Dear Mr Olushola Matthew,
I read your recent letter to Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola with a heavy heart and a keen sense of responsibility to address the undertones of vilification and the lamentable distortion of a public servant’s legacy. While you write with palpable emotion, what you portray as “betrayal” is, in fact, the dignified assertion of political independence,a liberty to which every statesman is entitled, particularly one of Ogbeni’s stature.
Let us not mince words: Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is no political footnote. He is a distinguished public administrator whose pedigree in governance and grassroots mobilisation transcends the shadow of any political benefactor. To reduce his monumental contributions to the benevolence of a single individual is not only historically disingenuous but also politically reductive.
You may wish to remember that before he ever occupied the corridors of power in Osun, Aregbesola had already carved a niche for himself as a principled, fearless, and cerebral figure within the progressive fold. His tenure as Commissioner for Works in Lagos was not merely a gift—it was an era of transformative infrastructure and innovation, the product of intellect, discipline, and tireless dedication.
Yes, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu played a significant role in Aregbesola’s political journey, as he has for many others. But let us not pretend that loyalty must equate to servility. The noble idea of political mentorship is not meant to reduce a mentee into an appendage, devoid of his own conscience or critical reasoning. It is to empower him to one day walk on his own,.guided, yes, but not shackled.
What you interpret as “ingratitude” is, in truth, the inevitable evolution of a political actor who has chosen to pursue ideals beyond the narrow confines of fealty. The political landscape is not a theatre of eternal obeisance. Every disciple must one day cease to be a mere echo and become a voice in his own right.
Moreover, to attribute his current associations and silences to betrayal is to suggest that the measure of loyalty is the absence of growth or dissent. Is it truly betrayal when a man refuses to endorse the actions or direction of a benefactor he no longer recognises in principle? Or is it a mark of integrity that he does not cloak his convictions for the sake of convenience?
If anyone has been wronged, it is perhaps Ogbeni himself, who was conspicuously discarded when his loyalty no longer served immediate strategic value. Yet, rather than erupt in indignation or self-pity, he chose the higher path: he moved forward. With quiet dignity and unwavering commitment to the democratic process, he continues to serve his nation in whatever capacity his conscience permits.
Mr Matthew, history will remember Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola not as a man who betrayed, but as one who evolved. A man who rose through the ranks with sweat and substance, who governed Osun with reformist zeal, and who never allowed political patronage to suppress his intellect or silence his principles.
Let us, therefore, desist from peddling emotional blackmail in the name of loyalty. Let us allow great men the space to differ, to grow, and if need be to walk alone.In the end, posterity, not passion, shall be the final judge.
Yours in truth and equity,
Olufemi Aduwo
