Our country will be left behind. In California, for instance, Gasoline vehicle production is scheduled to phase out by 2035. Change is difficult, but we need to embrace it and chart a new course forward. Oil will not sustain this country forever, and I affirm that President Tinubu is a big future thinker who believes that the country should be technologically driven. His recent appointments testify that it is not politics as usual because capable hands are being brought aboard”.