The True Person of Senator Teslim Folarin !! By Wale Akinremi

The True Person of Senator Teslim Folarin !! By Wale Akinremi

The true person of Senator Teslim Folarin that I ever received was from our Uncle in Ward 3, Ibadan North, who is always proud to call Senator Folarin, aburo mi – my younger brother.

While pursuing the ticket for House of Representatives, Ibadan North Constituency in 2018 toward election, I knew I needed the guidance and support of our uncle. I knew we were going to flow easily because he is never afraid of conversation and always engaging the younger ones.

Basically, he gave me two ways to it. Both ways were so sure and would cost me nothing. The first option is the only link to the second option. The first option was Senator Teslim Folarin. I said emphatic “no” to the idea of my meeting Senator Folarin because of ambition.  My uncle smiled, youdon’t know Senator Folarin, he said.  You that I know (that’s me) you are going to fall in love with him.  Forget about the blackmail, he cannot hurt a fly.  He is simple, straightforward and respectful.

I agreed that we would meet Senator Folarin.

Few weeks later, we left APC for ADC, I wept bitterly the day I agreed to join others to leave APC.  That is a story for another day.  Before the general elections, we returned again. Some other persons remained in ADC and through that path joined the incumbent government in the State and later joined the PDP.  Before the general elections, my Uncle himself had joined the PDP; I appreciate him forever for his efforts on me.

In 2021, around January or so, a Lawyer and former Commissioner under Senator Abiola Ajimobi facilitated the meeting of PMB/PYO group in Oyo State with Senator Folarin,  I was reluctant as I was in 2018 but I am a team player.

Immediately I stepped into his house, all the points Uncle told me started manifesting; Senator Folarin is extremely simple, open and accommodating. I noticed his openness. In all his conversation, Senator Folarin related with all of us as if we have been together for decades. In fact, he was inviting me to confirm or refute some points in their conversations. What is my own? Senator Folarin is not a pretender but a very humble man. He admits mistakes and asks for advice without any sense of pride.  Obviously, Senator Folarin knew where he was going and what he wanted.

His love for Ibadan and Oyo State is with utmost passion. He respects his friends and elders. He wanted the best for the youths and always willing to accommodate them. He tells you he was elected a Senator at age 39 and became Senate Leader at 43 years. He is fond of his friends, school mates and associates.  It was that day that I knew Professor Adeolu Akande was his schoolmate in University of Ibadan.

Senator Teslim Folarin is an experienced and tested politician.  He knows the dichotomy between governance and party administrations. He specifically mentioned that he knows that the progressives don’t joke with their party. He wanted to work with them. He explained his mission the hiccups and the need for some of us to convince and persuade our leaders in the progressives to work together to achieve our goals.

I personally don’t fall cheaply for politicians. Thus, I waited for him to touch the areas of his mission. It was as if he read my mind!  He just changed the topic from party politics to governance.

And why are we interested?  He asked himself and volunteered the answers.

He mapped out strategies to work on Oyo State Energy challenges, digital education, digital economy, urban renewal, rural development, youths and sports development through legislative and private sector involvement, agro-economic development, health sector reinvigoration, care for the elders, mass qualitative education and elevation of the status of teachers, security empowerment through technological innovations and clean environment.

All that, meanwhile, could have amounted to rhetoric and political semantics typical of politicians and public administrators in this part of the world had it been that I wasn’t convinced by his submissions on how to raise the fund without hurting the people of the State. His ideas are practicable and far from utopian even when these goals makes it look like he intends to create a Dubai in Oyo State. He is in a race of returning Ibadan and Oyo State to where it belongs and take it far higher. Not oblivious of the fact that Ogun State enjoys the close affinity with Lagos to enhance the IGR of the State, Senator Folarin holds strongly and convincingly that Ogun IGR is better because we haven’t done enough to tap into where we have advantages.

That Oyo State is blessed with the largest arable land in the country is not for fun. It is for us to maximize and ensure that no distraction is permitted to shift our attention away from the goldmine that our land is.

