By Ola Ajayi

Ibadan – Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State must be feeling the weight of  leadership on his shoulders for the past six years as he publicly declared that he would retire from politics after his second term as governor.

The governor took all his admirers by surprise as he said emphatically that he would no longer contest any elective office again either in the state or at federal level.

Gov Ajimobi

Ajimobi said this at a town hall meeting organized to update the citizens about the recent developments in state and to formally present its new education policy as contained in the recently released White Paper on the report of a Committee on Participatory Management of Schools to review the educational status of the State.

But, the governor used the occasion to express how heavy the burden of steering the ship of the state for the past six years is.

At the meeting which attracted prominent people in the state including traditional rulers, members of the House of Assembly, Commissioners, politicians and artisans, drivers and motorcycle riders, the governor said in some days to come, he would be 67 and that it would be improper for him to say God has not done well for him.

Governor Ajimobi said; “I won’t contest any election again. I’m praying to God to let us end this tenure successfully. With what we have experienced so far, I am okay. I am not interested in vying for any election again. Is it Vice President, Senator, or Minister – not any more. The race we have been running for some years up till now that I’m almost 70, what else do I want?

“When somebody gets to a stage in life, he should appreciate what God has done for him. It is difficult to be a good husband at home.”

At the International Conference Hall, University of Ibadan where the meeting  held, there were thousands of people there including the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi who was represented by the Bashorun of Oyo town, members of Hausa, Igbo and Tapa communities, members of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Asiwaju of Ibadan land, Chief Bode Amao and several others.

His numerous admirers at the forum appeared not to be pleased with his declaration.

The occasion also afforded the governor opportunity to discuss his education policies with stakeholders.

No going back on automatic promotion cancellation

On his stance against automatic promotion, Governor Ajimobi frowned at the unruly behaviour of the students who burnt down their schools and destroyed government property “just because we said those who did not pass would not be promoted. All those students who burnt down their schools, it is their parents that would build it, if they don’t rebuild, I will not reopen the schools. We won’t allow such indiscipline”.

He futher said: “Again, all those who abused me must apologize. If, at this tender age, they could haul stones at people, what will happen if they become adults. We just have to reform our education sector.

“In our schools, our students continue to fail.

“Since 1999, students in our schools have not been doing well, though there has been gradual reduction the percentage of those who fail, yet we are still not satisfied because we believe, we can do better.”

Ajimobi also used the opportunity to dismiss the rumour that he had converted a large expanse of school compound to his personal use wondering how people could reason in such an irrational way.

“How on earth do you think I could convert a public school to my own. In eight days, I would be 67, is it public schools that I will now be buying? What for?

“When I was paying salaries of workers promptly, even giving them 13th month salary, the people especially civil servants hailed me calling me praise names but now when we find it difficult to pay, they changed their tune calling me names. They even changed my name. Instead of Ajimobi, they now call me Ajirebi.”

He also hinted that the meeting was summoned to rub minds together on how to diversify now that the economy is in shambles adding that his government would engage no fewer than one million youths in agriculture.

Also, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mr. Toye Arulogun said the government was ready to fully implement the White Paper Gazetted publication of the Oyo State Government No.26 Vol 41 which has led to the creation of School Governing Board (SGB) that will provide management functions for each secondary school in the state to meet performance targets and improve the quality of the state’s education sector.