I flick through BSA’s profile and one thing keeps recurring as popular repeating decimal in mathematics. It is highly voluminous at the same time soothing like night winds are. That’s his personal achievement in the game of politics that has earned him the sobriquet of “the brainbox”.
The political experience he has garnered over the years, his cordial relationship with the people, academic prowess and now that he is contesting as the Oyo South Senator, he exemplifies what Napoleon Hill calls “definiteness of purpose ” (what you wish to accomplish) or his “raison detre” for throwing his hat in the ring for the Senate, these have all combined to outrank other candidates, who, without being immodest, are “greenhorn politicians.”
And these feats make him exudes confidence, which Lauren K tags “a fine trait” in his people who repose same in him. He is for one, confident that he knows the terrain very well and grateful to God that his long term relationship with the people of the district remains unsullied.
Unquestionably, BSA sets his goals high and have solid plans for achieving them, that’s the reason for brass ring in his hands as I always address him as “BSA with a brass ring.” In 1992 at a very tender age of 29 years, when some people were still finding their bearings, he became the first executive chairman of Ibadan North local Government.
Also, At age 40, in 2003, he was appointed as the Secretary to the State Government under the administration of Senator Adewolu Rashidi Ladoja.
Another lofty trait that is making him accomplish those ambitious goals easily is his mind control. Here is a person who in the words of Aristotles ” has conquered his mind”.
No doubt, BSA is a great leader, the type Grace Murray describes as a leader who “manages things and leads people”. Examples abound how as a local government chairman in Ibadan North, he successfully manifested both to the advantage of the people thus he was honoured in 1992 with the best local government of the year award.
The same unrelenting effort was noticed and rewarded by the people of Ido in 1992 when he was installed as Asiwaju Balogun of Bakatari in Ido local government .
His social nicety equates a story of a barrister in contact with an Italian Barista, both trying to outdo each other in civility. (That will be a story for another day) Suffice to say here that, BSA, the Maye Balogun Olubadan of Ibadan land, is truly an humble lamb.
As a legal practitioner, his milk of kindness is extended to the less privileged in the society, he has consistently offered free legal services to the not-too-financially favoured within the party and outside.
Over 100 brilliant but indigent students across the state have benefited from his scholarship program. And he is not resting on his oars.
Due to his diligence at age 48, in 2001, he was appointed as chairman of Odu’a investment company limited.
Expectedly when I sounded out some quiet voters in Oyo South who are in the majority, one thing is common amongst them – “the question of who else among those eyeing the senate position in the area has the cognate experience that surpasses that of BSA in politics”?
Of course, the people may not be wrong, afterall, one can only come out with whom he went in. BSA is the only candidate they knew before the campaign, who accepted the people as his and they too never felt a tinge of regret in associating with him. They trust his competence to do the job. He is tested and trusted.
With the intimidating profile and political mileage that is by far ahead others, Barrister Sarafadeen Alli, shouldn’t have anything to stand between him and his ambition to be Oyo South Senator in 2023, if the people’s votes count.
Isiaka Kehinde is a public affairs analyst based in Ibadan.
