September 7, 2023 NewsOrient Network

By Goke Awoyemi 

Immediately I set my eyes on a young adult who sauntered into the executive lounge at the Governor’s office, Abere, Osogbo, Osun State capital, at 6:30pm on Thursday August 31st, 2023, his mien reminded me of the Anambra State born Miss. Ejikeme Mmesoma who confessed after investigation, to have forged JAMB result and presented herself as the highest JAMB scorer in the county few months ago.

But when I noticed the appearance of Osun Governor’s Wife, Her Excellency, Chief (Mrs) Titilola Adeleke, who elegantly but smartly walked into the venue pari-pasu with the mother of the celebrated student, Mrs. Elizabeth Ogundepo, my fear was allayed.  It then dawned on me that Emmanuel Oluwafemi Ogundepo who has earlier been honoured and decorated as the highest JAMB scorer from Osun State by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has the cover, seal, and all the paraphenalia associated with his present status by the government.

Corroborating this, Osun Governor’s Wife, Chief (Mrs) Titilola Adeleke, thanked the awardee for making her, his country home, Igbajo, in Boluwaduro Local Government Area, and the state at large very proud.

She also implored him to endeavour to toe the path of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Tinubu’s homely advice to the awardee to be entrepreneurship compliant, by embarking on self-reliant skill aside from academic, because it is no longer a secret that white collar job is often elusive.

Femi, who is currently a 100 level student at the premiere University of Ibadan, will access (#1,000,000) One Million Naira, every year under the Renewed Hope Initiative Scheme of Tinubu led administration to enable him continue to toe the line of excellence in his academic pursuit, with a promise from Osun Governor’s Wife, Chief  (Mrs) Adeleke, to work on the template created by the Federal Government to create an enabling environment for the awardee to excel during his master’s degree category if he doesn’t drop from his current level of excellent performance.

She further admonished him to ignore those who might be chorusing legendary juju icon, Ebenezer Obey’s “alakori Acada nise lo nroju koi koi,” translated to mean foolish academic, wearing unattractive outlook.

She also implored him to refrain from joining the league of drug addicts, prevalent in Nigeria’s Ivory towers today and not to be far away from the scripture, saying “with God, everything is possible”.

Addressing the audience, the Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi, who represented the Executive Governor, Osun State, Senator Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke, described the programme as a joyful event, because one of our sons, from the state, achieved a feat worthy of jubilation.

He explained further that out of hundreds of his peers, he was chosen as the best to represent the state and that his joy would have known no bound if a sizeable percentage of his peer group who go about smoking hemp and indulging in criminal activities are here present to witness and see how the proto-type of a future leader is being celebrated.

Prince Kola Adewusi summed it up thus “as you enter higher institution, you will mix with different characters, do not allow them to change you for worse, but change them for better.”

Reeling out the awardee’s profile, his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Ogundepo disclosed that the principal of his son’s school described him as the most cultured student, who served the school as Labour Prefect, and was always ahead in virtually all subjects.

She concluded by saying that she was not surprised that her son scored 309 in the JAMB overall result which prompted him to become the best chosen candidate from Osun State.

Goke Awoyemi, formerly of Features Desk, Nigerian Tribune, is Press Secretary to Osun State Deputy Governor.

Photo Caption: From left, Mrs Elizabeth Ogundepo, Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi, Oluwaferanmi Ogundepo, and Chief (Mrs) Titilola Adeleke.