For her unyielding love for her constituents and not betraying his benefactor, former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, a member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji was commended yesterday.
At the empowerment ceremony and town hall meeting organised by the lawmaker were more than 10 lawmakers led by the deputy speaker, Barr. AbdulWasi Musah, a former commissioner in the state, Alhaji Yunus Akintunde, community and religious leaders.
Apart from cash empowerment running into millions, the lawmaker donated industrial and manual sewing machines, freezers, educational materials, gas cylinders, clippers, grinding machines, photo cameras, vulcanising machines, mechanical tools, coolers and umbrellas, power generating sets among others.
These are apart from the ongoing borehole projects, payment of examination gees, sponsorship of sporting events of visually impaired persons, bursary allowances to students in higher institutions,
Leading the pack of those who commended her was Alao-Akala, who said it is either Olawumi, who represents Ogbomoso North State Constituency, ‘moves up or repeat the class’ in the forthcoming 2019 elections.
The former governor added that since she got elected, she has never derailed from what she is known for, urging the people of the ancient town to continuously support her.
According to Alao-Akala, “Governor Abiola Ajimobi once called me, saying that Olawumi was becoming too hard for him to manage. And allayed the governor’s fear, saying that her love for Ogbomoso and LAUTECH, where she worked for many years before venturing into politics, are top on her heart.
“All these materials you are seeing are not here because she is that rich or has been given constituency allowance, it is borne out of her love for you; to put smiles on your faces. Though not all of us would benefit from these, I want to urge you to be steadfast; your own time would come.”
He, however, urged beneficiaries to make good use of their tools.
Saying that it was not long that she met the lawmaker, Akintunde said “I became drawn to her the day I was watching news on the television and I listened to her contributions on LAUTECH, women issues and others. They were presented with facts and needed information. I am not surprised with the show of love she has received from you today.”
Musah, in his own remark, said that “if you don’t want to have anything doing with her, just say something bad about Alao-Akala, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso. She is too concerned about the plight of her constituents, always in touch with them.”
He urged the people of Ogbomoso not to relent in their support for the administration of Governor Ajimobi, assuring that LAUTECH will resume next week as the two owner-states have concluded arrangement to settle every issue once and for all.
Other lawmakers, including Segun Olaleye, Wasiu Olafisoye, Kehinde Oloya and Olagunju Ojo, spoke glowingly of the Olawumi, adding that they are all proud to be associated with her.
Speaking, Olawumi revealed that “all what I have done are not products of any constituency allowance as we have not been given such but I must commend the ingenuity and leadership acumen of our amiable governor, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, who, inspite of the enormous economic challenges, has been to support our determination and efforts at seeing todays’s programme sees the light of the day.”
Betraying emotion, she thanked Alao-Akala, who he described as a father, for “providing a clear-cut agenda that ensued our victory at different stages of the last general elections.”
