“Omode’n fe Adu, Agbagba’n fe Adu, Omode’n fe Adu o… Adu ma da…”.
Translated: “Children & Youths love Adu, Elders love Adu. Adu is good”.
These words coupled with melodious tunes blared out of mighty speakers by popular Fuji artiste Saheed Osupa as he extolled the virtues of Ayoleke Adu, a philanthropist, financial analyst and investment banking expert and politician amidst thunderous excitement and fanfare.
To the teeming supporters and townspeople in his hometown Omuo Ekiti… he is somewhat of a demi-god.
Ayoleke Adu definitely needs no ceremonial introduction.
Ayoleke Adu’s name has not only become etched in the political skyline of Ekiti and Nigeria as a whole but in the banking and finance stratosphere where he is largely revered and respected as a major player. Quite a few people would ask… How does a home grown boy from primary and secondary school in Omuo Ekiti with a B.Sc from the University of Ibadan go on to acquire an M.Sc in Corporate and International Finance with Distinctions, from the University of Durham, United Kingdom and then become one of the world’s topmost investment bankers with a portfolio of transactions worth more than 270 billion Naira in the Nigerian capital market and then aggressively wins a spot in the global spotlight as a CFA charter holder, where there are less than 100,000 CFA Charterholders globally since the inception of the CFA Charter over 67years ago?
Guts, exceptional brilliance, perseverance, calmness, focus, experience, humility and charm.
Ayoleke Adu comes with the total package.
Despite the level of success he has recorded in the banking, finance and investment sector, Adu has never lost touch with his Ekiti roots (He has never stayed away for more than a month on a stretch) as he considers it his project.
A strong member of the APC, Adu signified his interest last year to represent the Ekiti South Senatorial district in the Upper Chamber.
A philanthropist and major financier of the party, Adu was viciously schemed out of the party primaries (which he won by 298votes in the first round of the primaries as counted by the NWC of the APC in December 2014; which was then frustrated) in a grand plot despite his popularity to pave way for the incumbent senator, Tony Adeniyi in a keenly contested race that lasted till the day of the expiration of the primaries despite mass protest by party loyalists who besieged the Ajilosun office of the APC on the choice of Adeniyi and the obvious disappointment shown by the national official umpire of the process, Mary Ekpere.
The lady (umpire) called it pure sabotage blatantly orchestrated by the state excos! The effect of the grand sabotage is now left for all to see: that seat was eventually lost to the PDP; despite the fact known to all that Adu would have won the general elections hands-down if he was not robbed of the ticket. His overwhelming popularity in Ekiti South Senatorial District would have also assisted the 2 house of representative candidates of the APC to win in their constituencies. This was what the Ekiti APC threw to the winds!
Ayoleke Adu is in the news again…
This time at the national level due to the prominent role he played in the success story of the APC at the presidential polls, where he worked assiduously and delivered as the South-West and North-Central Coordinator of Prof Yemi Osinbajo; marshalling and leading the execution of many of the campaign strategies adopted by Prof Osinbajo’s team.
This was confirmed at the palace of the Olomuo, Oba Noah Omonigbehin by the Vice President (Then VP Candidate) Professor Yemi Osinbajo when he visited Omuo Ekiti during the campaigns.
Professor Osinbajo showered encomiums on Ayoleke Adu while assuring the people that Ekiti would benefit greatly from the Presidency despite it being in opposition hands.
Adu currently works closely with the Vice President’s team.
Right now its no longer news that Governor Fayose has asserted his firm grip on the political skyline in the state, winning not only his elections in an embarrassing manner but also the Senate and House of Reps seat as well as the entire State House of Assembly seats.
To an extent the Governor, Ayodele Fayose has capitalized on the failings of the APC like a girlfriend who capitalizes on the flaws of her lover’s housewife. Therefore urgent rebuilding, strategic analysis and rebranding is needed to save the party if it is to win future elections.
In recent weeks the outgone 19 APC legislators in the state House of Assembly have added salt and pepper to injury, incurring the wrath of the people by their poorly planned and failed move to impeach the governor.
For over 2 weeks driver’s unions, artisans and various groups barricaded the various entry points into the state to deter the APC lawmakers from coming in while their movements and pictures were shared freely on social media, leading to the general belief that they either had moles within them or where simply playing to the gallery!
A very ill-managed move which not only brought ridicule to the already battered image of the Ekiti APC but also helped bolster the image of Ayo Fayose as he declared that the APC was buried in the state during the inauguration of the 5th assembly in a carnival like setting.
It will not be an understatement to say the Ekiti APC will be on a self destruct agenda if it does not go fully back to the drawing boards and re-examine the roles played by some of the actors in the 16-0, 9-0, 26-0 mauling in recent elections.
The current leadership of the APC in the state have done their best, but their best is proven not to be adequate due to various constraints they have (or imposed on them), as shown by the glaring results of the past mauling of the APC candidates in recent elections. The current “super-leaders” of the State APC should rather work quietly behind the scenes for the success of the party while fresh, energetic and influential persons should be given the privilege at various levels.
That is the party’s only chance for now.
Also the act of imposition which has characterized the Ekiti State APC primaries should be discarded. Only popular interest should be allowed to prevail at all levels.
The party must also do away with unhealthy affiliations, groups and alliances, but work deeply in the grassroots to rebuild trust of the electorates.
People who cherish and possess the virtues and values that Ekiti is revered for and have an appreciable level of likeness by the people, like Ayoleke Adu should be encouraged to contest on the platform of the party.
Right now there is a heightened clamour for the Ekiti South Senatorial district to produce the next governor of the state because the zone has not produced one in the 19 years of the state’s existence…
The Ekiti APC definitely needs someone with national and international influence who can attract foreign investments and industry to the state and also convert the agricultural and mineral potentials the state possesses to income. This would in turn create employment and open up the state to investors as the monthly allocation cannot even conveniently pay salaries.
This person should be someone that can conveniently play grassroots politics with boardroom expertise. A person with some local “swagger” but definitely a technocrat whose personal life and achievements can help mentor the incoming generation. After all Ekiti is revered for its intelligentsia!
A look through Ayoleke Adu’s qualifications and achievements both in politics and the business world makes it so glaring that he might just be a messiah which is what the Ekiti APC needs very urgently if it is to win any future elections in Ekiti state.
After all “Omode’n fe Adu, Agbagba’ n fe Adu, Adu ma da”…
Bamidele Ifeoluwa writes from Ikere Ekiti.
