OLUBUKOLA OYEWO: 6 MONTHS OF EXEMPLARY, EFFECTIVE AND RESPONSIBLE REPRESENTATION

Political environment is synonymous with sweet promises most of which are not achievable. This discrepancy leads to a loss of trust in leadership. Such a pattern is common in our clime. However, the current member representing Irepodun/ Olorunda/ Orolu/ Osogbo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Olubukola Oyegbile Oyewo is an exception, one of the steadfast persons that keep to their promises. His appointment as the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Water Resources is expected due to his utmost diligence and readiness for the legislative task, a position that is strategic and core in rebuilding the legislative arm of government, to let people have the feel of true and genuine representation.

Hon. Olubukola Oyewo on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared the winner of the Irepodun/ Olorunda/ Orolu/ Osogbo Federal Constituency election on the 23rd February, 2019. It's on record that, during the electioneering campaign, he made many promises to the good people of his constituency that if elected; he would embark on programmes that would not only make life meaningful to his constituents but also make it enjoyable. Some of the promises may not have been fulfilled yet but gradually he has been fulfilling it bit by bit.

Since his emergence as a member of the House of Representatives, and in keeping to terms with the public mandate that produced him, he made it a point of duty to constantly keep his people informed of his activities in the lower legislative chamber. This feat is in keeping terms with the principle of running an open administration as the representative of the people to enable input from members of the society and to show his commitment to transparency and public accountability.

After his inauguration in the lower chamber on Tuesday, June 11, 2019, as a ready-minded fellow, he was appointed a member of the House of Representatives' Adhoc Committee on Investigation and Monitoring of Recruitment of Nigerians by MDAs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Subsequently, while inaugurating the committees in the House, the Honourable Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila appointed him the Deputy Chairman House Committee on Water Resources and member of other Committees which includes: Aviation, Diaspora, Basic Education, Public Accounts, Industry, Local Content, and Reform of Government Institutions.

BILLS AND MOTIONS

Within six months of his tenure in office, Hon. Olubukola Oyewo has made remarkable achievement and recorded laudable successive programmes that have benefited all and sundry in his constituency. It started with the submission of a motion to the House with regards to the abandonment of the Osogbo- Ilobu- Ifon- Oyo boundary road which connects Osun state to Oyo State and other neighbouring states like Kwara. He was concerned that owing to its abandonment, the road which is of economic importance to both Osun and Oyo States has been cut in many major places and there can be no better description of hell than what the residents of Osogbo, Agunbelewo, Okinni, Ilobu, Erin-Osun, Ifon go through on a daily basis. Few days after the submission of the motion, the contractor immediately returned to the site. Rehabilitation works are currently ongoing.

Furthermore, owing to the devastating effect of flooding in his constituency due to continuous downpour of rain that ravaged many properties, including houses, shops, and vehicles which consequently shut down economic activities of the affected areas. On Thursday, 3rd of October, 2019, Hon. Olubukola Oyewo, moved on the floor of the House, a motion of urgent need to address these problems and to provide government support to persons and areas affected with flooding. Many of the affected victims were documented. Recently the officials of the appropriate Ministry were in his constituency to ascertain the level of the damage done by the flood, and areas which reliefs can be granted to the victims.

Within the same time, other motions which have been submitted but waiting to be moved on the floor of the House includes; Motion on the Need to Periodically Evaluate the Psychological State of Arms- Bearing Personnel in Nigeria, Motion on the Need to Increase the Capacity of the 22 Industrial Development Centres in Nigeria, and Motion on the Need to Rivitalise the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nigeria.

Importantly, taking cognizance of the publication of the Federal Government granting the approval to establish 6 more Colleges of Education in 6 states of which Osun State is a beneficiary, Hon. Oyewo in December 2019 submitted a Notice of Bill for an Act to Provide for the Establishment of the proposed Federal College of Education in his constituency. The bill passed through First Reading on January 30th, 2020. The establishment of the institution, according to him, will be an avenue for the people to feel the federal presence in his constituency and further boost the economic the prosperity of his constituency.

CONSTITUENCY RELATIONS

Coupled with various feedback meetings held with leaders and elders in the constituency, Hon. Olubukola Oyewo on 18^th of October unveiled the Constituency Relations Office situated at 7, Pa Adesola Oladimeji Street, Oroki Estate, Osogbo. It was a memorable occasion as the edifice was commissioned by the Speaker of the House of Representative, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, with various stakeholders in the State in attendance. More so, a Liaison Office in Ifon-Osun which has always been operational was also revitalized. Both offices are open to all constituents to submit their views, suggestions and observations.