When we were about to leave, he left his seat, from an extreme end of the living room to the other end where I was seated to collect my phone number. He appreciated my contributions and hope that we have the opportunity to work together.

Subsequently, I have learnt about his person more deeply and positively from a former Senator, a former governor, an aspiring Senator and a whole lot of people that are not even in his camp.

Afterwards was the struggle for the soul of the party in Oyo State. It was hot and hurting. That is also a story for another day.

Recently, I met Senator Folarin again.  Good enough, it was through one of our leaders.

I reconfirmed that he does not pretend, he is consistent and he is purely frank, much of a team player, a man of conscience and culture.  Senator Folarin is a giver without noise. He has facilitated jobs and appointments without making a deal of noise about it. Senator Folarin understands the political topography of the State, the strategic advantages and the necessary futuristic visions and how to attain the goals very deeply.  He insisted that party leaders are going to be involved in appointments. I saw sincerity in him and I was surprised because the news out there was that he had shared all positions.  As usual, he smiled it off and took it infinitesimal.  He called it another “lemo.”

In the final analysis, I saw in him, a man who is not feeling the heat of the contest and is never going to feel it. I met a man whose understanding of Oyo State politics very impressive, armed with calm nerves, international exposure and vast knowledge of the remotest part of the State.  Here is a forward thinking, plan-oriented, optimistic, creative man with effective communication skills. His sense of responsibility, accountability, awareness, history, impartiality and transparency is top notch.

As a third-term Senator, he has provided jobs, employments, appointment, facilities, trainings, scholarships, bursaries and infrastructural supports within and outside his senatorial district. He is not a bench warmer in the Senate as he has sponsored and supported impactful bills in the Red Chambers.

Notably in his submissions and intermittently, he continued to pray for peace in Oyo State and the whole of Nigeria.

When he was set to leave, I looked at him again and said to myself, this man is as cool as Ngolo Kante, as confident as Kylian Mbappe and as dependable as Emiliano Martinez.  No pressure at all.  This is my Governor, comes 2023.

Do do mi do

Tesi lo kan

God bless Oyo State.

The True Person of Senator Teslim Folarin !! By Wale Akinremi

The true person of Senator Teslim Folarin that I ever received was from our Uncle in Ward 3, Ibadan North, who is always proud to call Senator Folarin, aburo mi – my younger brother.

While pursuing the ticket for House of Representatives, Ibadan North Constituency in 2018 toward election, I knew I needed the guidance and support of our uncle. I knew we were going to flow easily because he is never afraid of conversation and always engaging the younger ones.

Basically, he gave me two ways to it. Both ways were so sure and would cost me nothing. The first option is the only link to the second option. The first option was Senator Teslim Folarin. I said emphatic “no” to the idea of my meeting Senator Folarin because of ambition.  My uncle smiled, youdon’t know Senator Folarin, he said.  You that I know (that’s me) you are going to fall in love with him.  Forget about the blackmail, he cannot hurt a fly.  He is simple, straightforward and respectful.

I agreed that we would meet Senator Folarin.

Few weeks later, we left APC for ADC, I wept bitterly the day I agreed to join others to leave APC.  That is a story for another day.  Before the general elections, we returned again. Some other persons remained in ADC and through that path joined the incumbent government in the State and later joined the PDP.  Before the general elections, my Uncle himself had joined the PDP; I appreciate him forever for his efforts on me.

In 2021, around January or so, a Lawyer and former Commissioner under Senator Abiola Ajimobi facilitated the meeting of PMB/PYO group in Oyo State with Senator Folarin,  I was reluctant as I was in 2018 but I am a team player.

Immediately I stepped into his house, all the points Uncle told me started manifesting; Senator Folarin is extremely simple, open and accommodating. I noticed his openness. In all his conversation, Senator Folarin related with all of us as if we have been together for decades. In fact, he was inviting me to confirm or refute some points in their conversations. What is my own? Senator Folarin is not a pretender but a very humble man. He admits mistakes and asks for advice without any sense of pride.  Obviously, Senator Folarin knew where he was going and what he wanted.

