Action and change: Power and soul of a progressive leader

For the Delta born Lawyer cum Senator, speech is only beautiful when backed by action and achievement. Perhaps, for this reason, Ovie Omo-Agege, ever since emerging the federal political scene, has thrown himself to the consuming pursuit of change. 

Coming to power through the All Progressives Congress, a party that formed from the popular disillusionment with the then status quo led by the erstwhile incumbent party, promising to bring change to the established order of maladministration, Ovie Omo-Agege has been instrumental for the materialization of the promised change.

For a man who in despising wishful thinking, promotes the creed of action, his trail of activities since 2015 better expresses his pragmatic ideology. Under his belt are arrays of bills sponsored and supported, reformative in nature, which by their contents and tenets, exposes the progressive mindset of the man. These bills, when studied, betrays a determined effort applied towards plugging leakages, enshrining accountability and ensuring penal rewards for offenders across diverse areas, sectors, and industries. 

Ovie sponsored the act establishing Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, as a special university that will be thoroughly dedicated towards the study and utilization of all useable resources emanating from petroleum, a core Nigerian resource. This bill, by the intention of its sponsor, will beyond the critical study and utilization of resources, ensure the coming of development to its host community while also providing, through the university’s specialization, an avenue to create professionals that will harness the nation’s resources. Ovie Omo-Agege has over the time too, sponsored a Bill to prohibit Sexual Harassment in tertiary institutions, and another Bill to amend the Electoral Act of 2010.

The Sexual Harassment Bill, bearing the imprints of an astute lawyer, which Ovie is, clearly stated a breakdown of what entails sexual harassment and their consequent punishments. The Bill to Amend the Electoral Act seeks to institutionalize electronic voting, hence curbing the menace of electoral violence, ballot snatching, and stuffing, and all other forms of electoral malpractice made possible by the current analog method of our electoral exercise. The Bill also aims to make it a norm for the nation’s electoral body to digitally store the results of all level of elections and make available, copies of the data to citizens upon request, without alteration while all petition and cases arising from elections in courts and tribunals are conclusively determined.

Ovie’s determination at bringing democratic principles and institutional accountability continued, propelling him into sponsoring a Bill to Establish the Dormant Accounts Fund and centrally manage all Dormant Bank Accounts/Assets in Nigeria. This bill will make a creed, the transparent handling and accounting for the nation’s resources. The illustrious activities of Ovie Omo-Agege, in the form of progressive bill sponsorship, continues, including a Bill to Amend the Court of Appeal Act; a Bill to Amend the National Industrial Court Act; and a Bill to Amend the Companies and Allied Matters Act and Establish State Corporate Affairs Commission. 

Up until June 11, 2019, when the distinguished senator was elected the Deputy Senate President, he remained instrumental to the actualization of the APC’s manifesto of change and progressive development. In his new capacity, he continues the vanguard march, leading the calvary of development with brimming intellectual brilliance. Evidence of his enlightenment is seen in the nitty-gritty of his bills, which beyond their detail-oriented nature, are characterized by depth, rigor, and focus. This has earned Ovie an almost cult-like following and respect, his words and works respected for their wisdom, foresight, and accuracy. 

But what ultimately stands him out is his searing strength of character and courage of heart to speak truth to power, calling out wrongs, and making concerted moves towards ambushing evil and defeating its reign. His candor spills out and goes beyond the hallowed chambers of the senate, it flows into the streets, bringing development to the people, it flows into the heart of the masses of his Senatorial District, fetching him love. It is this kind of endearment, added to the history of his rise to stardom, and family background, that earns one a life long loyalty by his people. If Senator Ovie Omo-Agege contests for Mr. Nigeria, he wouldn’t need facial beauty or bodybuilding to win it; he has the charm of charisma and competence, he has the people’s loyalty and love—he is a winner.

Mayaki, an Oxford and Cambridge University-trained leadership and sustainability expert, wrote from England.