Dear Pelumi Olajengbesi, thank you for not shaming us
Like every Nigerian youth on the street, hustling and roughing everything possible to survive the sad narrative of this country, Pelumi Olajengbesi is not different. He was born with ‘plastic’ spoon, struggled hard to survive ‘tormenting’ childhood and passionately held to his ambitions to make life worth living and ended up providing ‘silver spoons’ for many others.
You can not take away ‘ambition’ from Pelumi Olajengbesi. If being ambitious is a crime, he would spend a very longtime in prison and to him, everything is possible. Like Diamond, it is difficult to see someone who has probably spent a moment with him and does not benefit either in cash or ideas. This legal guru is not an elected public officer but he has consistently met with peoples needs and he is always a call away when you desperately need him the most neither does he run away from challenges.
Pelumi Olajengbesi is the kind of man who wakes you up with calls to discuss events of next day after a very tiring day and one wonders how this young man rests. He loves people passionately, gives all equal access and mixes with all regardless of the differences. I remember the day a close friend asked me if Pelumi is a ‘spirit’. I laughed hard. Besides haters of good things, you can not look at his lifestyle and the rare display of exciting characters sometimes and not express concerns. To my dear friend and many others, Pelumi Olajengbesi is not a spirit. He is a man full of ambitions. He is hardworking, allows people to grow and see to their attainment.
Dear readers, allow me to leave praises to other wellwishers who have also benefitted tremendously from this erudite legal practitioner who geninuely dedicated his life for service and humanity. I want to discuss something different.
Firstly, I want to thank Pelumi Olajengbesi for not shaming us. When he came out at the age of 32 years old to contest for federal lawmaker in a constituency where conscience does not matter in its politicking, he alongside his friends and followers were defined in many unpleasant ways. They thought it was a joke until he started campaigning. Some elders who were troubled by the popularity and sudden but significant growth started their troubles. They became sad and queried destiny that why must he be a boy God will use to liberate the ‘encapped’ town? To mar him, they started their civil war in their own styles and knowlegde. The only sin he committed was to listen to peoples call to serve and to him, service is a call he can not ignore.
They started his persecution. Just like other great people in life, he was bitterly persecuted. They want to know if he is truly a native of Ijebu-Ijesa. They want to know how he lived and his source of wealth. These people know true answers to these questions but they went ahead with their campaign of calumnies. They stormed the streets of Ijebu-Ijesa with falsehood and lies but at the end, they were rudely shocked.
Yes, they were shocked but they did not calm down. These ‘bitter’ people including betrayals aligned with their known ‘enemy’ to frustrate the processes because they prefer to praise their known enemy than to see a ‘boy’ in charge. Then, they did not only want the boy but they also detested the boy’s name being in the historical book of liberation. They plotted and they won the war but not the battle because Pelumi Olajengbesi remains the true hero of the people.
Pelumi Olajengbesi came into Ijebu-Ijesa with loads of loves and humanitarian services. Take a stroll to Ijebu-Ijesa, you will see all the new boreholes he constructed and the faulty ones he repaired. He rolled out scholarship slots to sons and daughters of natives, facilitated jobs and created opportunities for many who are now in huge debt of his kindness. He declared a war against poverty by initiating a programme called ‘Gbebiro’. He also declared a war against poor education by providing over 20,000 writing materials for students of public schools across Ijesa North. He strengthened youth and students associations across the federal constituency and distributed “Sienna buses” to fasttrack their movements. He did all these as a citizen and native of the land not as a public officer.
During the last moments of election, he was strong. He left his hotel room and walked towards his car. Despite all the troubles, imperfections, heavy vote buying, violence, disruptions in some polling units and conspiracy at different levels, he did not wait for INEC’s announcement after observing the mood of the situation room. He picked up his phone, typed a short but loaded piece to congratulate the winner. Despite being a lawyer, he did not contest the results but wished the winner the very best because he is in love with the people of Oriade and he does not want the new servant to use court cases as excuse if he fails to deliver.
The last moment of the election was tough for all his followers. Someone collapsed, many cried their eyes out and I saw a lot of people in deep thought but Pelumi Olajengbesi was strong and never at a time regretted his action. He gathered all well wishers, thanked them, vowed not to leave them and till today, he is still with them. Infact, an event which was supposed to be for reflection later turned to celebration. He drove himself to Akure airport and joked with all as he listens to this popular song “Eniyan wo oju, Olorun wo okan”.
Barely a week after he left, another challenge arose. They started another campaign of calumny. They said he has abandoned the people and party members. Pelumi Olajengbesi is not only a lawyer but a comrade. He is always ready to face challenges. He flew in the next weekend, attended the party’s meeting, calmed the situation, surprised all and went back to Abuja.
People started gossiping around the silent and less active of the town. “He has abandoned the people and he will not come back again. He will withdraw the scholarship slots, block all boreholes he constructed and many more”. These words travelled to every corner of town and constituency. They said many unpleasant things but the counsel to Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Igboho did not succumb rather he messed up with their thoughts and ridiculed their imprisoned mentality.
Till date, all the boreholes he constructed and repaired are still working perfectly. Beneficiaries of his scholarship slots are still alive and doing well. Those who were on his payslips in regards to health related issues are still alive and benefitting. Do you remember the three boys who walked into his site with cans, drumming and singing to entertain him? They are still in private schools, benefiting from the scholarships he extended to them.
Tertiary students under the scholarship scheme who have not graduated are still beneficiaries while those who have graduated are still alive too. Beneficiaries of contracts he facilitated are also alive. They are not ghosts. Pelumi is the one people arguably call a spirit but beneficiaries of his kindness are not spirits. They are alive, hale and hearty. The political base is still as strong as ever. People are still determined and followers are still passionate.
It is not in the history of politicians who contested and lost in Ijesa North to stage a come back. They did not only experience political death, they also stopped their good works. They abandoned the people and cancelled all schemes but Pelumi Olajengbesi is different. He did not run, he is not running and he will not run. Service is a call he can not ignore. He is no more coming, he is always around and held onto the promise he made that he will never leave and he did not. Thank you for not shaming us.
Lawal Sodiq Adewale Chocomilo writes from Ijebu-Jesa, an ancient town in Osun state.
Reach the right people at the right time with Nationnewslead. Try and advertise any kind of your business to users online today.
Kindly contact us for your advert or publication @ Nationnewslead@gmail.com Call or Whatsapp: 08168544205, 07055577376, 09122592273
