But one politician, Otunba Iyiola Omisore, has decided to be different such that in whatever positions that he has found himself, he has made it a point of duty to not only genuinely serve the people but also see himself as their servant.
Omisore who sees politics as an avenue to positively touch the lives of the people, believed that his foray into the murky waters of Nigerian politics has helped him to understand the people better that they would always throw their support behind any political office holder who can easily empathise with them and share their feelings.
The former deputy governor of Osun State while playing host to some of his political friends at his Ibadan residence, said he was able to make a difference in the lives of the people as a politician because of his background which prepared him to always aspire to be different and see the accumulation of material wealth as distraction in the pursuit of genuine service.
His words, " It is my candid view that any political office should not be seen as an end itself but rather a means to an end, which is service to the people. On my own part, where I was coming from prepared me to deliver democratic dividends to not only the people of my immediate constituency but in some cases the generality of the people, be it students, the less privileged, young, old, Christians and Muslims."
He disclosed that though at present he is not holding any political office, this has however not stopped him from doing everything within his power to bring smiles to the faces of people that come his way, saying "God created human beings to be their brother's keeper, whatever we have should be put at the disposal of those who come our way, since we came to this world with nothing and we would leave with nothing."
Omisore could certainly be regarded to have been helped by his background. Born on the 15th day of September, 1957 and a native of Ile - Ife, Osun State, young Iyiola with a determination to be different had prepared himself for a large role in life as he attended the famous St. John's Grammar School, Ile - Ife between 1972 and 1976; the Ondo State Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, 1976-1980 and proceeded to Technology College, Reading at the United Kingdom where he obtained a Diploma Certificate in Electrical / Electronics Engineering in 1983.
And not yet done in arming himself with the necessary educational qualifications, in pursuit of higher education, he bagged his Bachelor of Engineering Degree in ETC Power and Machines, from Brunnel University, Uxbridge. He later did his Postgraduate Certificate in Building Service and Engineering Management and Master of Science Degree in Building Service respectively from Brunnel University Uxbridge, United Kingdom. Presently, he is undergoing his DBA and Ph.D Programmes in Procurement, Public-Private Partnership and Corporate Governance at the International School of Management in Paris, France.
Though he is seen more or less as a politician, he has also carved a niche for himself in the field of engineering. According to him, his background in the engineering profession has made him successful such that whatever he touches has always turned to gold. And this is evident in resounding successes he has recorded in his career.
He started his engineering career as Project Engineer with Drake Gordharm UK Plc from 1983-1985, he was to be seconded to Nigeria as Project Manager of Drake & Scull Nig. Ltd between 1985-1987 wherein he managed all the Airfield including Makurdi Air Force Base; Sokoto and Taraku Rice Mills. While working as a General Manager (1989-1998) of Drake & Scull, he handled the Federal Mortgage Bank headquarters, Bank of the North headquarters, Onitsha flour Mills, Eternit, Sapele, World Bank assisted health projects for Plateau, Benue and Nassarawa, Podium Secretariat, Port-Harcourt and Immiringi Rural Electrification.
A man of many parts, he is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Chrisore Engineering Plc which is involved in projects that include Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Afri Bank headquarters; EIB headquarters; UACN , Abuja Complex and UBN Stallion House. A chartered Engineer, he is a fellow of Chartered Institute of Building Service Engineers, Association of Cost Engineers, Nigeria Institute of Mechanical Engineers and Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE).
His background as a professional engineer has also come handy in the realm of politics as he has left his footprints on the sands of time within the executive and legislative arms of government. He emerged as the Deputy Governor of Osun State in 1999 under the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) while in 2003, he was elected Senator representing Osun East Senatorial district and was re-elected in 2007. As a ranking Senator, he was Chairman and Member of Committees such as Industries, Culture and Tourism, Federal Character & Inter-governmental Affairs, Navy and Communications. Between 2007 and 2011, he served as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations and Chairman, UND/PINASS Support Implementation Committee.
Omisore who spoke glowingly of what he was able to do to impact on the lives of his people as a Senator for eight years under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stated that his major concern all his life has been how to leave a legacy that would stand the test of time, stating that should he start listing his achievements as a Senator for eight years, it would take the next one month to finish them.
