THE RE-BRANDING OF EKITI… THE POWER OF ONE!
AS SENATOR MICHAEL OPEYEMI BAMIDELE, CON , LEADER OF THE NIGERIAN SENATE AT 60 BECOMES EKITI CHIEF MARKETER..š
Yesterday Ekiti took the centre stage!
I am sure our forebears alive or dead would be glad about how our pristine values, virtues and identity was again acknowledged and celebrated by all and sundry yesterday..
it was a moving and touching event for me, to see how a man God forbid that would have been 5 years in the grave ..long forgotten and his memories only faintly remembered by few family and friends became the centre of attraction yesterday..
Thank God Yesterday was not a 5th post humous anniversary of the man who got hit twice so badly by bullets from an assault rifle, one went through one of his thighs and while trying to get back to his feet, another went through his stomach š¢, ripped it but this “this kain God I never see your type oo” he miraculously pulled through all that vicissitudes of life and today, five years later , standing not only strong physically but politically as the Senate leader of the FederalRepublicof Nigeria..
This is one of those stories that one would cannot deny, the fact that there is an unseen hand behind the affairs of men, this could only be the doing of Almighty God, and its marvellous in my eyes.
When I got that call that afternoon, my heart skipped beats and my first thought was , God, please save Ekiti the unfortunate situation of weeping over one of our leading lights.. I prayed against what grief and dark pall that such an unfortunate scenario would bring over our state, a state that he loves most dearly.
I am one of the few that was allowed to see him on his hospital bed just before he was flown abroad, and that was not the MOB we used to know, weak, tired, and any discerning person will know that on that bed, a struggle was going on, barely able to talk, even when he was not on sick bed, he is soft spoken, not to now talk of being in this situation, as he lifted the blanket what I saw cannot be described, when Papa and Mama Bamidele named him OPEYEMI, it was fortuitous, it was in advance of this day, even when they did not see June 1, 2018 coming.. indeed he has lived up to that name.
I wrote an article thereafter titled SAVED TO SERVE.. today that has proved prophetic, for a man who has had a bit of turbulent political trajectory, betrayed and hated by those he had been gratuitous to, hit by live bullets in the course of campaign for someone, but today he has become the poster child of not only APC, but indeed Ekiti State and the Nigerian senate.
Through Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, if Ekiti were to be a product listed on the stock exchange, going by what happened Yesterday, investors would have been scampering over themselves and pouring this morning to buy the shares today granted the huge endorsements from different personalities from accross a broad spectrum that Opeyemi Bamidele attracted to the “product” Ekiti Yesterday.
Every speaker, from the legal icon and luminary, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN [of course proudly Ekiti too] , to Senate President, Godswil Obot Akpabio, to his predecessor, Senator Ahmad Lawan , who led a substantial number of Senators to the event and all others, they all had flowing encomiums and flowery expressions about the celebrant , the Senate could have comfortably convened a sitting and form a quorum outside of the chamber if only the mace was brought into the historic Yar Adua Centre , Abuja , the venue of the commemorative birthday lecture and formal presentation of two books titled Leadership through Communication.
I am not sure any Ekiti centred event , whether by any of the past state governments or any individual had witnessed such an array of dignitaries, former Governors in their numbers , Distinguished Senators, Honourable Members serving and non serving all turned up for the man who has become not only a respected homeboy from Ekiti but indeed a National icon.
Our own Governor Biodun Oyebanji, one of the hosts was severally acknowledged for his uncommon comportment and humility, celebrated for his brilliantly delivered remarks about the celebrant, who he described as a honourable man from the land of honour. The Governor’s remark was graphic, catchy and well delivered.
The Ekiti Royalty was present, represented powerfully by two leading Kabiyesis, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Royal Majesties, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe and the Oluyin of Iyin, Oyinyosaye Uyin, Oba Adeniyi Ajakaiye, both of them came in good time, and spoke glowingly about the celebrant and prayed effusively for more blessings upon the celebrant.
Immediate past Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, eagerly and enthusiastically reminded the filled to capacity audience and spilling crowd of his relationship with Ekiti, as a titled Chief, the Akorewolu of Iyin Ekiti and a member of the Senator Opeyemi Bamidele’s Immediate family , he said the President and indeed members the 10th Senate should count themselves lucky to have a Michael Opeyemi Bamidele as the Senate leader.
Senate President Godswil Obot Akpabio, was emotional in his words, not only about the Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, about whom he said , his humility disarms, and appreciated him for his support for the 10th Senate, and about the celebrant, he thanked him for his loyalty to the President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, who the celebrant served as Personal Assistant, Senior Legislative Aide, Special Adviser, Commissioner and to whom he has remained faithful and a committed follower, in the Tinubu Leadership School, he berated today’s younger generation for being in a hurry and lacking in record of loyalty and commended the example of the life of Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele to them.
In his vote of thanks, the overwhelmed Celebrant could not hide his gratitude as he recounted parts of his life story with gratitude to God, he acknowledged his family for the support structure provided , and remarkably openly acknowledged his legislative aide Seyi, who he said doubles us as research assistant, legislative aide etc and has been with him from his days and tour de grace in Lagos, he thanked him for his hard work in putting the two books together.
The open recognition of this aide of his also speaks about the man Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, in fact when he openly did and requested Seyi to join him on the stage to share in the glamour of the day, Seyi was even not within until he was located and brought upstage. A lesson in mentorship, youth development and encouraging successor generation.
Yesterday, was another credence to the power of one [1]. At the instance of Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the beam light shone brightly š on our dear state, and we wore our identity with pride again, our state sparkled from the halo of the encomiums showered on MOB , and our identity was re-branded, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele became our chief marketer, with brand values and equities of uncommon loyalty, profound intellectual capacity, high notch omoluabi ethos, humility, patriotism, servant Leadership, and service to mankind.
Little wonder that in closing , he said the verdict passed on him that day was not the verdict of posterity or judgement of history, rather the verdict of yesterday’s identity mixed with the reality of today , and he promised to continue to push all the ideals for which he is being celebrated and commended same to all.
From me i say ,Happy Birthday to the leader, the poster child and chief Marketer of our beloved State.
Thank you for using the virtues that your life exemplifies to market our state again, behind your quiet mien resides tonnes of omoluabi ethos that we are known for as Ekitis.
You surely have earned your place among our great forebears .
The second leg in the series of the 60th birthday anniversary moves to Ekiti , for the praise night on Friday , ” eni to ba inu ro, a mo ope da” that’s what we say in Ekiti.
Indeed your first name has affirmed that introspective identity OPEYEMI…you owe Almighty God the gratitude .
Best Wishes my Egbon and our Leader, Sir.
Yours
Congressman Bimbo Daramola.