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I must confess that I have never met the present Kogi state commissioner for Finance, Alh Idris Asiru until about four years ago in a restaurant in Lokoja. As I placed my order of pounded yam with egusi soup, plus fresh fish to boot, the person came right behind me and said, don’t worry sir, I will pay. I turned and said but I don’t know you, he replied, but you know Rasco. Then I saw the resemblance.
I made the above brief remarks because a few people have called me to ask that why do I always refer to him, even publicly as leader, someone younger than me in age? My standard answer has always been because he shows leadership. Leadership is not by age. Leadership is truly showing the way it has to be done. What do I mean? I am coming presently!
By the time the late Musa Oluyori did what Isanlu can point to today as legacies, he was not yet 70. Doing good for people and your community is inbuilt. How many of our leaders in the present day Isanlu will be willing to sacrifice their time, resources and all, for the benefit of the larger society?
Last weekend, one of the few I chose as my leaders- jokingly or seriously- made a remark about Isanlu becoming so segmented. Ijowa day, Makutu day, Ilafin day, etc becoming more robust, more honoured and more rewarding than Isanlu day. But this gap, to me, is what Asiwaju has come to bridge. This singular effort of his is why I call him leader. After all, we can count more than ten Isanlu citizens, in terms of wealth, that can buy him wats and all.
Those who knows me know that I am not a hero worshiper. If you have your money, you have it for yourself. But, “t’omode ba lowo lowo eje ka ponle, t’oba s’agba lagba, ejeka mo ‘yi ‘re”. If the well to dos in this community can come together and pull their resources for Isanlu’s development, no one will be able to get to the Lugard house without paying constant homages here.
Finally, Asiwaju himself should be weary of hanger-ons. If he falls today, God forbid, how many will still be willing to stand by him- come rain come shine. When we sell them cheap, outsiders buy them cheaply. In the meantime, our leaders needs our prayers more than our criticism, lest we loose them as we lost late Afro and the benefits derivable from him.
Isanlu Shall Be Great Again!
– Pastor Ola Honesty
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