Ajimobi: I never persecuted anybody

Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, has said he has never persecuted anybody in the last seven years and two months of governing the state.

He, however, declared that he will never allow the state go back to its gory state of brigandage and violence or let it be turned to what he described as ‘banana island’ or ‘animal farm’.

Ajimobi spoke on Tuesday while addressing journalists shortly after observing the Eid-el-Adha prayers at the Agodi Yidi prayer ground in Ibadan.

The prayer, which was led by the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheik AbdulGaniy Agbotomokekere, in company of other prominent Islamic leaders, faithful and scholars across the state held amid tight security.

Ajimobi, while taking a review of his efforts at the helms of affairs as the governor, noted that he was not moved by the noises that trailed many developmental policies and efforts embarked upon by his administration. He said many of those who abused and insulted him while introducing the policies are now praise-singing and applauding.

He cited the areas where he had brought development to the state to include education, socio-cultural infrastructure, peace and security, agriculture, urban renewal, and health among others, adding that he couldn’t have achieve much without the help of God and support of the people of the state.

Ajimobi said: “By the time we came in, we met a state at the precipice and we needed to have a turnaround and in turning it around, we decided to have as our tripod of restoration, transformation and repositioning.

When you restore, you must now transform. We have restored. We have transformed. And now we are repositioning and repositioning is always work in progress. You can never stop repositioning. Wherever we stop, somebody else will pick it up from there.

“We have restored peace and security to the state and today, Oyo is one of the safest states in Nigeria.

Today, everybody could go through Iwo Road, Beere, Molete, Challenge and all these hotspots have now become very cool spots.

All the red light areas are now green light areas. So, for peace and security, we have achieved much.

“And you will see that as a leader, anytime you want to make a change, some people, enlightened, unenlightened, ignorant, and mischievous, will play politics with them, but a good leader must have the courage to go ahead.

If you remember the Great Prophet Mohammed, when he was talking about the Almighty God to the people, they sent him away from his hometown.

“So, anytime we, as leaders, head of government are trying to make changes, people talked but we forged ahead no matter what they say.

We will never allow this state to become a banana state. We will not allow it to be an animal farm.

If you see any state that is doing well in the world, it is that they have rule of law and they obey them.

Everybody must obey the law. So, we thank God that we succeeded because we have adhered to law and order.

“The lesson I learnt from the sojourn in the last seven years that we have been running the government is that, one needs to fear God.

If one fears God no matter the curses placed on him, so long he is working for prayer, such curse can never have effect on him and if someone does what deserve curses and when people pray for such an individual, the prayer cannot work for such a person.

For me, no matter the curses, it can never affect me because I know I am working for prayers and not curses and I am serving the people wholeheartedly and I am happy that God will give us success.

“Finally, let me say that what we are celebrating today is godliness and service to humanity.

I believe, most sincerely that I have served humanity rightly as the governor of Oyo state. Never persecute people but follow the law and stick to it.

Those who say you are wrong today, tomorrow they will see and let me end it by the world of Robert Thomas, he said, a good leader will take his people where they want to go but a great leader will take his people to where they ought to be and that is what I am doing for Oyo.”