From Ayodele Ayodeji, Ado Ekiti
Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, fondly call MOB by his friends, associates and people across the globe is a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. His political trajectory which spanned many decades has been like a fairy tale because of the uncommon grace that his creator has bestowed on him. He started his political activism back in his undergraduate days as a student leader. However, he came into political limelight under the tutelage of the current President Bola Tinubu while he was the governor of Lagos State.
Bamidele a brilliant lawyer of repute has many characteristics that distinguished him from the crowd. Apart from his humane disposition, he is humble and has passion to impact positively in the lives of the people, particularly people of his Senatorial District in particular and the residents of Ekiti in general. This was why his diamond jubilee was celebrated with unprecedented fanfare by his political associates, followers and well meaning people of Nigeria. The 60th anniversary of his birth which was on 29th July, 2023 was a testament to his type of politics. People from all walks of live irrespective of their religion, ethnicity and political inclination trooped out to honour him.
When Fela referred to himself as “anikulapo” which means “the person with death in his pocket” he probably had MOB in mind. It was the uncommon grace of God that made him to witness his 60th birthday, having been shot by a trigger happy cop at the APC state Secretariat during a campaign rally held by his party’s governorship candidate, Dr Kayode Fayemi in 2018. That probably account for why the birthday events radiated so much panache, pageantry, and elegance to give God the glory which is due to Him. As a man of faith, he created the atmosphere of worship with a 24 hours of praise and worship christened: ’24 Hours Marathon Praise and Worship Service’ beginning from 7am on Friday, July 28 to 7am of Saturday,July 29, which was the D-Day. Top-rated gospel singers that participated in the carnival-like event including Tope Alabi, Yinka Alaseyori, Aduke Gold, Esther Igbekele, Bj Sax and over 20 high-flying musicians, converge on Ekiti to help him show gratitude to his maker. Bamidele’s teeming and cult-like supporters across the state and members of the All Progressives Congress, led by Governor Oyebanji, his wife, Olayemi, the APC State Chairman, Paul Omotoso, among others, defied the regular downpour and the seemingly intolerable humid atmospheric condition of that day to participate in the programme.
The praises didn’t stop at that, another thanksgiving service was held at the Babanboni Anglican Church, Iyin Ekiti on Saturday, July 29. Bamidele in company if his wife, Yemisi, in open display of outpouring of praises appreciated God for sparing his life to celebrate 60th birthday. He described the gesture as uncommon favour, having a retrospect of what he passed through in his tortuous and bumpy political journeys.
Besides, there was groundswell of tributes that were rolled out to compliment his contributions to national growth, the launch of his book buttressed how towering his stature has become in national politics. The deluge of congratulatory messages from ebullient personalities like President Bola Tinubu, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Governor of his home state, Biodun Oyebanji, Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief Monisade Afuye, former Governor Kayode Fayemi , colleagues in the Senate, diplomatic corps , spiritual fathers and admirers, vividly denoted the power and connections he wields in the contemporary Nigeria.
Little wonder, the synopsis of glamorous event, which began with a book-launch in Abuja, to the Marathon Praise and Worship Service in Ekiti and thanksgiving in Lagos, attracted the high and mighty from the political, spiritual, diplomatic and musical circles to celebrate a man, whose life’s trajectory epitomizes trust, loyalty, kindness, generosity and service to God and humanity.
The celebration, according to Opeyemi, was of premium interest to him in diverse fronts. One, it was an opportunity to give glory to God for sparing him from the throes of death. The traumatizing event of June 1, 2018, when he was hit by stray bullets during a political rally remains indelible in his memory and heart. It was an occurrence that nearly threw Ekiti into mourning and political turmoil.
Secondly, the auspiciously unique accasion afforded him to give accounts of his stewardship to his people in Ekiti Central Senatorial District. With the way he spoke at the event, Senator Bamidele was thankful to his constituents for electing him as a member of the Senate for second term, with his election/ appointment as Senate Majority Leader as the icing of the cake. He held the view that holding the position of a leader, which is considered as one of the livewires of the country’s federal legislature at a time the National Assembly was in search of true independent and identity, could not have come at a better time..
Most significantly, he perceived the celebration as a leeway for him to keep his constituents abreast of the national politics, especially defending the administration of President Tinubu and Senator Godswill Akpabio-led Senate.
The presence of the creme-dela -creme from the political class of different inclinations and ideologies at the event indicated that it was a momentous occasion for the regrouping of the progressive forces. President Tinubu, represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, governors and top-rated political bigwigs, were at hand to make the event more momentous. Members of the Senate across political divides, also shed the toga of partisanship to rally round a man, whose tentacles had spread across Nigeria as a politician, lawyer and student activist.
Speaking at the events held at different dates in Abuja, Ado Ekiti and Lagos, the Senate Leader didn’t mince words by his open and stout defense of President Tinubu’s government over the fuel subsidy removal and the choices of ministerial nominees he had presented for screening at the Senate.
The ranking Senator assured Nigerians that the Senate would be painstaking with the screening of the ministerial nominees presented by the President Tinubu. Bamidele added that the Senate would scrutinize the ministers thoroughly to ascertain their competences and capabilities to serve Nigeria diligently and in such a way that will bring dividends of democracy to the populace .
In a fashion that evokes passion, the lawmaker, said Senator Godswill Akpabio-led Senate was desirous and keen about ensuring that those holding pivotal positions under Tinubu’s presidency are those with capacities to deliver.
“Let me assure Nigerians that the screening won’t be only bow and go, except for those who had members of the National Assembly been before and whom we knew and appreciated that they have the wherewithal to give Nigerians qualitative leadership.