His love for Ibadan and Oyo State is with utmost passion. He respects his friends and elders. He wanted the best for the youths and always willing to accommodate them. He tells you he was elected a Senator at age 39 and became Senate Leader at 43 years. He is fond of his friends, school mates and associates.  It was that day that I knew Professor Adeolu Akande was his schoolmate in University of Ibadan.

Senator Teslim Folarin is an experienced and tested politician.  He knows the dichotomy between governance and party administrations. He specifically mentioned that he knows that the progressives don’t joke with their party. He wanted to work with them. He explained his mission the hiccups and the need for some of us to convince and persuade our leaders in the progressives to work together to achieve our goals.

I personally don’t fall cheaply for politicians. Thus, I waited for him to touch the areas of his mission. It was as if he read my mind!  He just changed the topic from party politics to governance.

And why are we interested?  He asked himself and volunteered the answers.

He mapped out strategies to work on Oyo State Energy challenges, digital education, digital economy, urban renewal, rural development, youths and sports development through legislative and private sector involvement, agro-economic development, health sector reinvigoration, care for the elders, mass qualitative education and elevation of the status of teachers, security empowerment through technological innovations and clean environment.

All that, meanwhile, could have amounted to rhetoric and political semantics typical of politicians and public administrators in this part of the world had it been that I wasn’t convinced by his submissions on how to raise the fund without hurting the people of the State. His ideas are practicable and far from utopian even when these goals makes it look like he intends to create a Dubai in Oyo State. He is in a race of returning Ibadan and Oyo State to where it belongs and take it far higher. Not oblivious of the fact that Ogun State enjoys the close affinity with Lagos to enhance the IGR of the State, Senator Folarin holds strongly and convincingly that Ogun IGR is better because we haven’t done enough to tap into where we have advantages.

That Oyo State is blessed with the largest arable land in the country is not for fun. It is for us to maximize and ensure that no distraction is permitted to shift our attention away from the goldmine that our land is.

When we were about to leave, he left his seat, from an extreme end of the living room to the other end where I was seated to collect my phone number. He appreciated my contributions and hope that we have the opportunity to work together.

Subsequently, I have learnt about his person more deeply and positively from a former Senator, a former governor, an aspiring Senator and a whole lot of people that are not even in his camp.

Afterwards was the struggle for the soul of the party in Oyo State. It was hot and hurting. That is also a story for another day.

Recently, I met Senator Folarin again.  Good enough, it was through one of our leaders.

I reconfirmed that he does not pretend, he is consistent and he is purely frank, much of a team player, a man of conscience and culture.  Senator Folarin is a giver without noise. He has facilitated jobs and appointments without making a deal of noise about it. Senator Folarin understands the political topography of the State, the strategic advantages and the necessary futuristic visions and how to attain the goals very deeply.  He insisted that party leaders are going to be involved in appointments. I saw sincerity in him and I was surprised because the news out there was that he had shared all positions.  As usual, he smiled it off and took it infinitesimal.  He called it another “lemo.”

In the final analysis, I saw in him, a man who is not feeling the heat of the contest and is never going to feel it. I met a man whose understanding of Oyo State politics very impressive, armed with calm nerves, international exposure and vast knowledge of the remotest part of the State.  Here is a forward thinking, plan-oriented, optimistic, creative man with effective communication skills. His sense of responsibility, accountability, awareness, history, impartiality and transparency is top notch.

As a third-term Senator, he has provided jobs, employments, appointment, facilities, trainings, scholarships, bursaries and infrastructural supports within and outside his senatorial district. He is not a bench warmer in the Senate as he has sponsored and supported impactful bills in the Red Chambers.

Notably in his submissions and intermittently, he continued to pray for peace in Oyo State and the whole of Nigeria.

When he was set to leave, I looked at him again and said to myself, this man is as cool as Ngolo Kante, as confident as Kylian Mbappe and as dependable as Emiliano Martinez.  No pressure at all.  This is my Governor, comes 2023.

Do do mi do

Tesi lo kan

God bless Oyo State.

Akinremi, a lawyer, is a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC.