A grateful heart is a brave heart. Not everyone will understand what it means to show gratitude especially when such an act that warrants such gratitude came in at the exact time you needed a helping hand.
I am declaring openly my support for Distinguished Senator Smart Adeyemi for Senate, Kogi West Senatorial District in this forthcoming Saturday 16th of January 2019 general election because he deserves my vote and until I cast my vote for him as an electorate, I won’t be satisfying my conscience.
You may wonder why I am tagging my support “a show of gratitude”. The reason for this will be traced to the year 2014 when I saw my name as part of the beneficiaries of the Sen. Smart Adeyemi, CON Scholarship scheme for over five hundred (500) Kogi West Students. A first of its kind scholarship scheme in Kogi West which up till date the record is till unbeatable.
When I saw my name on page 8, Number 19 (Jacob Abraham Damilare) in the program titled ” Sen. Smart Adeyemi (CON) Annual Constituents’ Empowerment Program” which featured Constituents Empowerment, Students’ Bursary Award and Community Development on Tuesday December 23, 2014 at Anglican Science, Secondary School, Iyara, Ijumu Local Government Area, Kogi State, I was filled with hope because back them, believe me or not the scholarship grant helped me regained and balanced my financial imbalance towards my tuition fees.
I was in the midst of the mammoth crowd that gathered both as beneficiaries of the various categories of empowerment schemes or as well wishers and supporters of Sen. Smart Adeyemi and standing on the stage was Comrade David Oni Sunday (alias Ogbeni) who was the National President of National Association of Okun Students; the facilitator of the scholarship grant for Kogi West Students.
While I received the then customized Skye Bank (Now Polaris) account details in my name- enveloped ATM Pin, I prayed deep in my heart that one day I will stand on a high stage to show appreciation to this kind gesture that has wiped away shame away from me as at that point when I needed it the most.
Today, I am the National President of the same National Association of Okun Students (NAOS). Why won’t I remain a man with a grateful heart to God almighty and also cast a vote of gratitude to Sen. Smart Adeyemi who never knew me but his kind gestures located me and helped me fund my tuition fee as at the year I benefited from it?
Ever since then up till now, I have not received any dime from Sen. Smart Adeyemi but I put it straight here that the assistance I received via the scholarship meant more than enough for me because it came in at the appropriate time when I needed it the most. I have made a vow to give the best of my support for this man. Sir, I do not need one dime from you but I will use everything I have to support your candidature.
I will in my own capacity canvass and win voters especially my contemporaries to rally round this man. He who invest in the education of his people is setting the pace for development. Whether Directly or indirectly, I have benefitted from this man as he invested in my academic pursuit.
It is not until a man gives you millions when you can also dash out millions that you should be grateful, you should also be grateful when a man gives you a morsel when you can’t ordinarily afford water to wash your hands ” appreciating a drop of water in a desert outweighs appreciating a GeePee tank filled of water where there is an ocean.
I make bold to say that I have not in any way either in the dark or open collected a dime from any candidate with any assurance of declaring support for him as an individual or as an association leader. Hence, I am entitled to my decision and I owe no one any apology for my decision.
When Sen. Smart Adeyemi wins, we win together, if otherwise, we shall still remain together but I am strongly convinced that we shall attain victory at the poll.
While I will be going on with my campaign for my Senatorial Candidate, I shall not go dirty with any candidate or political party. Rather, I will proof any point just to ensure the manifestoes of my choice of candidate is sold out positively.
I am therefore declaring my unflinching support for Distinguished Sen. Smart Adeyemi (CON).
I appreciate the drop of water given to me in the desert at the point when I was thirsty and needed it most. If I am the only beneficiary of the over 500 beneficiaries who is still holding that benefit at heart and deems it necessary to show gratitude even now, then I must say I am proud to be a grateful heart.
As an individual, I am entitled to my right to vote and I have made my choice I will appreciate that my choice is respected.
Distinguished Senator Smart Adeyemi let me congratulate you as we match to victory come February 16th, 2019 at the election poll.
– Jacob Abraham Damilare
National President, National Association of Okun Students (NAOS)
