By Akinyemi Onigbinde
In its hour of desperation, to APC, Iyiola Omisore is no longer a “killer” that he has always been referred to during election seasons in Osun-a huge rock that is often hung on his shoulders.Yet, to PDP, the Ife-born politician, has no electoral value whenever he showed interest in governorship position in Osun state.Now, the dual abused and rejected stone is desperately needed as a valuable corner piece.Definitely, the SDP governorship candidate must be feeling very important, as “a beautiful bride” being wooed by two adulterous suitors that may eventually dump him after being ‘deflowered’ , and his charm ravaged
In his recent relationship with PDP, especially since he expressed interest in the governorship seat, first, in 2014, and lately, in 2018, the party does not come recommended for his crucial support in the rerun.Yet, Iyiola Omisore must make a recourse to history.Bad and back-stabbing as PDP may be to his political interest, he must remember that it was the party that gave him the needed shelter when the rains of Bisi Àkande faction in AD, a political party he made substantial contribution, both in moral and material terms, to get registered, came heavily on his head, and the support of the party was total in making a Senator out of him, even in his hours of travails, from a tragedy hung on him by his AD traducers whose tendency has resurfaced in APC in a more vicious form
Again, history is an important lesson for Iyiola Omisore, lest he becomes over bloated in a borrowed gown by desperate suitors.He should ask himself of the fate of Olagunsoye Oyinlola who was also demonized as a murderer, but would eventually be ‘celebrated’ when it was time for APC to reap votes from the putative influence of the former governor and Rauf Aregbesola predecessor in office
Above all, Garrison Commander is as good and effective as the loyalty of his troops.In war situations. In this instance, the unmitigated support of Ife people cannot be taken for granted by Iyiola Omisore,just because he has been a valuable and respected leader of that important constituency.For one, he is not directly involved in the race: the race is between two combatants who may be perceived as enemies of their son, and that of their own collective interest as a community.What Ife people will do is what people in this type of situation often do: weigh the benefits realizable from each of the solicitous ‘enemies’, and determine which stings is tolerable, the enemy who has chastised them with stick, or the one that has tormented them with scorpions. While they will remember those who ensured, through internal sabotage, that their son did not make it to the governors lodge, Ife people are not likely to forget the party whose deployment of federal might traumatized the town and humiliated one of their traditional rulers during the face off between the Hausa-Fulani community in Ife and the natives.
And they would remember to ask: where were their ’emergency’ friends who refused to show up, if only in sympathy visitation to shed crocodile tears for the butchered sons and daughters in the homestead of Oduduwa, when the Kwankwasos of this world were gallivanting around Ife geographical space, not just in solidarity with the Fulani community, but to reassure their kinsmen of the support from Abuja in their ‘fight’ against their legendary tolerant host. I was involved in the trouble-shooting to douse ember of bitterness and mutual hatred as part of Afenifere peace mission to the source of Yoruba accommodating civilization
Iyiola Omisore has one choice in this matter, and this will be in spite of his owned assumed importance and possible benefits: he must line up behind his people in whatever may be their preference, and he should not attempt to cajole them against their desire. In making a choice in this make or mar historic cause, he takes a risk, a big one at that. If he defend ‘self’ and subsume ‘collective interest’ , and Ife people side with the ‘collective aspiration’, taking their manifest destiny in their own hands by abandoning his leadership-mounted barricades for the benefit of ‘self’, he returns home demystified.And the elephant of Yoruba people has a long memory, and Ife people do not forget, and neither do they forgive a leader’s betrayal
For Iyiola Omisore, history beckons, he must seize what it offers: to be a hero or a valiant
