WAKE UP: Considering an Oloyede in President Buhari’s Next Level Regime as Education Minister

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

“Yes! JAMB! I challenge any Nigerian vast in history of JAMB administration to remind me of one Registrar in the past who had so much performed and changed the face of university admission and matriculation process like Professor Is-haq Oloyede. I won’t talk more on him because, Oloyede himself has become an institution that no one can underrate in space of time.”

I have been preoccupied with personal troubles bothering on my soul, my family and the future of all of us. This took me off the usual think-tank that sees me amidst others thinking ahead for leaders until a social media post triggered my consciousness and I am back alive.

The thought is about helping suggest a quality team that will make President Muhammadu Buhari’s Next Level Regime a worthwhile. I am here to kick-start the thought while others improve on it.

We saw what Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) did as a technorat in government, bamboozling the entire infrastructural space of the country into shape.  Fashola held three ministries and will be rounding up in less than 50 or more days to come leaving no one improperly done.

Even the Igbo, with their huge hate for the good leadership that Buhari engendered, have no such temerity to deny the good job the former Governor of Lagos State has done especially in their region, as Buhari’s personally chosen minister.

I should have started from Pastor Yemi Osinbajo, the man of God that joined an Alfa (but not Islamic cleric) that Buhari is in patriotically committing self to service and not politicking. While the real politicians were concerned about next election, busy struggling since 2015 for this 2019, Osinbajo, like Buhari, was more concerned about good governance for Nigerians taking his personal comfort away in Ijebu and worked on.

In support of his boss, the professor, teacher and practitioner of law made Nigeria better and great again in ensuring that national economy is not only repositioned but well laid on more sustainable, sophisticated and enduring quality foundation.

Then the Spokesman of the Federal Government, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.  Many of us had thought this lawyer-journalist combined personality should have been better left as National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC) because of his knifing tongue of danger with which he knifed down the mightiness of supposedly Africa’s biggest party in power.

Despite the truly party’s impunity with which he, Governor Nasir el-Rufai and many other APC leaders had been harassed, embarrassed and even clamped in DSS bus and driven roughly on rough roads as politicking got worse and sour that time, Alhaji Lai Mohammed used his sharp mouth to help APC defeat the incumbent and then cleared the way for Buhari’s ready made victory to stand.

Today, the NTA has returned to its senses doing real broadcasting journalism away from the hitherto gangsterism, where only the ruling party had a chance against opposition and opposition none. Thanks to ability of Mohammed to discover (do I say?) the amiable DG NTA Yakubu Muhammad, who is doing wonder in that unarguably Africa’s biggest television station. I can talk of more.

Then come back to the State House. No one should forget the man, who along with Mallam Garba Shehu consistently held fast against mischief makers at a time President Buhari’s never-experienced sickness led to many hanky-panky in the land, Mr. Femi Adesina. Call him whatever you like, you can be sure that no Nigerian President ever had the kind of Adesina as chief image, media and publicity manager.

Yes! JAMB! I challenge any Nigerian vast in history of JAMB administration to remind me of one Registrar in the past who had so much performed and changed the face of university admission and matriculation process like Professor Is-haq Oloyede. I won’t talk more on him because, Oloyede himself has become an institution that no one can underrate in space of time.

What I will not fail to emphasize is why President Buhari should not make mistake of misplacing Oloyede in the coming Administration. If my input counts, then, make him your Minister of Education. I leave why for saner Nigerians to explain.

But I can tell Mr. President that a man whose spirit romanced with giving to Nigeria a rebranded admission process should be allowed to go into the system and also rebrand what the admissions secured should achieve for the Nigerian wards in the institutions of higher learning.

An Oloyede, who ensured a whole tenure of uninterrupted academic sessions as Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin will manage ASUU better if made Minister of Education.

Who should replace him at JAMB? After Oloyede Nigeria has got an AbdulGaniyu Ambali. Take his resume from the JAMB Registrar and let us kick the ground breaking!

However, Mr. President should never forget that his close watch on who becomes what in the incoming National Assembly cannot be overemphasized.

May Nigeria be great in our time!

*WAKE UP is personal opinion column of an Isolo Akure, Ondo State Prince, Lagos Journalist and Media Proprietor, Bashir Adefaka. Reach him via omope72@gnail.com or text him to 08163323906.