The Minister of Interior, Hon. Bunmi Tunji Ojo, is (without any form of equivocation) a man with Midas touch. He is a man who does things differently in all he finds himself doing. His nomination as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu came as a shocker to both the political class and the not-too politically-inclined.
Interestingly, what was oblivious to many was his ability to deliver in the new assignment. Political pundits and analysts differed in their perception of the young Bunmi Tunji-Ojo – a case of different yokes for different folks.
However, upon his deployment to the Ministry of Interior, Dr Bunmi Tunji-Ojo hit the ground running with various maverick moves and initiatives to chart a new course for the Ministry. This is to the chagrin of many followers who are stunned by the exceptional performance of the Interior Minister, whom I have described in several fora as the Brand Ambassador of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The recent flag-off of the release of four thousand and sixty-eight (4,068) inmates in Correctional Centres (formerly known as Prisons) across Nigeria is indeed a welcome development and cheering news to, not only, the inmates but also their family members and loved ones.
The most significant aspect of the whole process is that the five hundred million (N500,000,000) fine was raised through crowd-funding, without a dime contributed from the purse of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
What this great move portends is that when these inmates would write the histories of their lives, one name would be a recurring decimal. That recurring name would be that of the man, Bunmi Tunji Ojo, who championed their liberation agenda.
Again, we should be mindful of the possibility of some of these inmates turning a new leaf to become great personalities in future.
Examples of former presidents like Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria readily come to mind here.I am convinced that, not only, would Bunmi Tunji-Ojo go down in the histories of the personal lives of these inmates but also in the annals of the history of the 10th democratic dispensation of the republic called Nigeria.
It is a feat too significant to ignore or allowed to go undocumented.While I wish the inmates well and congratulate them of their release, it is pertinent that our society opens its arms wide to reintegrate these men and women into a new world from which they had been cut off for a period of time.
They need understanding, patience, love, empathy, and cooperation of all and sundry for their rehabilitation in order to chart a profitable course of living.The Honourable Minister has done well by championing this nobel initiative which shall be fresh in the minds of all citizens and all well-meaning Nigerians and stakeholders in Project Nigeria have hailed to no limits. It is not yet over until it is all over.
Governments, at all levels, should come up with programmes which would facilitate their rehabilitation and integration for the purpose of engendering a working society which shall be free from the vices and crimes which these people were accused and incacerated for May their freedom bring new hopes and fulfillment of dreams as they find new wings to fly unto greater heights.
It should be etched on the psyche of these freed men and women that crime does not pay but also alters destinies’ directions. A word is enough for the wise.And to Dr Bunmi Tunji-Ojo: I say thank you for this initiative.
May the Almighty God continually be your guide and guard. May He widen your bank of creativity and wisdom to do more for Nigeria and Nigerians. I see a new day dawn upon us as a nation.
Olumide Obadele is the Convener, One Million Man March for BTO
