A former governor of Oyo State, Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo has disclosed why he did not rejoice after defeating Bola Ige to emerge the Governor of the Old Oyo State.
OYOINSIGHT.COM recalls that In 1983, Olunloyo ran for governor of the old Oyo State on the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) platform, and defeated the then incumbent, Bola Ige of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), to assume office in October 1983.
Olunloyo, who disclosed this in an interview with Nigerian Tribune to mark his 85th birthday, also stated that nobody should rejoice after emerging victorious in any election in the country.
In his words, “As a matter of fact, nobody should rejoice that he wins an election or power in this country.
“Even if they vote you in, you will be crying. You should not rejoice at all. You should feel that a terrible burden has been put on your head. But people rejoice; they have parties. But, there is no good reason for anybody to rejoice.”
While explaining why he did not rejoice after his emergence as the governor of the state, he said,”Even if I did, I did not; some of us have been very well trained; we have been thoroughly trained. Aduwo put me, during his short period, in a local government.
“I have been in 55 parastatals. Now, I can count 55 parastatals. I have been the chairman of, at least, 20 or 30 of them. By virtue of being the chairman of the Western Nigeria Development Commission (WNDC) and all its affiliates, and also by virtue of being the executive secretary of the National Science and Technology Agency (NSTA), I was in charge of all these but there was nothing to rejoice about.
“There was corruption in the First Republic; there was more corruption in the Second Republic; there was much more in the Third Republic; there is an astronomical, geometric progression in the Fourth Republic.
“It went on exponentially. And corruption is one of the problems which they say they are fighting. I think it is more of corruption fighting the polity and corruption seems to be winning.”
Olunloyo also stated that it is important for Nigerians see themselves as the problem and not the system because the country has tried both parliamentary and presidential system of government.
