Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has disclosed that he derived strength from the support he enjoyed from the people of the state.
Speaking after being conferred with a Doctorate (Honoris causa), at the 11th undergraduates and 7th postgraduates convocation ceremony of Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State on Sunday, he said the honorary doctorate bestowed on him is an attestation of service delivery by his administration.
The governor stated that his administration’s focus is service delivery to the people, noting that the people determine who wields political power through their votes.
According to him, the award would further spur him to do more for the teeming populace, saying it came at a critical time in the tenure of his administration.
“We have served the people diligently for almost three years now. Our administration has demonstrated that good governance is achievable with political will and the deep interest of the people.
Our deliverables, which have surprised many observers within and outside the country, are products of a passionate urge to serve the people. We innovate, we sacrifice, and we think out of the box to positively transform several sectors of our society. Our waking and sleeping agenda has been and will always be people’s welfare and aspirations.
“Osun people have been our strength. They continue to be our strengths. As in every true democracy, the people are the ultimate determinant of power. The power of voters to enthrone leaders through the ballot has been our greatest asset. We belong to the people and we acknowledge the love and the deep love from the street and every corner of Osun state”, he added.
Meanwhile, the Pro-Chancellor of the University, Dr Deji Adeleke, lamented over the country’s political system, which does not allow people’s votes to count, hence, constitutes a stumbling block for investment, which in turn affects youth employment.
His words, “It is unfortunate that the Nigerian political system does not allow our votes to count, which affects the country’s economy as investors refuse to commit money into our economy. This is the reason for unemployment among the youth. We have the best of brain thriving abroad because they allow their democratic institutions to succeed, unlike us; hence, the international community looks down on us but makes use of the best of our people to grow their economy.
“However, I do not blame the politicians but the electorates who collect money before voting. The man you collect his money would recoup the fund after such an election, and you do not have the right to criticise his style. I pray that non of the graduates today would have to wait for five years to get job”.
Earlier in his convocation address, the school’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Solomon Adebola, said a total of 1,133 students across six faculties and the postgraduate school graduated for the academic year.
“For the past two, three, four or five years, you have been nurtured in a ‘simulated’ world where everything is provided for you. Your lives have been regimented and you do not have much choice than to comply or tolerate. But, within the next few hours, you will be free only to depend on your values, principles and beliefs. As a faith-based institution of higher learning, we have shared with you some of these values, principles and beliefs and I want to believe that you really imbibed them. As this ceremony will soon be over, your personality would no longer be judged by the course you studied or the religious denomination to which you affiliate, all that the society would need from you is the content of your character. At that point, let them know that you are a product of this great institution, Adeleke University”.