The parable of the “wheat and the tares” is an illustration of a commitment to isolate the good from the bad, particularly in human relationship. It is a didactic sanctimony in the Christian faith which requires little or no explanation of its reflection, symbolism and metaphorical connotation. However, for peoples of different faiths, the parable expediently compels one to lay bare its symbolism and interpretation. The parable simply espouse the metaphorical meaning and consequence of the good and bad deeds that are seem hidden. Simply put the “tares” represent ‘the bad’, which are separated and cast into fire, on the judgment of the supervising agent, while the “wheat’ represents the innately good ones, separated, glorified and rewarded.
In the 2024 political context of Ondo State, where the State is yearning for leadership that it truly deserves, the parable of the “Wheat and the Tares” intrinsically attains fillip, and assumes a symbolism and metaphor that are necessary in forewarning and forearming the people on the need to be circumspect in their decision and choice of leadership. Thus, the “tares” can be likened to a candidate who, though possesses the Constitutional right to vie for public office, having met certain superficial criteria stipulated for such office, such as age and origin by birth, such a candidate is, however, bereft of the intrinsic leadership values that can guarantee the trust and confidence of the people about the governance system. Such values, that are distinctive and connected to one another, and even though not exhaustive, include, the tested competence, guaranteed honesty, impeccable integrity, proven experience, and sagacity needed to hold the office of Governor of Ondo State, taking into cognizance the historical lead-role Ondo State has occupied in the comity of States in the Country, on national discourse and development.
Arising from the above, it becomes conscientiously compelling to x-ray some of the personalities seeking to lead the State with a view to guiding the people on their choice.
Jimi Odimayo
He is a young entrepreneur who had a humble beginning. He started as a barber in Ode-Irele and later relocated to Lagos for business opportunities. He was said to have hit a jackpot in his business, built on it and later became rich.
Jimi did not stray into the forest of politics at first, he started as a philanthropist in his country home of Irele. Characteristic of the place of money in Nigeria politics, he became a “philanthropist”, through which process he acquired political relevance in Irele Local government and its environs.
Odimayo’s entrance into politics became known in the state when he suddenly joined the crowd of aspirants that wanted the job of former governor Akeredolu in year 2020. He made his presence felt on bill boards he erected across the state that he was out to contest for the seat of the Governor. He did not make any serious impact because not much of him and his antecedents is known in the state. Upon realizing that he did not stand a chance, he proceeded to endorse Akeredolu.
He, Odimayo would be later aided by the party’s structure to obtain the APC ticket among some known and established politicians in Irele in the primary election culminating in the 2023 elections. He was subsequently elected as a member of the House of Representatives in the general election of year 2023.
Though Jimi is a serving member of the House of Representatives, he is seen as an aspirant vying for governorship position without proven requisite experience, knowledge and required sagacity needed to run a governance system of Ondo state.
John Mafor
The Ilaje born politician read law at the University of Ado Ekiti and before then he already had a degree in English Language from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife. He is a writer and sports administrator.
He became known in politics of Ondo state when he was appointed into political office as commissioner under Dr Olusegun Agagu, former governor of Ondo state. Mafo’s further appearance in the political theatre was in 2016, when Dr Olusegun Mimiko paired him with Eyitayo Jegede as a deputy governorship candidate in the 2016 gubernatorial election in Ondo state. The election was won by former governor Akeredolu and his running mate, Agboola Ajayi.
Since his defeat, Not much has been seen or heard about Mafo in the politics of Ondo state. His party, the PDP has become a shadow of itself. Mafo’s sudden appearance and declaration to become the Governor of the State was received with a pinch of salt by members of the public because of the rudderless position of the PDP and the intractable leadership crisis in the party.
Though Mafo is a senior member of the PDP in Ondo state, his is not very profound in the grassroot politics of the PDP across the state. This could be due to his lean pocket (a dynamic that has made Nigeria politics a trading affairs across party line). Whether or not Mafo would be able to stand on his feet without Dr Olusegun Mimiko is a magic being awaited.
