Daramola and Abomire: A redefinition of service?

Daramola and Abomire: A redefinition of service?

Isuma Isuma, Ado-Ekiti.

Nigerian politicians are known for their ellipses and eye-catching cognomina of their political projects. And such naming of their political projects draw a lot of people  who try to know what makes such a person thick, why the project and why the name among others.

But none has jolted the people in Ekiti State few years now than the Bimbo Daramola’s Abomire. Daramola, a one-time member of House of Representatives created Abomire as a way of giving back to the people who elected him. According to him, “I have chosen a different path in politics; that of service to the greatest number of people over and above self.’’ That statement has been resonating in the state as it reassures people they are those who have been divinely called  and chosen to serve and make unbearable sacrifices for the good of the the greater number.

Interestingly, what began like a political statement crystalised into a movement that led to the opening of one of the biggest hospitals ​donated to the state few years ago. Instead of “giving back” to his constituency, Oye/Ikole Ekiti-North Federal Constituency 1, he gave back to the entire state such that he has successfully pushed the narrative to how much it takes to solve common human problems.

Governance is seen in Nigeria an opportunity to get rich quickly and to be influential. Such principle of escapism even if partial and a caricature of what politics and governance stand for have been responsible for the deplorable situation in Nigeria. Politicians use their offices​to get enough even for their generation unborn. And which is why it is very difficult to see a public servant who has not been accused of looting while in government.

But for Daramola, on the creation of Abomire, real service is when you smile because the people are happy over what you are doing. Far beyond the institutionalization of service delivery, he believes governance is about giving your all, far beyond the promises​ of electioneering.

Even his motions and bills while in the House captured the real human essence in Abomire. His motions and bills essentially sought the creation of instruments against corruption and the protection of human values. Motions such as 'Urgent need to investigate the federal government's N30bn National Identity Card Scheme Project, motion on the Utmost Disregard and violation of the rights of Nigerians by Airline Operators in Nigeria and the need to get the Airline Operators to comply with Global Standards and best practices with regard to Consumer Welfare, motion on the need to forensically review every aspect of Nigeria's relationship with South Africa, particularly our economic interest beyond the entry denial of interest 125 Nigerians and associated immigration issues, Urgent need to remove all disused, broken-down and unserviceable aircraft from the precincts, premises and airsides of all the Airports in Nigeria, the Urgent Need to Investigate the Use of Public Funds by the Bank of Industry Under the Power and Airlines Intervention Fund among others struck the need to protect Nigerians against discrimination and attacks as well as looting of public treasury.

Daramola, who was a Deputy Chairman House Committee on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), believes that the passion to affect life positively should be everybody’s business at all times.

Introducing Abomire through the opening of the multi-million naira 32 bed hospital projects began new narrative why some political office holders decide to use their positions for service while others don’t. In this case, the landmark project was personally and independently financed by him and equipped with state-of-the-heart facilities which can truly add value to the life of the people irrespective of their religion, sex, political party or ethnic group.

And yet to know that even projects with government’s budget allocated to them are often left unexecuted, Daramola left many people even those from outside the state that came for the commissioning bewildered.

The Abomire train also initiated various empowerment programmes valued at hundreds of million in the state. He gave out scholarships, provision of accessible and portable water, free health services to the less privileged and senior citizens. Other incentives were monetary support for the needy to float business, provision of generating sets to support business owners in the event of power outage, provision of grinding machines, motorcycles, renovation of some hospital buildings, and payment of legal fees for people whose rights were being abused, debt payments, and wedding expenses for his people among other initiatives.

Thousands of people across the state, despite not from his immediate constituency come to solicit for keke napep, tricycle, which has become the cheapest means of transportation today. Many of these tricycles bear the name of Daramola even without his knowledge, accompanied by praises and thanks for his gesture. The yearly distribution of these keke napeps has become a ritual as people throng the area in their bid to get one, at least.

Daramola used his personal money to open ayedun road that was abandoned and became impassable making like hellish for the people. As a matter of fact, there is no town or village in his constituency without a tangible statement of Daramola by way of projects from water boreholes to schools or transformers.

The people themselves have continued to make joke out of it that “If Congressman Daramola had kept the money he used for development and empowerment assistance to the people; he would perhaps by now be a rich man by now.”

According to a lecturer, Dele Omoyeni from Ekiti State, “I am yet to see any politician in Ekiti today who has built a world’s standard hospital for the people singlehandedly. He ran to Ayebode-ekiti to practically re-build the only maternity center in that axis which was dilapidated with the ceilings fallen off. Many people got jobs in his constituency, not to talk of the flagship Abomire yearly event, which practically redefined and raised the bar for the outlook of constituency empowerment and engagement by legislators. At this events, life of constituents are practically turned around for good.

“Many cars, trade enhancing equipment from deep freezers to generators, and several scholarships worth hundreds of millions are giving to the constituents. He buys thousands of JAMB forms for Ekiti children as a super educational intervention scheme. How else can a man serve his people even when he is not in government?”

Daramola believes the philosophy of Abomire makes him the bridge between some people and their destinies. He said, “I told some people in my village, you are fighting me, but you young people I am fighting your battle. I am the one hitting my head against the wall so that you guys will step on that wall and go on to achieve whatever you want to achieve. This huge wall before you is the one I am trying to take down, the barrier before you and your success in life; that is what I am trying to sort out for you. I am trying to take out the barrier between you and a glorious destiny and it is difficult to bring such walls down, because it is written that lift up you everlasting gate, all those everlasting gates stood before them, I needed to lift up so that they can pass.”

While many people believe he is the most popular politician with the young people, Daramola said, “That is because they represent the future. I am as well popular amongst the 90 year old people, they still love me and they know it. About 400 of them have circled me and have started praying for me at the cultural center at Ado-Ekiti. If I was not the son in whom they are well pleased, would they do that for me? I am popular with the young people as well as the adults, because they also connect with my philosophies. My motivation is that I know that I have a very strong will and it is that will that has propelled and driven my politics.”

For Ekiti State, Abomire has come to represent a new beginning that everything is possible, that it does not take a supernatural being to turn around the fortune of his people.

#BimboEkiti 

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