“NIGERIAN POLITICS, A DO OR DIE GAME” – says GOV. ABIOLA AJIMOBI
“NIGERIAN POLITICS, A DO OR DIE GAME” – says GOV. ABIOLA AJIMOBI
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Monday reflected on Nigerian politics, concluding that most politicians in the country play do-or-die politics because of lack of visible means of livelihood.
Ajimobi stated this in Ibadan while receiving the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Ms. Jumoke Akinjide, who led other members of her delegation to deliver President Goodluck Jonathan’s condolence letter to the governor over the death of his mother, Alhaja Dhikrat Abeje Ajimobi, last week.
According to the governor, anybody who had a definite profession or job would not take politics as a matter of life and death.
He said: “It is unfortunate that politics, as it is played in Nigeria, is in a do or die manner, and it is because you have a lot of people there who have no job and no profession. When they eventually come into politics that is the only thing they know because they are professional politicians.”
He described himself, the visiting minister and Jonathan as professionals in politics and not professional politicians, saying this had accounted for their liberal disposition towards politics and governance.
He added: "In our own case, we are professionals in politics. Even the President himself, who is a man of no mean achievements, is a professional in politics, and that has manifested in this condolence visit.
"This is the way politics should be played. When it is time to rejoice together, we rejoice together; when it is time to share sorrow, we share it together because in the end, we are all fighting for the betterment of Nigeria.
"But those who are fighting for the betterment of themselves are those who take politics as do or die. We must, as much as possible, discourage those who see politics as a matter of life and death."
Ajimobi expressed appreciation to Jonathan for raising such a high-powered delegation to condole with him over his mother’s death.
Earlier, Ms. Akinjide had said that she and members of her delegation were in Ibadan to deliver the president’s condolence letter to the governor and to celebrate the life and times of Alhaja Ajimobi whom she said lived a long and fulfilled life.
"We are happy today because Mama saw fulfillment that any mother would want to see, which is the success of her children, especially Governor Abiola Ajimobi," the minister remarked, after which she read the letter to the governor.
In the letter, President Jonathan expressed his profound sympathy to the governor over the passage of his mother.
The letter reads: "I write on behalf of my family, the government and people of Nigeria to express our profound sympathy to you on the transition of your dear mother, late Mrs. Ajimobi. The passing of one’s mother is undoubtedly a sorrowful occurrence. Our hearts go out to you in your moment of grief.
"I must, however, point out that you have a real cause to thank God for sparing Mama’s life to the ripe age of 85. In as much as transition from life to death is an evitable conclusion to human existence, we give thanks to God for giving her the grace to see her offspring develop into men and women of substance in this community and beyond.
"I pray that God will grant you and all those she left behind the courage to bear the irreparable loss and grant her eternal rest."
According to the governor, anybody who had a definite profession or job would not take politics as a matter of life and death.
He said: “It is unfortunate that politics, as it is played in Nigeria, is in a do or die manner, and it is because you have a lot of people there who have no job and no profession. When they eventually come into politics that is the only thing they know because they are professional politicians.”
He described himself, the visiting minister and Jonathan as professionals in politics and not professional politicians, saying this had accounted for their liberal disposition towards politics and governance.
He added: "In our own case, we are professionals in politics. Even the President himself, who is a man of no mean achievements, is a professional in politics, and that has manifested in this condolence visit.
"This is the way politics should be played. When it is time to rejoice together, we rejoice together; when it is time to share sorrow, we share it together because in the end, we are all fighting for the betterment of Nigeria.
"But those who are fighting for the betterment of themselves are those who take politics as do or die. We must, as much as possible, discourage those who see politics as a matter of life and death."
Ajimobi expressed appreciation to Jonathan for raising such a high-powered delegation to condole with him over his mother’s death.
Earlier, Ms. Akinjide had said that she and members of her delegation were in Ibadan to deliver the president’s condolence letter to the governor and to celebrate the life and times of Alhaja Ajimobi whom she said lived a long and fulfilled life.
"We are happy today because Mama saw fulfillment that any mother would want to see, which is the success of her children, especially Governor Abiola Ajimobi," the minister remarked, after which she read the letter to the governor.
In the letter, President Jonathan expressed his profound sympathy to the governor over the passage of his mother.
The letter reads: "I write on behalf of my family, the government and people of Nigeria to express our profound sympathy to you on the transition of your dear mother, late Mrs. Ajimobi. The passing of one’s mother is undoubtedly a sorrowful occurrence. Our hearts go out to you in your moment of grief.
"I must, however, point out that you have a real cause to thank God for sparing Mama’s life to the ripe age of 85. In as much as transition from life to death is an evitable conclusion to human existence, we give thanks to God for giving her the grace to see her offspring develop into men and women of substance in this community and beyond.
"I pray that God will grant you and all those she left behind the courage to bear the irreparable loss and grant her eternal rest."
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