Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda mirrors Awolowo’s welfarist vision — Bisi Akande

…as Ekiti Council of Elders holds Joel Babatola’s Maiden Lecture

By Rotimi Ojomoyela and Oluwatunmise Omotola

Former governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, has said the welfarist agenda implemented by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the Western Region in the 20th century can be replicated nationwide by President Bola Tinubu through his Renewed Hope Agenda.

Akande, who is also the Asiwaju of Ila Orangun, said Tinubu’s agenda intends to ensure self-sufficiency in food security, rapid infrastructure upgrade, especially in transportation and electricity supply, development of human capital in science and technology as well as strengthening Nigerian unity against what he described as indigenous retrogressive saboteurs.

He spoke at the Joel Babatola’s Maiden Lecture themed: ‘Governance, structural reforms & the economic landscape of Nigeria in the present 21st century,’ organised by the Ekiti Council of Elders in Ekiti.

He said: “In the 20th century, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, together with his associates like Joel Babatola, crafted a kind of welfarist economy for the western region of Nigeria which boosted the patriotic energy of the then Yoruba youths and which resulted in the fanatical loyalty of the entire people of the western region towards the Nigerian state ever since.

“It can be done again for the entire people of Nigeria through a President Bola Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda. In the PBAT Agenda, the way to navigate into the new economic landscape of the 21st century has been scrupulously enacted. In the policy agenda, even if Nigeria remains the global economic chessboard, opportunities would be easily opened for Nigerians to become the captains of the players also.”

Also speaking, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Joel Babatola Annual Lectures Series, Mr Olufemi Adewumi, said the Council of Elders decided to set up the board after observing the transformation in Yorubaland and the inability to adequately celebrate heroes, among other factors.

Adewumi said: “The Yoruba race is being impacted by the following three basic dynamics such as an epochal transition from a preliterate to a literate era, a transition fraught with both enticing prospects and daunting challenges.

“The engagement of the democratic order under the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, which showcased the extraordinary prospect of visionary and patriotic service and dramatically propelled the Western Region of Nigeria into the vanguard of modernity on the prop of literacy and other metrics of progress. Chief Joel Babatola was prominent among the Chief Obafemi Awolowo team.

“Sadly, the inherent contradictions of the amalgamation of disparate cultures and world experiences stymied our progress soon after Independence. The recession of our national propensity to constantly validate Omoluabi ethos through the commemoration of deserving heroes. Of all the heroes that propelled our modernity, it would appear that only Chief Obafemi Awolowo has enjoyed ceaseless commendation by a grateful nation.

“The board, after extensive deliberations on its mandate, noted that three cultural dynamics deserve due and appropriate attention in the public arena: Ife Atanka, Yoruba, Oodua race or however we wish to call it, is definitely undergoing a significant transition into a literate epoch from its preliterate past.

“We are at a cultural inflexion point which is fraught with both exciting opportunities and daunting challenges. As it happened during earlier cultural epochs, we have been once again blessed by the divine favour of Olodumare. In the decade before Nigerian Independence in 1960, the Western Region which holds the rump of our Yoruba nation, was blessed by a team of Oodua democratic patriots under the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.”

“This team showcased the extraordinary prospects of visionary and exemplary leadership which brought our nation into the higher gear of literacy and other metrics of progress and development that signify modernity. Notably, Chief Babatola was a principal member of the team.”

Meanwhile, President of Ekiti Council Of Elders, Professor Joseph Oluwasanmi, said Nigeria today faces similar social and cultural transitions, but urged the country to draw inspiration from the visionary leadership of Awolowo’s era and celebrate those who served selflessly in nation-building.

Oluwasanmi said: “The elders noted that our nation is being afflicted by three principal dynamics among others. These are: epochal transition into a literate civilization; this transition is fraught with both enticing prospects and daunting challenges; illustration of the extra-ordinary prospects of progressive development under democratic dispensation by a visionary team of Yoruba patriots led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Joel Babatola was a prominent member of that team. Lack of celebration of our heroes who had been favoured by Olodumare to offer sterling and exemplary service to the nation or their various communities.”

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