“Nigerians expected us to be thorough. They are expecting us to do a thorough screening. But take a bow and go is parliamentary convention, it has become a practice all over the world and that person must be a former member of the parliament who is well known to us. Somebody we have confidence in his ability. We are going to follow the constitution to ensure that we deliver our mandate to make those who voted for us happy. This will occur at the level of parliament, oversight functions and at the committee level.
“We will partner Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to deliver on his promises to Nigerians. We are determined to ensure that all the three arms of government, particularly the judiciary are put on a good footing to be able to deliver justice without fear or favour. We are determined to ensure that the right people are brought on board”.
On the hoopla around the abrupt removal of the fuel subsidy, which some Nigerians regarded as bruising, painful and agonising, Bamidele assured that the federal government will soon roll out social investment programmes to palliate the sufferings of the masses.
“The federal government will put palliatives in place to help the poorest of the poor . There is also another category of palliatives that will be rolled out for the civil servants apart from the promised salary increment that will be done across states and at the federal level.
“The removal is very significant because the FG will be able to save a lot of money to do infrastructure and make all Nigerians happy. That was the intention of President Tinubu about the removal. He knew what Nigerians are passing through and efforts are underway to cushion the effects of this removal”.
He recalled how God like the biblical Joseph favoured him for political positions through Tinubu’s instrumentality in Lagos despite being from Ekiti. He remembered with nostalgic feelings how he got reelected as a member of the House of Representatives and now a two term member of the Senate. He believed all these were made possible by divine Providence.
In an emotion laden tone, he recalled how God rescued him from the verge of death on June 1, 2018. On this day he succinctly described as his worst political experience, he explained how his stomach was riddled with bullets in the middle of the crowd during an accidental shooting within the precinct of the APC Secretariat in Ado Ekiti. It was a time he served as the Director General spearheading the second term campaign of Dr Kayode Fayemi’s gubernatorial tussle.
“I thank God for my life. I saw death face to face, but God rescued me. If I had a better opportunity to thank God more than this, I will surely do. He delivered me by divine miracle. He is a marvelous moving God”.
In his short exhortation tagged “out of your faithfulness” at the ceremony, the Vicar in charge of the All Saints’ Anglican Church, Iyin Ekiti, Ven Zaccheus Ibitoye, described the Bamidele’s Marathon Praise service as the first of its kind in Ekiti . The cleric branded the politician as a robustly unique, dependable and descent politician, who loathes politics of bitterness and do- or -die.
The man of God also veered off the spiritual radar to discuss some of the policies that had been undertaken under Tinubu’s presidency. He assured that Nigerians will render good stories in the end despite the removal of the fuel subsidy by Tinubu’s administration .
“Let us be patient and pray for our leaders. All the presidential candidates promised that they will remove the petrol subsidy and one of them won and removed it. We should all be expecting it. Let us be patient with the federal government. We will have a good story to tell for our coming children. This stage and difficulties shall pass away”.
The Vicar added that Bamidele enjoyed tremendous favour from God because he had served humanity in the most rewarding fashion as a Commissioner and member of the National Assembly.
“We could all remember when he was shot few years back, whether through targeted or strayed bullet, but God protected him. He didn’t die because God proclaimed that it wasn’t yet time. I am happy for your life. Senator Bamidele is a special breed of politician, who will not pledge what he will not do. I want to charge you to continue to hang your faith in God. He has been protecting you. You are still going higher and higher, you are unstoppable.
“I plead with politicians to play this politics neatly. Some of you used to eliminate people because of ambition. Senator Bamidele doesn’t belong to that group. He is a descent politician. Let us learn how to wait upon God. All of us can’t be Senators or Governors, but we can all be children of God”.
Accounts of Stewardship: At the thanksgiving in Iyin Ekiti, Bamidele, to the consternation of the congregation that gathered at the Babanboni Anglican Church revealed that he had empowered over 20,000 members among his constituents in the last four years as a federal lawmaker. The Senator added that the beneficiaries spread across various strata like the widows, unemployed youths, and poverty-stricken people.
He said he had given jobs to over 100 graduates and empowered countless of Ekiti citizens with skills ranges from poultry, piggery, baking, confectionaries and soap making. The lawmaker stressed that these were conceptualized to reduce poverty in his Senatorial district.
“I have also attracted a university of medical science to Iyin Ekiti and the Law school to Ilawe Ekiti. The FG will soon begin work on them. If you go round the Ekiti Central Senatorial district, I have sunk boreholes to supply potable water to our people across the five councils in the area. This has reduced water scarcity, boosts access to good water and reduced incidences of water borne diseases.
“During my time as a member of the House of Representatives between 2011 and 2015, representing Ado/Irepodun/Ifelodun Federal Constituency, I attracted 89 projects like Libraries, health centres, ICT centres among others to my constituency. I have never disappointed my people and I remain steadfast with this philosophy”.
The event further reinforced the strength of the political cord between Governor Biodun Oyebanji and the Senate leader. Despite his busy and arduous schedules, Governor Oyebanji exhibited enormous respect for the politician by attending all the programmes held in Abuja, Ekiti and Lagos in Bamidele’s honour.
Oyebanji at the occasion said: “The two of us are first and foremost friends and brothers, we believe in God as the sole determinant of the future and we are also highly experienced politicians, who have committed our political future in the hands of God. So, stop speculating about any war between us.
“God is the Alpha and Omega of human beings, He does things at his own will. God is the decider of our fate. I want to tell you clearly that nothing can separate me from Senator Bamidele. We have built a strong relationship over the years, so politics can’t separate us”.
