Life getting harder in Osun, says governorship aspirant

An estate consultant, Mr. Bola Suleiman Olaniyi, has said life is getting harder in Osun State because the prices of foodstuffs have gone beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Olaniyi, who visited the Rutam House headquarters of The Guardian, accompanied by friends, said he was worried by the growing poverty and what could become of the state when Governor Rauf Aregbesola leaves office later this year.He noted that although Aregbesola tried to achieve infrastructural turnaround, insufficient funds did not allow him to do much on industrialisation.
  
“The search for the next governor of Osun has begun and it should not be for a moneybag. Some politicians do not know what politics is all about; it is not about throwing money here and there. Our mentor Chief S. M. Afolabi enlightened us long ago that the welfare of the people and understanding of the plight of the downtrodden should be the major issues in public office.
  
“The time has come for a farmer to be governor. I was born in the farm and worked with many agricultural development agencies. We need to make sure that we can feed our people,” Olaniyi said.    

He maintained that Aregbesola has done well in the area of infrastructure and capital projects. But “what is missing is how to make money trickle down to the rural areas. And that is why we need a man that understands the state to come in after the present governor.”

While declaring that Osun has large expanse of arable land, the estate consultant noted that industrialisation holds the key to the state’s prosperous future. He said a free trade zone, as was created in Lagos State, would attract investors, especially for agro-processing.On the issue of herdsmen and farmers clashes in various parts of the country, Olaniyi said he believes the crisis has a political undertone, stressing there should be a way to hold local leaders responsible for peace and security in their domains.