As the elections are gathering momentum in Osun State, many youths have shown intent in representing their constituencies at the State, Federal level so as to implement youth oriented policies. One of them is Honourable Jimoh Odunayo popularly called Kenyata, a grassroot person with good human relations within and beyond his constituency. Kenyatta is famously known for his philanthropic passion for raising the indigent to a comfortable level. He so believes in community development and youth empowerment. Not yet in office, a number of communities have been enjoying his contributions in one way or the other. In the annal of Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, Kenyatta is the only man who had given scholarship to students based on merit, not out of trivial sentiment of being party members or relations. More importantly, his efforts at helping the farmers have set a new yardstick for everyone. Apart from being a listening ear, Kenyatta is well surrounded by men of resourceful ideas who are capable of injecting and formulating reasonable and people oriented policies.
Below is the excerpt from the interview with the Publisher of Amebo Online News, Solanke Ayomideji Taiwo as he is optimistic of winning the forthcoming election into Federal House of Representatives in 2019
For the purpose of records may we meet you?
My name is Jimoh Odunayo from Erin Oke, Oriade Local Government.
Can you tell us your Academic Background?
I started my primary education at Ansar u deen primary school in Erin Oke and I proceeded to have my secondary education in Irepodun Secondary School in Erin Oke. I had my Ordinary National Diploma at Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke in Osun State while my Higher National Diploma at Ondo State Polytechnic (Rufus Giwa), Owo in Ondo State.
I had my Bachelor Degree at Crescent University in Abeokuta where I am also running my masters degree in Science accounting which by God’s grace I will be done with it in a couple of months.
I am an associate member of Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria(ACA). Associate member of Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (ACTI). Certified Information System Auditor (CISA). Certified Chartered Forensic Accounant(CCFA) of International Institute of Certified Chartered Foresic Accountant Inc. United State of America. Member of Association of Certified Fraud Examiner (ACFE).
How prepared are you to contest for the position of member of House of Representatives representing your constituency?
I am very ready and I will say we are ready because this project is not only mine as I have God and many people who are solidly behind my aspiration. I am going to the hallow chamber to represent my good people. I have been developing myself for such a role since I was the senior prefect both in the primary and the secondary school. Though, I was brought up by a poor family and poor background. My parents are farmers.
Now, we are ready to put a round peg inside a round hole, therefore when I get there I will be able to correct so many policies. Mostly, I know what my constituency is seriously lacking at the moment. As a grassroot politician and son of the soil I have taken my time to do my research through the nooks and crannies of my constituency and I have made my analysis and have records of the needs of my people. Youth developmental projects is the topmost priority of my policies as I am very ready to invest in the upcoming youth who are the future of tomorrow. As a youth oriented person, I have what it takes in all ramifications as far as taking care of empowerment of my people is concerned.
My background and leadership traits are what inspired me in serving my people and giving them what they need. There are so many graduates who are jobless and need genuine skill acquisition and worthy empowerment – to have something doing because an idle hand is a devil workshop. Even though I started my life as an okada motorcycle rider when I got to Lagos State but by God’s grace I strived to overcome poverty and challenges to become what I am today.
There are better empowerment than turning the agile and mentally sound youths to emergency okada riders. That could not be considered as reasonable empowerment. And also giving an irregular stipend of N5,000 to the youths is nothing to write home about.
Are you telling me there is no existing empowerment in Oriade/Obokun Federal constituency in Osun State?
Yes I can authoritatively tell you that we have more reasonable empowerment
programmes.
You know we have already developed the blueprint which will continue to serve as a good opportunity for us, part of it I have been doing for my people even without being in office or holding any political office ye., I can confirm to you that I have been distributing working materials to the orphans and working tools for the indigent artisans such as tailors, hairdressers, and vulcanizers, farming tools for the farmers, providing potable water, sponsoring football tourney, cutting grass in all the public schools, granting scholarship. among others. These are just the tips of the iceberg.
How can you rate the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in terms of Infrastructure projects?
I will say Ogbeni Aregbesola is trying as he has performed rigorously towards developing Osogbo to a Mega city but I will love to look into the financial implications of the cost benefit analysis with the effects on the standard of living of the people. And in terms of education, we can see that the government of Osun state is only concentrating on urban while abandoning the rural areas which is not a balanced form of government but rather biased and sentimental.
On Education, I will tell you so many schools in Osun State are short of staff and the few staffers are not paid regularly. I can tell you that I have a list of teachers in public schools employed by me that I have been paying their salaries for over four years. My Alma mata is a living example. When I got to a school which I don’t want to mention its name and met the dismay condition of learning, I had no other choice than to assist with the little I have.
What did you intend doing to the youths as empowerment programme if eventually you are elected as the member house of representatives in your constituency?
As I said earlier on, I have a load of employment programmes which I will put in place to turn around the lives of our youths and graduates who are idle. Also the ongoing purposeful football competion within the constituency will continue not only to serve as a means of unifying them but also to developing their talents. We are setting pace and standard for others including those ones holding different political offices at the moment.
We have blueprints. I’m surrounded with men of outstanding ideas. The youths would be gainfully employed, indeed, that’s one of our prime projects. There are novel packages for the farmers, market women, artisans and settlers in our constituency. If elected as a member of House of Representatives, I will ensure that my people of Obokun/Oriade won’t regret they did.