The stride of an elephant goes with a silent noise that exude confidence and obviously mark it out in the animal Kingdom as a king of the jungle in its own unique excellence and sovereign.[Ajanaku koja mori nkan firi].
This description vividly capture the odyssey of Funsho Ekundayo Olumoko, [Hon., DG, Chairman] who’s eventful carrier spanned over two decades. He’s a cat with many lives; representing many things to many people. But the nexus of all he represents personified a “Builder of men”. Thus sobriquet” builder of men, resonated an admiration that gave birth to the title “Ogidi-Omo” by community of lovers. And he went ahead growing that into a political dynasty; now a powerful political group/family that maintains its tentacles even across and beyond the boundary of Nigeria.
Since he came to limelight over two decades ago as two term Local Government Chairman, later in the numenclature of a Liason Officer 1 of Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, he has won himself a vintage badge of colourful politicking with airs, utter and capacity to occupy his environment silently loud and stood tall as a colosus with unquenchable appetizer for great political forays and exploits.
He has savvy and gusto, marked by an abundance of vigor and enthusiasm. How did I know this? Our path crossed in 2012 during his tenure as the L O 1 of Ijumu Council. Then I was corresponding for Kogi Agenda News Magazine, also one of the few selected journalists to be in his entourage in touring the entire Ijumu communities. And of course, I was caught by his branded home-grown telos and content. His impressive presence and enthusiastic reception underscore his significance. Just as it was not enough, the end of the tour swung him into action, and he left no one in doubt that development in Ijumu is a product of sound, sustained and cogent planning and administration of curative pills purchased at genuine market and used for the needs of the targets.
And conversely, through his actions and development, despite a short period of his stay, he lets know that underdevelopment is likened to the blind, lame and unregulated administration of curative pills purchased for cancer patients and wrongly or deceptively administered to malaria patients.
Albeit, the implications of wrong and deceptive individuals who occupied the position after him, left an ugly and adverse marks pretty unimaginably.
Far more reaching, Hon. Funsho Ekundayo Olomoko’s dedication to grassroots development and empowerment earned him an impactful reputation. Remarkably became a glowing inspiration and a harvest. This modest abstract rooted him a transitional traverse in his divinely driven voyage.
Remember, no gut no glory. Olumoko’s beginning was not rosy. He underscores how it was difficult for his parents to raised his school and examination fees in those days. He’s bold to say no one can wish you success than your parents would do. While recounting the ordeal of school days; he deliberately pour encomium on his mother, Mrs Comfort Olumoko during last year’s Ogidi-Omo end of the year party for standing tall for him in those rough and rugged old days.
As Yoruba adage succinctly put it – Oju eni bama la, ari iyonu, Olumoko was divinely wired for greatness, so providence had pulled the trigger; by given him strength to push beyond the limit from the threshold. As you know, champions are made through perservarance, passion and belief that every setback is a setup for a launch.
Over the years, Olumoko’s passion and conviction in whatever he does has an eye on results. His spirit for creative engagement has modeled his instinct in business when he created – Peniel Gate, a personally owned multimillion generator supplying company and other results oriented feat in politics, leadership and entrepreneurship.
He actually moved from business into politics. There he set for himself a creative milestones, transformed and set agenda for not only accomplishments but also for statusquo ante.
Recognizing his devotion, contribution and unalloyed commitment to the development and growth of his people, the former governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello [CON] in 2023 beacons on him to deliver Kogi West for APC in the last gubernatorial election in the state as the Director General, Kogi West Campaign Council for Ododo/Joel.
Such impressive outing was an exceptional sacrifice one can offer in a sitting. To the surprise of many, he pitched APC’s victory in Kogi West for Alh. Usman Ahmed Ododo to become the sitting governor of Kogi State presently. Olumoko won accolades as one of the innovator of that election. Campaigned rigorously and won for himself a huge influence.
He has through the mystery of grace, been established by history to a systemic circuit of Okun politics for excellent leadership and unmatched rigour, unwavering commitment as a progressive politician, and successful entrepreneur.
He has raised a content policy to unifying a long seated culture that has eluded political structure of the Western senatorial district of Kogi State and has been the most valuable interest of Hon. Funsho Ekundayo Olumoko. How do I know?? I shall take you through the mastery of his state of mind.
Yes! I had a personal interview with him during the “Kogi West Gratitude Tour” which was organized by him and other APC big wigs in Kogi West aftermath of the election victory of the APC last year.
Olumoko who countlessly remarks, maintained that history not been very fair to Okunland in particular and Kogi West in general, because, the formation of the old political order recidivist by the act of “self”, “me” and “myself” alone is reverberating excessively among us.
For Olumoko, the systemic exchange in doing same thing and expecting different results is a modus of unattractive politicking.
According to him, you don’t need to always have a reconciliatory body to always pacify any aggrieved person or group of persons anytime election is at the corner. For him, it is a recipe from a bad and unprepared political food.
You will agree with him that politics around us is primordial and sentimental, especially in Okunland. And he has always wanted an opportunity to change the game.
Now he’s the Chairman, Governing Board of the Federal College of Education, Pantshin, Plateau State, which has been upgraded to University of Education presently under his able leadership. Of course, the appointment did not filtered to some of us as news. This is because, Hon. Funsho Olumoko not only dynamic, but also resourceful. Calculated and focus, Olumoko is never a political cheer leader. The instinct that drove and directed his steps and decisions are always informed by superior logic. Evidently one of the shining stars in the political atmosphere of Kogi State. Consummate, strategic and intellectually mobile personality.
I have a strong conviction and am not alone in this line of thought that his tenure as the Chairman of the board of the University of Education, Pantshin will certainly welcome a radical changes, all round transformation, growth and development for the nation and mankind. The institution upgrade is the first evidence and testimony of many progress to come.
Thank you all for coming through this article with me. It is an article to reflect the journey of definition and testimonies of marks. It is also a journey of adaptability, reformation, innovation and pursuit on the remarkable odyssey of our [Chairman], Hon. Funsho Ekundayo Olumoko, who has relentlessly pursue excellence through unwavering determination and courage to be where he is today.
– Martins Mejabi is a Political Scientist.
