A chartered engineer, CEO, Step Development Limited, Aderemi Oseni has joined the 2019 Oyo State governorship race.
Oseni, OYO INSIGHT learnt, is a close ally of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The Ido-born politician is a chieftain of African Democratic Congress, ADC.
In a recent interview, he spoke on what actually motivated a successful business man like you him to delve into the murky waters of politics and why now.
“First of all, let me quickly say that I am not new in politics; I have been in politics since our days at Accord Party under the leadership of Senator Rashidi Ladoja. The fact that some of us chose to be at the background does not make us new in politics; I have been in politics for some time now. Aside from that, you will discover that year in year out, a lot of us prefer to seat in the comfort of our homes and keep complaining that things are not going on well. Sometimes, we play the ostrich, not wanting to take up challenges. What I am saying essentially is that it is high time that people of good conscience, people with genuine fear of God put their hands on the plough without looking back. It is a sacrifice we need to make if we must rescue our land from this sordid level of poverty, oppression and alarming rate of unemployment. As for me, I can no longer sit back. I have a burning desire to serve our people with a good conscience and genuine fear of God and there is a giant in me that is saying to me that it is doable; it is achievable. As a member of African Democratic Party, and a gubernatorial aspirant, my vision is to turn the teeming youths of Oyo state into employers of labour and to give our people life in abundance.”
Speaking on some of the unique things that makes him different from other governorship aspirants, he explained that “I thank you for that question. However, before I answer the question, let me quickly tell you my observation. Over the years, we have supported people who are poor to attain political offices, thinking that because of their background, they would not steal but they ended up disappointing us. Again, we have supported those who are rich to attain political offices thinking that because they already have more than enough, therefore, the urge to steal public funds will be near zero. But what did we find? They ended up soiling their hands. So, the question is, where do we go from here? We need divine intervention. To your question, part of my mission as part of the divine intervention is to demonstrate that it is possible for someone to serve the people without exploiting them, without dipping one’s hands into the public treasury for personal aggrandisement or to unduly enrich their cronies. In other words, zero tolerance to corruption will be the foundation upon which our administration will be built.
“Apart from the fact that by the grace of God, I am a successful engineer by all standards, without being immodest. I can also tell you that I am an ordained man of God, a pastor in all intents and deeds, beyond the judgement of man, I am more mindful of the judgment of GOD. It is also very clear in my head that after these earthly activities, we shall all account for all our actions before GOD and on that day, I want to be found blameless. That is my ultimate goal; the force that is driving my ambition is different from that of others. What we need now is someone on a divine agenda. With that in mind, I have no option than to come into government with clean hands.”
Oseni would later ask the people of Oyo State to keep hope alive. “I plead with them to embrace our party, the African Democratic Congress because in it resides the much desired political and economic liberation. Let us preserve our voter’s card and they should not sell their future for a congo of rice. I have no doubt in my mind that together, we will build a new Oyo State and it will certainly work.
Oseni is a structural engineer from Ido local government of Oyo State. “I am in my early fifties. I was born into a very poor family and finished my primary school at I.D.C Primary School, OkunaAwo. I was to go on apprenticeship in meat selling at Lagos but by providence, the government of Oyo State brought secondary school to my neighbouring village in Akufo when I was in primary six in 1978. By the grace of God, I took the common entrance examination and passed. That was how those who were waiting for me to finish primary six were denied by God in taking me to Lagos. By the same grace of God, the government of the old Oyo State under the late Chief Bola Ige brought the policy of free education to our village in 1979. As a result, I was able to attend Akufo High School for my secondary school education.
“That was how I was able to secure secondary education. With some help and struggles, I was able to secure admission into The Polytechnic, Ibadan for my National Diploma in Civil Engineering (ND). I later proceeded tothe Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State to get my HND in Civil Engineering. I opted for the Institution because it was almost tuition free.
“Due to my exemplary performance during my youth service, I was retained to work in Abakaliki. I was there for about one year and came to Lagos to work with another company for about three years before setting up my own outfit, Step Development Limited well over twenty years ago. It is to the glory of GOD that I have a conglomerate that has in its employ well over 200 staff.
“In my quest for higher knowledge, I proceeded to the University of Leeds, in the United Kingdom where I obtained a Masters Degree in Structural Engineering with distinction. I am a chartered engineer and I also belong to several professional bodies in the engineering profession.
