Opinion: Mimiko’s Hope Dashed Before Election

Posted by African Examiner Articles/Opinion, Featured Contributors/Columnists, Latest Headlines Monday, October 31st, 2016

Adewale Giwa, United States

This is not the best time for Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko to be witnessing unimaginable and indescribable political challenges currently befall him. People, who do not know the political history of the state will be asking themselves these questions at this period of time: What could have made Mimiko to be facing this kind of situation? Is it because he does not serve God diligently as being projected that has made God not to accept his monthly praise offerings anymore?

However, those who follow the past political events of the state may conclude that Governor Mimiko is reaping what he had sowed in the past.

I crave your indulgence to permit me take you to the Holy Bible before I get to the main thrust of my piece. Mimiko’ s present predicament can ironically be linked to the story of Cain and Abel in the Holy Bible. The first example of sacrifice in the Bible is found in the account of Cain and Abel. When Cain and Abel, the first two sons of Adam and Eve, presented their sacrifices before the Lord, Abel’s sacrifice was accepted while Cain’s was rejected. Why did God accept the sacrifice of Abel and reject the sacrifice of Cain? The acceptance of one offering and the rejection of the other as the sovereign choice of God. God merely chose to accept Abel’s offering and reject Cain’s with no explanation given.

Some bible students argue that God was not so much concerned with the type of sacrifice or the quality of the offering they both brought. They contend that His main concern was with the attitude of Cain. Cain’s offering was rejected because of his impure heart, not because it was the fruit of the land rather than a blood sacrifice. He may have brought the very best that he had, but he did so with entirely the wrong attitude. This would be comparable to somebody giving a large sum of money to the church with a grudging attitude.

Mimiko is known as one of the governors in Nigeria who move closer to God. Apart from being a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the governor introduced a christian programme, tagged “The Monthly Divine Agenda Praise Night”.

Since 2009 when the programme was brought by Mimiko, he has never missed any of the edition of the interdenominational Worship programme. One may not know why the governor brought about this gesture, but it is glaring that Mimiko established programme to give thanks to God for making him the governor of the state despite all odds, forgetting that” You cannot continue in sin so that grace may increase”, says Romans 6:1.

Nobody could believe that Governor Mimiko would quickly meet his Waterloo, considering various plans he has put in place for his proposed predecessor, Eyitayo Jegede to govern the state in the next four or eight years.

The governor got his unexpected shock when he had hoped that the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) would not tamper with the name of his candidate. Mimiko’ s hope finally dashed upon all money he allegedly wasted for the top officials of the commission when the name of the business mogul, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim was published in various Media organizations.

Political analysts are of the view that Governor Mimiko betrayed Jimoh Ibrahim, who they described as best of friends when the going was smooth. Ibrahim is believed to have nominated present Secretary to the Ondo State government, Aderotimi Adelola.

Adelola was a pioneer General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the Global Fleet Oil Company owned by Barrister Ibrahim before he was appointed as SSG in 2009.

Mimiko is said to have committed many sins against those who people perceive helped him secure his mandate from both Election Petition Tribunal and the court of Appeal against late Governor Olusegun Agagu.

Among those who assisted Mimiko between 2007 and 2009, is the National leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu. Tinubu, then was seeing as someone who, apart from giving huge undisclosed amount to Mimiko also brought some notable legal professionals like, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Yusus Ali (SAN), Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), etc to ensure the case was properly handled.

When the ‘Maradona’ got justice few years after he was sworn in as executive governor of the state, he turned his back against those who supported him financially, spiritually and physically.

Governor Mimiko became king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who never listened to the advice of people around him until he finally saw the wrath of God.

This sudden attitude of Mimiko baffled Tinubu, which made him voice out as human by nature when he came to campaign for Rotimi Akeredolu in October, 2012 in Ondo State where he described the governor as an ingrate.

Tinubu said at the political campaign, “Today, you have seen our candidate. You have seen someone who called himself Olusegun Mimiko. The judgment of God has come. This is a vote for the liberation of the Yoruba race. We don’t say anybody should not stay alone in the bush. This iroko will live alone in the bush. I urge you to sweep away poverty, sweep away hunger, and sweep away lack of water.

“I assisted Mimiko to retrieve his mandate in 2009. Four years ago, he came to me in tears. Mimiko came with two of my brothers, rolling on the ground. He begged us to rescue him. We don’t like Poverty Development Party [PDP]. They just stole our votes then. We said no. Yoruba will allow that. We are not betrayers. We fought the battle. Aregbesola was fighting his own. We fought in Ekiti and Edo.

“I gave Mimiko money and everything that he needed to fight the battle. We took his case overseas. The white people collected money from us. Do you think white men will do anything for free? But he is now saying that we did nothing for him. When he was afraid to come to Ondo state, we gave him a bullet-proof car. The Holy Bible says in Psalm 17 verse 13 that if you reward good with evil, evil will not depart from your house. I want you to use your votes to judge the case.”

With this revelation, should we now say the judgement of God has not come truly today against the ‘Iroko’ of Ondo State? This assertion of Tinubu may be delayed but it has finally come to pass as things are not well with Mimiko.