Matthew Oyerinmade (Mato)
No doubt, Mathew Oyerinmade is a new name in the political space of Ondo South senatorial district. He is a graduate of the University of Ado Ekiti. He has a background as a businessman where he was said to have made his money.
His entrance into politics started in the 2023 General Elections, when Mathew contested the primary elections of the APC for the Ondo South Senatorial District against the business mogul, Jimoh Ibrahim to represent the district in the red chamber; but he was defeated by Jimoh, having been aided by the leadership structure of the APC. Jimoh later defeated Agboola Ajayi, the former deputy governor of Ondo state and was returned elected a Senator.
Mato, as fondly called by his friends, has decided to contest the next governorship election in the state. Pundits belief that his greatest strength is his deep pocket and contacts in Abuja and Portharcourt. While to some people, it is surprising that a man with no political structure across the state and lacking in rudimentary political experience is seeking to become the governor of Ondo state.
Orimisan Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, no doubt, has, by divine providence, been elevated to the political limelight of being the Governor of Ondo State. The road to his elevation is riddled with a crisis of confidence and disloyalty. This has greatly polarised the APC and has made his government suffer great legitimacy deficit from political stakeholders. He is reputed as a man who mischievously worked to profit from the death of his late principal, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. It was alleged by Odebowale, former aide to the late Governor, that Aiyedatiwa, with the aid of a close Aide of the former governor (he called her mistress) procured information about the health status of Aketi, and used same to blackmail the late Governor.
Beyond this rise to prominence by constitutional prescription and alleged treachery, Lucky is also contending with the allegation of fake academic credentials purportedly obtained from the University of Ibadan.
Analysing his profile, Lucky Ayedatiwa has no straight educational qualifications that speak to specific universal training obtainable in the University system. It is to be noted that other qualifications paraded by Lucky are certificate in short- courses, undertaken in business management which at best are needed for business and has made him an agent of Burea –De-Change.
He is though have a calm demeanour his politics, arising from the roles he played when his former boss was ill, has been stained with the oil of disloyalty and desperation.
Lucky as a deputy governor did not show enough capacity and excellent leadership quality given the opportunities available to him. It is therefore the belief of many people in Ondo state that he did not possess the right quantity and quality of necessary political experience, charisma and sagacity needed to galvanize the healing that Ondo State needs very seriously at the moment.
As a sitting governor, he has unhindered access to the vault of the State. He also has to actualize his desperate ambition to lead the State. He is scheming the Abuja leadership of the APC to impose him in the coming gubernatorial primary election of Ondo state.
Jimoh Ibrahim
He is a trained lawyer and a self-celebrated PhD holder. Currently a serving senator representing Ondo South senatorial district of Ondo state, Jimoh Ibrahim is a businessman whose businesses are tainted with a lot of controversies. He was given the senatorial ticket of APC by former governor Akeredolu who prevailed on the leaders to support and deliver him as the senatorial candidate of the APC.
He has been going round the state distributing cash to the would-be-delegates of APC in the glare of the public and even advertised this to the surprise of the electorates. According to him and those following him, his greatest weapon is his deep pocket. He never hid his desire to buy both the delegates and the electorates (if he secures the APC ticket) in the next gubernatorial election. To him, he won his senatorial election on the strength of money he spent in the election.
Jimoh , a Havard graduate, has been grappling with the burden of earning the trust of the people due to his controversial antecedents as a businessman. Although Jimoh has been on the political scene for some time, ruffling the political water with his economic negotiating skills, has not done anything that is capable of erasing the image of a corporate debtor and insincere business attitude in the minds of the people of Ondo state.
