Adeseun Ogundoyin: An Uncommon Patriot | Adewole Peter

Till the end of time, June 18th, 1991, will ever remain a dark day in the annals of Eruwa history. This year marks the 32nd year we lost an unrivalled flag-waver, illustrious son, a symbol of unity, epitome of development, and a philanthropist of no mean standard, the Late Chief Ayisa Adeseun Ogundoyin who lived for his people and the betterment of humanity at large.

Every year, we remember and celebrate the life and times of this enigma. Undoubtedly, his death left us a wound to lick and created a huge vacum that his family members, community, and politicians of his generation still endure to date. Sadly, the year 1991 will go down in the history of Eruwa community as a year we lost our patriots in quick succession.

In the same year, we lost Chief D. M. Gbolagunte, the Oyo State Speaker in the second republic; Chief Atunwa James Olabiyi, and Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin. Those who are ardent followers of events in Eruwa community will attest to the immense contributions of these great sons of the soil to our dear town which will continue to remain deep-seated on the sands of time.
Since the death of Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin, many have consistently recounted his unequalled efforts to place his origin, Ibarapa region, and Oyo State on the good side of history in terms of multi-facet positive changes. This act made him a reference point in history and will continue to reverberate in the inner part of humankind.

The phenomenon called Adeseun Ogundoyin touched virtually all facets of human endeavour to ensure that he left a legacy worth recounting. In his hometown, he established a manufacturing industry, a vast palm plantation, built a stadium which he later donated to the Oyo State Government, and promoted a football team-Femo Scorpion that featured in the Nigerian National League. He equally floated a construction company that operated across Nigeria and has an insurance company. As a consummate politician, he believed in welfarism politics of development. These and several others he did to bring succour to the path of humanity.

32 years down the lane, it is pertinent to bring to bear how we faired as a people since the demise of this icon. The preponderance of opinion is that we have not done enough to beat the legacy of the Late Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin despite the huge opportunities that have come on our way. Comparatively, what we achieved lately is insignificant to the privileges we had in recent times of our history.

The highest political office the Late Adeseun Ogundoyin held was a Councillor, and he donated all his earnings as a Councillor to the Sickle Cell Unit of the University College of Hospital, Ibadan. Ogundoyin’s bid to become the Oyo State governor did not materialise. However, he used his contacts and resources to improve his people’s well-being in relation to industrialization, education, politics, sports, and agriculture. With the exemption of a few, many of us have gotten opportunities in both the private and public sectors. Yet, we are still crawling in the wilderness in search of a better transformation of our dear community.

Our joy knew no bound when the son of Late Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin, Rt.Hon. Edward Debo Ogundoyin was re-elected the 9th Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly hoping that the late chief has reincarnated to continue the charitable deeds he stopped abruptly 32 years ago. The follow-up events were not what we bargained for as a community. A blanket criticism of Rt. Hon. Edward Debo Ogundoyin will not suffice here but to encourage him to improve on his effort for a desirable change.

Interestingly, he has retained the seat as the Speaker in the 10th Assembly. The opportunity has provided itself again for the Rt. Hon. Speaker to learn from the previous mistakes and right the wrongs of the past. May I congratulate the Rt. Hon. Debo Ogundoyin and remind him that this is the first time in the history of Oyo state that an individual is retaining the speakership seat the second time. I pray that the God Almighty shall provide Mr. Speaker with such Wisdom of Solomon and the strength of David to succeed in this herculean task.

It is instructive to appeal to our political actors and those who are privileged to be at the top echelon of our society to always strive and clamour for what will benefit the maximum number of our people and lift others out of despondency. This will in turn change the history of our community for better. Our inability in the past to collectively agitate for what will lift us as a people permitted a governor to abandon the entire Ibarapa for eight years without siting any project in the region. The incumbent governor has just done the same in the past four years. Never should we allow this sad history to repeat itself in the current dispensation and beyond.

As a people, especially of Eruwa extraction, we have enormous lessons to learn from Late Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin. These include his deep sense of patriotism, love for humanity, unwavering commitment to communal development, a life of service, and purpose-driven welfarism. These are salient attributes of the late chief we are supposed to always emulate and always demonstrate in our private and public conducts.

Ayisa, we remember you today and always.

Adewole Peter is the former secretary of the Eruwa Youth Movement (now Eruwa Youth Mandate)

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