As he marked his 57th birthday last sunday with the high and the mighty and the masses jointly honouring him, Osun state Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola was full of thanks to his creator for the bountiful harvest of successes that has always been his lot.
Those who are privileged to read the hand -written entry in the very old diary kept by his old man, Oba Moses Oyinlola about his birth will have no doubt at all about the efficacy of prayers of parents on their children. His father prayed in that diary :" ki Olorun se omo naa ni omo rere, amin" (“May God make the baby a lucky, successful one in life.”) when he was born in the morning of February 3rd, 1951.
So, it was in appreciation of the divine grace in his life that he decided to mark his 57th birthday not with lavish parties as others in his shoes would do, but with thanksgiving to his Maker who lifted him from the morass of initial deprivation to the favoured pedestal he finds himself today.
First, it was the League of Imams and Alfas led by its Yorubaland President, Sheik Mustapha Ajisafe that opened the floodgate of prayers for him. The league was in his country home with prayers and words of admonition and encouragement. The muslim leaders held nothing back in tellling God to continue to bless this Governor who has effectively collapsed all walls of division between the great faiths and is also taking the people's welfare as a priority.
To them, Oyinlola has shown that when a leader has good upbringing coupled with personal discipline and sense of mission, he would etch his name in gold. Oyinlola, they said had done just that. There was also a song from them metaphorically comparing the lot of his detractors with what happens to a grinding stone in the hands of its users.
The clerics prayed as the Governor reviewed his life thanking God for His mercies on him declaring that he was rededicating himself to the service of God and humanity.
The Governor also marked the event with the establishment of a self-funded technical school in his native Okuku which he said would help train youths to be self supporting.
To underscore his belief in prayers, Governor Oyinlola also used the occasion to dedicate his private family chapel to the glory of God.
Also the retired Bishop of Methodist Church, Nigeria, Rt Rev Ayo Ladigbolu at a Thanksgiving Church service held at St Michael's Anglican Church, Okuku urged him not to be distracted by the “side talks of detractors.”
Lacing his speech with songs of victory over enemies, Sheik Ajisafe advised the governor to know that even Prophet Mohammed and Jesus Christ were not without enemies despite their great work.
The Muslim leader noted that the over 2,000 classrooms built across the state by the Oyinlola administration far out paced whatever claim to performance any of his predecessors might be making.
He said his opponents were making noise because they were exasperated by his monumental achievements which were hitherto unknown in the state citing also the establishment of Osun State University.
“You have left a name and legacies which generations yet unborn will never forget. No matter what the enemies may say, God has put you above them and has fought your war for you,” he said.
Bishop Ladigbolu, who held the congregation spell bound for over one hour admonished the governor to forgive his detractors and trust God to “give him more wisdom to continue to provide leadership not just for Osun state but for Nigeria as a whole.”
Quoting from Psalm 121, Bishop Ladigbolu asked Oyinlola to look up unto God to fight his battles and remain focused.
As I said in an earlier piece, it is not easy to engage a man such as this and get him defeated. His armor was made by God and no earthly weapon can prosper against him. At the risk of repeating oneself, it is necessary to say again that what all those fighting him do not know is that his Creator has destined him to be victorious in wars and battles. It is time for his challengers to see the war they are fighting as one against God’s designs. It is time for them to surrender.
