By 'Juwon Pedepo Yemayinse
As much as I concur that experience is very key in the act of leadership; fact has proven that a passionate and self-made individual, like Prince Sesi Oluwaseun Whingan with zeal, desire, hunger and act of kindness to solve societal problems and reposition the people for better standard of living is more desirous.
In my village, we are often eager and quick to make comparison with successful peers in a bid to cover up for our mistakes, shortcomings, wickedness and irresponsibility. Yes, its worthy of emulation when the likes of "Robert C. Byrd in the US spent 51 years as a Congressman and Fred A. Risser served for 58 years in the Wisconsin State. John Stennis, John Dingell, Jamie Whitten, Conyers John, Vinson Carl, Emanuel Celler, Donald Young, Sam Rayburn, Wright Patman, Charles Rangel and Joseph Cannon, who all spent nothing less than 40 years each as a legislator. What the proponents of wasteful experience has refused to tell us is that, do citizens of those states in America kept these wonderful legislators and leaders in the corridors of power, wasting taxpayers money even when they're unproductive and their only shameful achievements are distribution of paltry GCE forms, donation of cows and pigs at festivals? What my village people has refused to tell us is would the citizens of those Representatives kept them there just for the purpose of gaining experience without any significant legislation or leadership responsibility that directly impacted their constituencies positively? The answer is rhetoric.
2023 is fast approaching. The Yorùbás would say, "iná èsìsí kìí jóni lẹ́ẹ̀mejì", meaning, "once beaten, twice shy". The people of Badagry Federal Constituency are already wary of what is obtainable with the so called experience merchants, it will be suicidal, deliberate and unforgiven error to make this unproductive experience again by 2023.
Before now, what our political leaders in Badagry do immediately after winning elections is to first severe the once cordial relationships they had with the people during electioneering campaign, relocate from the town, change phone numbers, sneak in and out at night; only to come back after three years to deceive some gullible electorates with few de-rica of rice, semo-vita, chicken, rams and cows and paltry sum of amount, depending on individual electoral value.
The advent of Prince Sesi Oluwaseun Whingan into the clime of Badagry politics has since changed the way politics is being played in the beautiful and serene town. Sesi has succeeded in liberating the good people of Badagry through his benevolent acts. The people has now realize that being in leadership position is tantamount to being receptive to the plight of the people.
When Sesi began his social and humanitarian services many years ago, many never took him seriously, until he suddenly become the only responsible non-governmental individual that is solving the problems left unsolved by our elected leaders. Sesi, rehabilitated and constructed roads; he re-equipped government health centres, Sesi distributed relief packages worth several millions of naira during Covid-19 pandemic, he built NIN centre where all; old, young, students, teachers, indigent, rich has been coming to register at zero cost. He has also and he's still empowering many indigent individuals in their choice of trade.
Whingan has succeeded in rejuvenating the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Badagry and this has repositioned the party as the Frontline party in Badagry. Little wonder, Sesi Whingan has become a beautiful bride being awaited by majority of Badagrians hungry for good representation by 2023.
Truthfully, what an elderly man would see, sitting down, a young man may not see such even when he climbs a tree. Experience is key in leadership, but only when such is valuable to solving societal problems to enhance productivity and development.
Ẹ lọ sinmi agbaja, experience yín kò ní value. Sesi is a sure bet for Badagry's Federal Constituency insha Allah by 2023.
Olajuwon Pedopo Yemayinse writes from Manchester, United Kingdom.
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