As at present, in addition to various feedback mechanisms, Hon. Oyewo has held 2 Town Hall Meetings (Tuesday, 14^th January 2020 at Osogbo Town Hall, and Saturday, 18^th of January, 2020 at Ifon-Orolu Town Hall) with his constituents, to give an account of what has transpired so far during the course of the representative duty, and to gather their opinions and views that will subsequently aid him in his legislative assignments.

EMPOWERMENT AND ENGAGEMENTS

On the 18^th of October, 2019, Hon. Oyewo officially inaugurated the BUKOY FOUNDATION, an organization that champions all his humanitarian and empowerment programmes that he has for his constituents. Through this organization, in partnership with the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), on 17th – 18th January 2020, he held an empowerment programme for 200 youths drawn across the four local government of his constituency. As it is a general axiom that “an idle hand is a devil’s workshop”, many crimes perpetrated in our society today are large as a result of poverty, and majorly joblessness among the youths. The participants were trained in various vocational skills, like soap making, beauty therapy, hair making and many others. This programme also provides start-up grants to all participants to aid them in setting up their own businesses and making them financially independent. More so, a similar programme has already been penned down for another 200 women in the constituency and it will be held soonest.

Hon. Olubukola Oyewo has always sought various avenues and maximized every opportunity to deliver the dividends of democracy to his constituents. He has been able to help some constituents in securing employments. He has helped in the admission placement of some of the children of his people into tertiary and basic institutions respectively as well as scholarships. He waded in to help in the redeployment of some constituents who were posted to volatile areas for their youth service, and many others.

POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS

On the 18^th of October, 2019, Hon. Olubukola Oyewo offered appointments to 41 aides across the 4 local governments into different capacities, all who are being paid from his personal emolument as a legislator. It is noteworthy that many other unpublished aides (up to 30) who also assist him in the discharge of his legislative duty are also being paid from his emoluments. These are a token of his appreciation to the All Progressives Congress (APC) that fielded him as well as the collaborating Social Democratic Party (SDP) and other supportive political parties.

SPORT DEVELOPMENT

Hon. Olubukola Oyewo in collaboration with other APC National Assembly members organised a football competition tagged “Osun Governor’s Cup 2019” in commemoration of the first year anniversary in office of Mr. Gboyega Oyetola as the Osun State Governor. The grand finale of the competition was held on 30th of November, 2019 between BUKOY FOUNDATION FC and SRJ FC, where the former emerged the winner. The participants were greatly awarded.

EDUCATION

Aside from many students who are currently being sponsored by Hon. Olubukola Oyewo in various level of their education, on 29th of August, 2019, through the BUKOY FOUNDATION, he organized an Oratory Contest for tertiary institution students in his constituency. The initiative was aimed at deepening the students’ knowledge of governance, improve their public speaking skills and also to enhance the level of education in his Constituency. The grand finale of the programme was held on the 15th of October, 2019. Education scholarship was awarded to the 6 best Orators, fully sponsored by Hon. Olubukola Oyewo.

Furthermore, on the 13th – 14th of January, 2020, in collaboration with the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), he held a cultural training and competition for 270 High School Students, drawn from 10 High Schools within the Constituency.  At the end of the programmes, the winners were enormously rewarded so as to enhance education, as well as rekindle the dying habit of reading and resuscitate their cultural knowledge that is on the verge of total collapse.

HEALTH

It is generally believed that health is wealth; he who is healthy is undoubtedly rich. Having observed that many of our people are suffering from a different ailment, on 22nd – 24th of January, 2020, he organised a-3 day medical programme tagged ‘Bukoy Free Medical Outreach’. The activities of the Medical Outreach include Body Mass Index, Blood Pressure Checks, Blood sugar checks, Medical consultation, Eye checks (Fundoscopy, Refraction, Visual Acuity), and Vital Signs (BP, HR, 02 Sat, Temp). Over 1000 persons benefitted from the medical outreach, which featured prescription and distribution of medication. Over 500 medical glasses were given free to beneficiaries after eye tests.

HUMANITARIAN GESTURES

On several occasions, Hon. Olubukola Oyewo has extended his kind gestures to the Orphanage and Motherless Babies Homes, persons with disability and the less privileged in his constituency. The Muslim and Christian faithful in his constituency has equally benefited from his gestures, especially during their respective festivals. Several persons have been aided with start-up funds to commence their SMEs.

These and many others are the giant strides undertaken by the lawmaker. His undying love and unquantifiable passion for the development of his constituency is not doubted. His preoccupation has been specifically to make positive contributions in making a better life for humanity. Again, it is necessary to emphasize that he is leaving no stone unturned to put a smile on the faces of his people as a payback to his constituents who doggedly and stoutly stood by him with their mandate.