Adeleke’s appointments spark opposition, CSO’s rage in Osun

Since unveiling the names of the Osun State cabinet members as well as those of chairmen of a few statutory and non-statutory boards, Governor Ademola Adeleke has come under attacks for alleged acts of nepotism and favouritism.

Some of the people opposed to the appointments, however, noted that a number of the appointees had distinguished themselves in their previous posts.

Nonetheless, they were curious about the appointment of Mrs. Adenike Adeleke, who has since been named the Commissioner for Federal Matters.

Adenike, an indigene of Osogbo, is said to be the second wife of the first governor of Osun State, late Senator Isiaka Adeleke, who was an elder brother to the incumbent governor.

The appointment of the Abuja-based businesswoman as commissioner to fill one of the cabinet slots allocated to the Osogbo Local Government Area angered the main opposition party in the state -All Progressives Congress.

The Chairman of Osun State APC , Mr. Tajudeen Lawal, in a statement, argued that since Adenike is still married to the Adeleke family from Ede, she should not have been given the commissioner slot meant for Osogbo, her local government of origin.

Going further, Lawal expressed displeasure that cabinet post was being handed out to a sister-in-law to the governor, as if Osun government business has become part of the private estate of the Adelekes.

Despite the opposition to her appointment, the late Adeleke’s wife, alongside 24 others, proceeded to the House of Assembly, got confirmation of the lawmakers after their screening, and were sworn-in by the governor.

The widow of the late governor was assigned the post of Commissioner for Federal Matters, setting the record of being the first person to hold such an office.

Just as the dust raised by the late Adeleke’s wife appointment was beginning to settle, another furore hit Osun political landscape with the appointment of Tunji Adeleke (Jnr), a 30-year old graduate of Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State.

He is said to be the eldest son of the ex- governor, Adeleke, and a nephew to the incumbent Osun helmsman.

Most probably, if the younger Adeleke had not been appointed Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, a post considered almost top on the exclusive reserve of the people in their 60s and 70s, perhaps the opposition to his choice, would not have been so huge.

Rummaging through the history of Osun, and paying particular attention to the LGSC since 1999, four elderly men had at different times in the past, occupied the seat of chairman of the commission, with the youngest of them being in his early 60s as of the time of his appointment.

During Chief Bisi Akande’s reign as Osun State governor between 1999 and 2003, late Chief Tunji Abolade occupied the post and was succeeded by Chief Femi Omotara, who was chairman of the Local Government Service Commission during Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s tenure as governor between 2003 and 2010.

Dr. Peter Babalola, who had previously served as the Chief of Staff to Oyinlola was made chairman of the commission during Aregbesola’s tenure, while Mr. Tunde Adedeji occupied the post for the entire duration of the immediate past governor, Adegboyega Oyetola’s tenure of office.

Besides all past occupants of the post being indigenes of Osun and on average being in their early 60s and early 70s at the time they were appointed, they all had distinguished careers either in private business, military and politics before being handed the baton to lead the commission.

Therefore, the appointment of the younger Adeleke as the chairman of the commission that is responsible for the promotion, training and transfer of local government staffers in the state, was considered a total break from the norm.

Providing insight into the kind of person fits to be appointed the chairman of the commission, a 71-year old, Mr. Tunde Adedeji, who left the post, less than nine months ago, after serving for about four years, listed age, maturity, sound education, solid experience in personnel management, among others as some of the needed qualities.

Adedeji did not however completely write off Adeleke, saying if the new appointee could embrace humility, learn very fast and take necessary advice, he might succeed as chairman of the commission.

But Adedeji’s position was countered by the newly appointed Chairman of the Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, Mr. Diran Odeyemi, who believes the elderly ex-chairman of the commission was assessing the younger Adeleke competence for his new job, using old fashioned parameters.