Veteran Politician Shuaib Oyedokun’s Qualification As ‘Peace Ambassador’ Affirmed At Book Launch In Osogbo…He’s My Mentor-Oyinlola
People from all walks of life on Thursday joined a veteran politician, Chief Shuaib Afolabi Oyedokun in celebrating three milestones; his 91st birthday, getting bestowed with ‘Lifetime Achievement and Peace Ambassador Award’ by the Council of American Peace Advocates (CAPA), and the official launch of his book, ‘Chief Shuaib Afolabi Oyedokun: A Peace Memoir’.
Nigerians from diverse political and religious backgrounds who attended the event held at Aurora Event Centre, Ring Road, Osogbo affirmed the prominent politician’s qualification as ‘peace ambassador’ and the aptness of the book’s title.
The book reviewer, Professor Olatunde Babawale recalled how Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun as a young man, got nicknamed as ‘Omolaja’ after he mediated between his parents and successfully ended a long-time dispute and ensured that they returned as husband and wife.
He added that Chief Oyedokun had since then gotten widely recognized for actively promoting harmony, resolving conflicts without violence, and fostering reconciliation.
Professor Babawale also said the birthday celebrant has a great passion for education and played a role in advancing education in his hometown, Inisa citing the establishment of Ansar udeen Comprehensive High School.
While noting that the book author’s father, late Pa Oyedokun, Pa Raji Olokuta and others took necessary steps to ensure that the school in question came into being, he added that the veteran politician was one of those tasked with bringing the institution from a conceptual plan to an operational reality.
In his evaluation summary of the birthday celebrant’s life, Professor Olatunde Babawale submitted that it has been 91 years of selfless service to humanity and commitment to peace.
Giving his speech, Professor Abraham, who is the President of the Council of American Peace Advocates and President of the National APC Christian Leaders Forum of Nigeria (NACLFON), said the award bestowed on Chief Oyedokun was in recognition of his lifelong commitment to peace and nation-building.
Although Chief Shuaib Afolabi Oyedokun is a Muslim and an APC bigwig, the event was attended by leaders of other political parties and Christian clerics.
Dignitaries at the event include former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon Patricia Foluke Etteh, Osun State APC guber candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, his running mate, Mr Benjamin Adereti, Rep Oluwole Oke, Chairman/Managing Director of Peculiar Ultimate Concern Nigeria Limited, Engineer Olanrewaju Abel Adeleke, Chairman of the Governing Council of OAU, Hon Adejare Bello, former Speaker Timothy Owoeye, former Minister for Police Affairs , Hon Jelil Adesiyan, Professor Olu Aina, a PDP bigwig, Dr Olu Alabi, Chairman of Igbimo Agba, Osun State APC, Chief Sola Akinwumi, former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Bayo Adeleke who is popularly called Banik, former PDP National Vice Chairman, Southwest, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo, Oluomo Sunday Akere, Prince Dotun Babayemi, Mogaji Kola Olabisi, Chief Akin Adeyi, Comrade Amitolu Shittu, a popular banker, Titi Opakunle, Hon Segun Adekanbi and the state APC Woman Leader, Alhaja Kudirat Fakokunde.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, was represented at the event by Hon Razaq Adeosun .
Talking to journalists including Team@orientactualmags.com, former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who heartily congratulated Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun on his birthday and long life, prosperity, and abundant blessings, also called the veteran politician his mentor.
Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola,who retired from the Nigerian Army in 1999 as a Brigadier General, also disclosed that Alhaji Oyedokun was the one who received him into PDP in 2001.
‘As a matter of fact, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun has been my mentor since the beginning of my journey in politics. In 2001, he was the one who accepted me, welcomed and received me into the People’s Democratic Party in Osun State. And our relationship has been so good since then.
Well, I can only pray that God should allow him to continue doing what he has been doing. I also pray that God will sustain His Grace that has made the birthday celebrant stay till 91 years of age in this difficult Nigeria and for him to always extend his experience and benefit to others’ he said.
Taking to Team@orientactualmags.com Hon Razaq Adeosun , who represented Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Gboyega Oyetola at the event, called Chief Shuaib Oyedokun an embodiment of peace while noting that he helped in making his local government chairmanship bid become a reality over two decades ago.
‘He’s our leader, and an accomplished personality who has seen it all, excelled in his career first as a teacher and later as a politician and a community leader.
So, he manages both governance and politics because he rose to the position of Deputy National Chairman in PDP, so, he is a person who has seen it all. Nothing more to hide.
He’s also an embodiment of peace because he does not want rancour anywhere he is, and I respect him for that. He has personally impacted my life.
Also, when I wanted to become a council chairman, he facilitated it and nurtured the ambition to maturity. So, that’s why I’m here to celebrate him apart from being sent by Honourable minister to represent him at this event.
So, I thank God for his life’ he said.
Becoming a nonagenarian is considered a rare and celebrated milestone these days, will he mind asking the birthday celebrant to share the secret?
‘Well, apart from being a politician, I am also an evangelist. There is the language that we speak, it is the language of grace. So, God has given him the grace. It’s not by his own, he may only have certain things that he does that has assisted him, especially in respect of eating healthy. It is good to eat healthy, and not eat trash. Some people are also inactive and it can lead to sickness. Baba is a very active person, you can see that he is agile. I think it’s a combination of the three factors’ he added.
While talking to journalists, the birthday celebrant, Chief Shuaib Afolabi Oyedokun emphasized the need for young people in the country to forge their own paths instead of copying others in order to build genuine confidence and lasting success.
‘Some people will say, ‘I want to live like Shuaib Oyedokun, but they don’t know what Shuaib Oyedokun has gone through.
So, just have your own plans and follow it. Don’t copy anybody. Just obey the rules of your Creator.
Youths should live as human beings. Younger ones are becoming wayward. They don’t obey parental guardiance. They don’t follow the religious tenets. They don’t learn any trade. They just stumble into society and live like that.
More importantly, they have to learn and be mentees to people who have integrity and live a noble life’ he added.
Alhaji Shuaib Afolabi Oyedokun, who is the Oluomo of Inisa, had at different times served as old Oyo State NPN Secretary, Secretary to the old Oyo State Government under late Dr Omololu Olunloyo , PDP Deputy National Chairman (South) during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration and Chairman of Michael Imodu National Institute for Labour Studies, (MINILS), Ilorin, during the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
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