He said, "What I have found out in my journey of life so far is that, it is easy to impact on the lives of the people, what is important is the background where one is coming from. And as a professional engineer that has transversed within and outside the country, I have discovered that it is a plus to be a professional in one's chosen career."
His achievement so far speaks for itself, as he helped in funding the establishment of a computer training school, Metropolitan Computer Training School, with student enrolment of 500 trainees and all trained free; funding the procurement of Digital Computer for his alma - mata, St. John Grammar School, Ile-Ife and donation of a N300, 000 to facilitate installation and connection and financial support for the indigent students in the community to forestall the prevalence of school dropouts; funding the purchase of 4000 cement electricity poles, 2000 for Ife land and 2000 for Ijesha land.
He also succeeded in funding the purchase of poverty eradication equipments like 215 motorcycles, 107 grinding machines, 107 sewing machines, 214 generating sets, 1500 mobile phones, and 428 ceiling fans including deep freezers for women in his senatorial district; award of scholarship for 214 students of higher institutions; establishment of microfinance facility of N250 million for constituents in Osun East senatorial district to embark on entrepreneurial activities, through Oduduwa Microfinance Bank, Ile Ife and Ijebu - Jesa Microfinance Bank; funding the reconstruction of Oja-Ife market gutted by fire and expansion of the stalls to 24, with further provision of fund for electrification of the market; sinking of boreholes, provision of burglary proof and rehabilitation of the stall owners; facilitated the construction of 30 lock up shops at Yemoo, Moore as part of a general upgrading of Ife Museums and funding the sponsorship of pilgrims to both Mecca and Jerusalem within the limit of budgets for the trips; dredging of erosion channels from Oke-Eso to Alapata Ondo road and from Ilode to Mokuro to Esinmirin which is still being dredged and facilitated; the construction of spring dam at Ogbon-Oya in Ile Ife.
Others in the exhaustive projects accomplished by Otunba Omisore were initiation and completion of rural electrification project in the communities such as Isolo Ijesha and Irewole quarters, off Temitope Mortuary, Ilesa; Ba afin quarters, off College of Education road Ilesha; Oluwa Prince Village, off Okebode town; Abata-Egba village, Ife East local government and Kajola Ogogo-Doja Ife axis.
He similarly worked in enabling the purchase and distribution of commercial buses and motorcycles for members of NURTW and Okada riders in Ife-Ijesha senatorial district as part of his empowerment programme; funding the purchase of 12 buses and 10 saloon cars for party stalwarts in Ife/Ijesha senatorial district; empowerment of over 100 people through Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) initiative with over N25 millions in his senatorial constituency; empowerment of over 100 people through National Directorate of Employment (NDE); continual provision of financial and material assistance to the needy in the society running into millions of naira including widows, orphans, the disabled and others; provision of financial contribution for annual festivals in the cities and villages within and outside the constituency including Olojo festival, christmas, Ileya, easter and ramadan; funding the roofing of the burnt Orisun FM radio in Ile-Ife; facilitations of employments for over 1000 unemployed graduate in lucrative career position such as Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN); NIMET; Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); Nigeria Police; Nigerian Army; National Museum and Monument; Nigeria Prison Service; Nigeria Minting and Security; Central Bank of Nigeria; Federal Civil Service Commission; Nigeria Tourist Development Corporation (NTDC); Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC); Federal Character Commission; NDLEA; Oil Companies; National Assembly Service Commission; JAMB; NECO; WAEC; UBEC; Nigeria Immigration Service as well as private organisations.
At the national level, Omisore, has impacted immensely on the lives of so many communities, the more reason the numerous chieftaincy titles conferred on him which include Apesin Oodua of the Source; High Chief Lisa of Osogboland; Basorun of Ijesaland; Maiyegun of Ijero Kingdom; Seriki of Usi-Ekiti; Agbaakin of Ila-Oragun; Asipa of Inisa; Otunba of Ipetumodu; Akinrogun of Ede; Asiwaju Balogun of Ibadanland and Otunba of Odo-Eku, Isin in Kwara State.
Source: http://www.compassnewspaper.org
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