By Kolade Larewaju

THE 40,000 capacity Moshood Kasimawo Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, Ogun State was filled to the brim last Sunday morning. People stood on the tarmac and on the football pitch. The crowd was not only huge but ecstatic. It was not a gathering of just the masses but the crowd was representative of all classes of people. Indeed, many who had not been to any state function in the last 5 years were there.

Traditional rulers from across the state were all present. Seated in the state box were the former Governor of the State; Chief Olusegun Osoba, former Governor Niyi Adebayo from Ekiti, Deputy Governors of Ekiti and Osun States. They had all come to witness the inauguration of Governor Ibikunle Amosun as the new Governor of Ogun State; a state where democratic governance had taken flight in recent times.

The arrival of each of the dignitaries elicited thunderous applause until the arrival of Osoba and then Amosun and the crowd went into frenzy. The crowd became almost uncontrollable surging forward every minute. Those outside who could not gain entry were almost half of those inside. It was practically impossible to accommodate everybody in the stadium. The crowd did not mind, most were busy drumming and dancing in celebration of the new found freedom of the people who had been seen as enemies of government and were as such hounded.

The programme started after Amosun’s arrival with an opening prayer. First to be sworn in was the Deputy Governor; Prince Olusegun Adesegun who came with his wife; Olufunmilayo and two of their children. Then came the turn of Amosun who after taking the Oath read a loaded inaugural address titled “Mission to Rebuild Ogun State: It Is All About The People”

Amosun was dressed in an Aso Oke, which he said his grandfather gave to his father in 1941 and his father in turn gave to him 41 years ago. He spoke in English and then Yoruba but particularly lamented the political killings in the state and promised that those behind the killings would be brought to trial.

“Otunba Dipo Dina, the 2007 gubernatorial candidate of the Action Congress [AC], was gruesomely murdered. His high profile murder is currently being investigated by the police and I hope this will not be another entry in the list of unresolved murders in the country. I promise you that if only for the sake of these fallen heroes, I am determined to serve the people of Ogun State with commitment and a sense of purpose,” he said.

Governor Amosun whose speech initially saddened everybody at the stadium threw the whole place into tremendous applause when he began to reel out pronouncements and policies that would guide his administration.

He said “in memory of Otunba Dipo Dina, I hereby, on behalf of government and people of Ogun State, rename Ijebu Ode International Stadium to Otunba Dipo Dina International Stadium. The necessary process to obtain approval of the State House of Assembly will commence immediately.

“I assure the good people of Ogun State that we shall continue with policies of the past that we find to be people centred and viable. We shall engage capable hands that are willing to assist us, regardless of political, religious or ethnic affiliations – so far the goal is to serve the people of Ogun State

Showing the seriousness about his mission to rebuild the state, Amosun said “Some of our legacy institutions and patrimony have been treated as if they were personal properties that could be treated anyhow or even disposed without recourse to due process.

A good example is the state’s own television and radio stations that have been renamed. Consequently, I hereby direct that these two stations should revert immediately to their original names of Ogun State Radio Corporation [OGBC] and Ogun State Television [OGTV]. The necessary process to effect the change will be initiated”