It is public knowledge in several quarters that the albatross of Jimoh the absence of integrity capital to navigate the tempestuous political water. Many of his businesses are fraught with massive failure, culminating in several court actions. It is believed that allowing Jimoh to be in the helms of affairs as Governor of the State is akin to mortgaging same. Curiously and sadly, to political watchers, Jimoh has continued to boast of having the sum of 20 billion naira stashed for the APC governorship primaries and aeroplane that would fly him across the State. He believes that with his money, Ondo State will be in his pocket.
Olusola Alex Oke, SAN
A trained lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olusola Oke is a well-known political actor in the politics of Ondo State. He has served as a member of the House of Representatives, NDDC Commissioner, OSOPADEC Chairman, member of several boards of the Federal Government, party administrator and former National Legal Adviser, South West Director General of the APC presidential campaign council in the 2019 General Elections and of recent, Deputy Director of the Legal Committee of the Tinubu/Shetima presidential campaign of the APC in the 2023 presidential elections..Oke is also a member of the Legal Team of the APC in 2019 and 2023 presidential tribunal.
Oke has contested the gubernatorial election three times in Ondo state. It was acknowledged by the late Governor Akeredolu that he played a pivotal role in unifying the APC as a political party in the State in the aftermath of the 2019 and 2023 elections. Beyond his political accomplishment, Oke has equally risen to the pinnacle of his career as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Oke’s ability to manage the state is not and has never been in doubt judging from the rich experience he has and his success in his private practice. He is seen as a man of dexterity and sagacity who knows the state in and out. Unfortunately, while political stakeholders believe that Oke is trustworthy to be the Governor of Ondo State, his albatross, as peddled by his political opponents is that he will be difficult to control by those who want to hold their sizeable chunk of the politics of the state. Though he has a senior wife who is of Ilaje origin, recent outcry about his marriage to an Igbo wife has become a hurdle for his gubernatorial ambition.
His greatest strength is his grassroot appeals and his rich experience in both party and government management. If he wins the ticket of the APC, he will win the general election with little effort from his party.
Wale Akinterinwa
He became the
commissioner for Finance in the cabinet of Dr Olusegun Mimiko. He later resigned and returned to Lagos but later appointed by former governor Rotimi Akeredolu as the commissioner for Finance in Ondo state.
Wale Alinterinwa is a graduate of Accounting from Obafemi Awolowo University. He is professional accountant and has business experience in the real estate sector.
Wale’s greatest asset in the coming gubernatorial contest is the support of many of the cabinet members of the former governor. With the death of Aketi and his role in the impeachment plots of the currently governor, his gubernatorial ambition is dangling on the thread of uncertainty. He is currently reviewing his strategy, believing that the incumbent governor will come after him and others that were fingered in the rumoured forged signature of the former governor Akeredolu.
With his deep pocket, Wale is an aspirant to beat in the contest for the ticket of APC in the coming primary election in Ondo state. His greatest asset is his reliance on the majority of the support base of Aketi to clinch the ticket. His greatest hurdle is his role in the forged signature of Aketi.
Isaac Kekemeeke
A trained lawyer and politician, Kekemeke is one of the national officers of the APC who did contribute to the emergence of Asiwaju as the Presidential. Candidate of the APC.
He has held many political appointment and has been elected member of the state House of Assembly. The current Minister of State for Youth, Olawande Ayo Wisdom is his political son.
Though not much has been heard about his ambition, he is rumoured to be interested in the governorship seat in Ondo state.
Pundits belief he is from the minority in Ondo state and that not much of him is known in the grassroot of Ondo state.
There are other aspirants who, like Ife Oyedele, Emmanuel Igbasan, Oladunni Odu, have either not externalised their ambitions, or still bidding their time in the cabinet inherited by Aiyedatiwa, who they have undermined in the intrigues that preceded the death of Akeredolu.
Apart from the opinions of President Tinubu and the national leadership of the APC, the choice lies before the people of Ondo to choose a leader that would engender good governance required to develop the State, and enable it compete favourably in the comity of States. It is hoped that the people would be cautious to sieve the “tares” from the “wheat”, in taking a decision, ultimately.
