Leadership: Ashiru Oyelola Yisa And The Myths Of Beautiful Fate—Ben Dairo

The concept of leadership is not just the ability to lead, dominate, instruct or control, rather leadership begins with a new and refined mindset; that is, the moment you think of a better life and opportunity for others, the moment you think of new ideas, innovations and possibilities capable of stimulating the desired change in people and society and translate the same into reality. 

A leader is someone who thinks right, acts right, leads and guides his followers aright. A true leader is courageous, compassionate, resilient, and focused; he or she creates a vision of greatness and sets the tone/ direction to make this a reality. With his accomplishments in the private sector ditto the public sector, Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru is one man whose journey through life can be described as exceptional, a life filled with exemplary leadership traits, a life worthy of emulation and an embodiment of what a true leader represents.

A Chinese proverb says ‘Fall down seven times, stand up eight’  this is a human nature of perseverance and war of attrition at its finest, like every other personality that have achieved greatness and have recorded numerous failure and countless scars on their journey to greatness before their hard work and perseverance eventually paid off. 

The story of the senator representing the good people of Kwara South Senatorial District is not different from those that journeyed through this route that a few can only travel, stay true and dedicated to, to achieve greatness.

Senator Yisa Oyelola Ashiru is a story of humble beginning; it is a story of the hand of faith and personal determination not to remain at the lower rung of the ladder of life. 

Born in Offà on 14th of June, 1955, Senator Ashiru Oyelola attended Iyeru Okin Primary School Offa, before proceeding to Esie-Iludun Anglican Grammar School for his Secondary School education. He was at the Federal Government College, Sokoto for his Higher School Certificate and for his brilliance and exceptional performance while in school, he was called several times by the teachers and students to run classes for them, he was  also awarded the best student in Mathematics and other science subjects.

The Master Builder as he is fondly called by many, obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Environmental Design and Architecture from the University of Lagos in 1979. As a very ambitious young man whose passion for education is immeasurable. Senator Ashiru Oyelola Yisa is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architect (FNIA). He was at different times the Chief Executive of Master Builders Limited, Capital Project Limited, Profarch and Architectural Consultancy Company, and the defunct Owners, Loans and Savings Nigeria Limited, a mortgage bank. 

As an astute architect whose famed generosity has touched the lives of generation of young people, his philanthropic act and love for humanity knows no bound and he has expended his God-given wealth in the service to humanity.

To achieve more of this, touch more lives positively and stimulate growth and development in the society, he decided to make himself available and state readiness to ‘serve the people’ and he eventually ventured into politics.  Since 2001, when the Senator began his political career, he has always focused on the red chamber mission and never for once did he derail.

He has consistently offered to represent Kwara South Senatorial District, being true to this mission and lifelong ambition to affect lives positively and exact deliberate growth and development in the society. He sought party nomination ahead of  the 2007 Kwara South senate election and he remained undaunted and did this again in 2011 and 2015.

In 2019 , he got the  Kwara South APC senate nomination and  he eventually became victorious in the Senate election and was elected by the people of Kwara South to represent them in the Red Chamber.

While in the 9th senate, he was appointed  as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Housing, Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Procurement,  and he was also a member of various Committees  including; Banking and Financial Institutions, FERMA, Gas, Navy, Public Account and Host Communities.

During this period 2019 – 2023, he sponsored a series of bills and motions that are paramount to the growth and development of Kwara State and Nigeria at large, the notable bills include, a bill to upgrade Federal Polytechnic, Offa to a  full -fledged University which has been passed into law and now awaits Presidential assent, a bill that seeks to establish the University of History and Archeology in Esie, Kwara State, which has passed through the first and second reading, a bill that seeks to establish the Medical Physics Regulatory Council of Nigeria and a host of other bills and motions. 

The Senator has also engaged in  a series of constituency and community service development projects, empowerment/countless employment for the people of the State, scholarships and road constructions/rehabilitations, which cut across all the 83 wards and the seven local Governments in Kwara South.

In 2023, Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru was renominated by the APC to continue his impressive representation for the people of Kwara South, he was re-elected by his people and because of his selfless leadership skills, his impressive contribution in the 9th Senate, the seal to do more, reach new heights, formulate new laws and policies so that it will be highly beneficial to the citizens of Nigeria and to exact positive growth and development in the country, he was appointed  as the Deputy Chief Whip of the 10th Senate.

And just before we say ‘Jack’, the providence and benevolence of a beautiful fate has catapulted him from Deputy Chief Whip to Deputy Majority Leader all within the space of a year and in the same 10th Assembly. 

Only God knows what the future holds but with Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru’s doggedness, perseverance, selfless leadership skills, his endless philanthropic act, his unwavering love for humanity and the unflinching patriotism for his country which knows no bound, the sky is just the beginning— Mr. Ben Dairo, who is  Senator Ashiru Oyelola’s Senior Legislative Aide, writes from Abuja