Three years ago, I participated in a debate and Hon. Bamidele Salam was one of the judges. Besides the occasion, I doubt if I have ever met or communicated with him but I wholeheartedly commend him for the giant strides he’s achieving while in office.
It is not in my character to praise public officers but I see it as a necessity to give kudos to any public officer driven with the desire to redefine the narratives of our politics. I just want to do a little comparation and call it a day.
A programme for unemployed youths and fresh graduates designed, crafted and sponsored by Hon. Bamidele Salam and his team is ongoing in his constituency. They have invited guest speakers who are conversant with the economic status of the state and they have delivered well in their capacities. Human development capacity and meaningful empowerment projects, tutorials on ways to build businesses from zero to hero and meaningful engagements that would arose already dead resiliency spirits of young entrepreneurs.
Bamidele Salam is the same lawmaker who organised free coaching lessons for students during their third term holidays throughout the federal constituency. He distributed school bags and written materials to participants and gave best students fund to appreciate their hardwork.
He rolled out scholarships and appointed capable aides with functioning offices and duties assigned to them. He organised welfare package programmes for adults mostly women.
Apart from all these wonderful projects, Bamidele Salam does not speak to empty chambers during plenary and he is a very active member of the House of Representatives well known for his recent condemnation of billions budgeted for renovation of National Assembly.
I have always argued that party and people are different. We only need people who have conscience to hold political offices and they must be active ones.
Some days ago, a fellow House of Reps member distributed bags of Nigerian rice and chickens during the festive periods. This same lawmaker wasted millions that could renovate primary health centres, serve as grants for young entrepreneur, bursary, scholarship or grants for farmers but he decided to sponsor a Dubai trip where 100 unemployed youths who have no capacity to cater for their family travelled to Dubai. What did they learn in Dubai? Did they relate what they learnt to other constituents? In what capacity are they to convey teachings they were taught? Are they free from chains of societal poverty?
Apart from Dubai trip, I saw a picture of some constituents standing side by side with chicken. If you can not snap with chicken, you can not take away the chicken. Imams they bought rams for, pastors they gave bags of Nigerian rice, elderly ones they gave tin of milk and provision, they have all their photos for record documentation. While Salam is documenting records of life changing progammes, his counterpart is keeping records of rice, rams and tin of milk he distributed and jekiwonmo style of humanitarian services.
Well, his close aides have dragged issues I raised with me. They told me that People of Ife Federal Constituency do not want “better things” and life changing programmes. Before Christians who are looking for Jerusalem slots and Muslims who are looking for Mecca slots from our Jekiwonmo Honorables roast me like Ife turkey, I hope you have met with your Honorable and requested for what you deserve before they resume plenary.
For me, Is my Honorable still alive? I sincerely do not know.
Apagunpote Olayimika Chocomilo is my name. A poor and frustrated youth of Osun state where our sitting governor is looking for people to look at him.