By Wale Ojo Lanre
The venue was the Board Room, Nigerian Tribune, Imalefalafia, Ibadan. Mission: Rashidi Ladoja Gubernatorial Campaign Media Interaction
Question: Senator Ladoja, you look so dull, drab, unattractive, unintelligent, and without colour, do you think a dullard like you can be a reasonable governor of Oyo state where sharper minds have tried unsuccessfully?
The whole hall went into mute session. The late Egbon Bola Alphonso who was one of his campaign coordinators unconsciously uttered ‘Haaa Ojo-Lanre ‘
For a minute, it was a graveyard eerie silence.
Senator Ladoja looked up and smiled
”Ojo-Lanre, thank you for your question. True, I am not a handsome man by my look, I don’t labour much before a lady fall for me. You know my wives are cute. Check them out. “
And if you think I am dull and unintelligent, Ojo- Lanre, you are correct but you will agree with me that, Olivet High, Oyo is one of the best secondary schools in Nigeria with a strict form of admission to their schools particularly when you want to join them at Class Four. I was the first to be admitted to join at class four because I was so dull and unintelligent.
And also, my being an unintelligent fellow helped me to pass all my subjects with As which forced the Federal Government to buffet me with a scholarship to Belgium to study Petroleum Engineering.
”Also, I have used my unattractiveness to run intercontinental maritime companies successfully since I went into private endeavours”
There was a deafening applause for a wise man. I quickly ran to the Computers department to supervise my pages.
Ladoja who toured the Tribune met me at the Computer Section, shook my hand and looked at my face and said:
”Ojo-Lanre, I like the way you forced me to blow my trumpet. I respect your style’.
And since that day we have been friends.
Background, exposure, being brought up properly, mental health, native intelligent, proper education, values reorientation.
These matter in the affairs of men
Senator Ladoja is a great man .
You can only give what you have.
Don’t blame Femi Fani Kayode.
Bibire ko se fowo ra (home training cannot be purchased on the shelf).
Wale Ojo Lanre, Director General, Tourism Development, Ekiti State, writes from Ado-Ekiti
