𝗕𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗢𝘆𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗷𝗶.
You read that correctly?
That line, one of the most laughable oversimplifications in Nigeria’s political discourse has somehow gained traction. It is not only an insult to intelligence, but a deliberate distortion of history so egregious it momentarily makes PhD holders sound unlettered and unserious. One wonders the level of mental laziness it takes to believe, or worse, peddle such an inaccurate tale.
Let’s set the record straight.
There is no denying the fact that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu played a pivotal role in the political trajectory of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. That’s clear and acknowledged. But to reduce Aregbesola’s formidable journey to some fictional narrative of “a mere refrigerator repairer rescued from obscurity” is not just dishonest, it’s deeply disrespectful.
In truth, their relationship wasn’t one of a “saviour and the saved.” It was mutual respect, a strategic alliance, a brotherhood built on shared ideals and unwavering loyalty. It was symbiotic, a “rub my back while I rub yours” relationship. Both men benefited from each other, politically, professionally, and even personally. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. That’s how enduring political partnerships are formed.
THE BEGINNING: THE EARLY 90s
The relationship between Aregbesola and Tinubu dates back to around 1992 during the brief and turbulent Third Republic. At that time, Tinubu was a newcomer in politics, vying to represent Lagos West in the Senate under the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Aregbesola, on the other hand, was already a politically active and professionally grounded man.
Far from being a “nobody,” Aregbesola was a trained engineer and entrepreneur. He had worked with reputable firms like Lagos Airport Hotel and was running a successful air-conditioning and refrigeration business in Alimosho, Lagos, one of the most populated local government areas in Nigeria. He wasn’t just fixing fridges, he was training dozens of apprentices, building a business, and building lives.
He was no roadside artisan. He was a community leader and political actor who even sought the SDP ticket for the Alimosho Federal Constituency. He didn’t get the nomination, but he had already built a name and presence, both on the streets and in the political space.
It was within this context that he and Tinubu became allies, not out of desperation, but shared conviction.
Let’s take a moment to examine Aregbesola’s credentials before this so-called “making.”
He was a student activist of national repute, Speaker of the Student Parliament (1977–78) and President of the Black Nationalist Movement (1978–80) at The Polytechnic, Ibadan. He had a clear record of leadership, ideology, and civic engagement.
He completed his NYSC in Kaduna with the National Freight Agency and later worked with the Nigerian External Telecommunications (NET)/NITEL at the Kujama Satellite Earth Station.
From there, he moved into the private sector, and worked as an Engineer, Lagos Airport Hotel; Operations Director, Rubicon Nigeria Ltd, before he founded Aurora Nigeria Ltd in 1986.
And this was all before his full immersion into partisan politics.
He wasn’t just a businessman, he was a seasoned technocrat. A Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management, and a name that resonated within the Nigerian Association of Technological Engineers and beyond.
AREGEBESOLA: THE POLITICAL STRATEGIST
When Tinubu returned from exile after the Abacha years and decided to run for governor in 1999, he needed someone he could trust with strategy, grassroots mobilization, and operations. That man was Rauf Aregbesola. Not just as a volunteer, but as a Director of his gubernatorial campaign.
Now, think about that.
Would any serious contender for a governorship election entrust their entire campaign to a so-called refrigerator repairer with no real political capital? That alone should make the propagators of that narrative pause, and hopefully, reflect.
Aregbesola’s brilliance in that campaign set the tone for what would become one of the most formidable political machines in Lagos. His contributions earned him the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure portfolio, where he served with distinction for eight years, redefining the urban landscape of Lagos.
And when the time came in 2007, he wasn’t just considered for the Osun governorship candidacy on a whim. He earned it, through years of loyal service, demonstrated competence, and public goodwill.
So again, ask yourself,
Would a nobody rise through the ranks to become student leader, engineer, businessman, campaign director, commissioner, and then governor, if all he ever was, was a “refrigerator repairer” discovered and made by someone else?
Even more importantly, stop outsourcing your thinking, be curious. Read, reflect, and understand the nuance of history.
Reducing a man’s life and decades of sacrifice, activism, and professional excellence to a demeaning soundbite is not only ignorant, it’s cruel. Let’s honour the facts, let’s dignify the truth.
At least, don’t just mouth all what you hear, think!
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John Oyebanji is a Public Affairs Analyst, Media/PR Specialist, Educational Administrator, and Clergy, among many other things he represents. He is the Ife East’s ADC Candidate in the 2023 Osun State Assembly Election. He writes from Modakeke, Osun State, and can be reached via +2349032201075, [email protected]
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