The Pen That 'Governed' Now Seeks the Gavel: Why Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Should Send Dr Rafiu Ajakaye to the Green Chamber

 The Pen That 'Governed' Now Seeks the Gavel: Why Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Should Send Dr Rafiu Ajakaye to the Green Chamber

By Idris Alooma 

The elders say, “When the drumbeat changes, the dancer must change steps.” Nigeria’s democracy is at a turning point where competence must replace conjecture, and character must trump charisma. It is against this backdrop that the bid of Dr Rafiu Oriyomi Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Kwara State, for the House of Representatives seat in Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency deserves the full weight of support from journalists, NUJ, NAWOJ, and all well-meaning Kwarans. As the Yoruba proverb reminds us, “A river that forgets its source will soon dry up.” Dr Ajakaye has not forgotten his roots in the newsroom, and that memory now equips him to serve the grassroots.

First, his professionalism in public communication is already the stuff of legend in Kwara’s corridors of power. As CPS, he turned government messaging into an art of clarity and credibility. He lived the creed that “facts are stubborn things,” to borrow from John Adams. In moments of crisis, he chose facts over flattery, and transparency over propaganda. The House of Representatives needs that discipline. Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun needs a voice that can table motions in Abuja with the same precision he used to draft press statements in Ilorin.

Second, intellectual depth is the currency of world-class legislatures. Dr Ajakaye’s recent PhD is not a mere title on paper. It is proof that he believes in what Francis Bacon called “knowledge itself is power.” Bills are not written with slogans. Budgets are not defended with street talk. From agricultural policy to digital economy frameworks, his academic rigor positions him to debate, draft, and deliver legislation anchored on data and global best practice. As the saying goes, “An empty sack cannot stand upright.”

Third, character remains the foundation upon which public trust is built. Abraham Lincoln warned, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” For years, Dr Ajakaye managed the image of an administration under public glare, and scandal never found his address. Colleagues describe him as a man whose “yes is yes.” In a political space where “promise and fail” has become an idiom, his integrity is the dividend voters can cash before election day.

Fourth, history has blessed us with journalists who wore the crown of governance and left indelible marks. Chief Olusegun Osoba rose from the newsroom of Daily Times to Government House, Ogun State, and gave Nigeria a model of press freedom and infrastructure. Senator Smart Adeyemi, former NUJ President, turned the Senate into a platform for constituency projects and robust debate. Senator Chris Anyanwu, once jailed for her journalism, became a senator who spoke truth to power. The Igbo say, “When a child washes his hands well, he can dine with elders.” Dr Ajakaye has washed his hands in the newsroom and in government. He is ready to dine at the table of lawmaking.

Fifth, journalists are trained agenda setters. We decide what makes headlines and what shapes public discourse. The Hausa proverb says, “He who is not at the table will be on the menu.” If we remain only watchdogs outside, others will set agendas that forget Ifelodun, Offa, and Oyun. Inside the Green Chamber, Dr Ajakaye will ensure our rural roads, schools, health centres, and youth enterprises become national talking points, not footnotes.

Sixth, he is a bridge builder by training and temperament. As CPS, he interpreted policy to the market woman in Ganmo and the student in Offa Poly. That is representation. Edmund Burke defined a legislator’s duty as service to constituents, not just to party. Dr Ajakaye understands that a lawmaker must be the “go-between” who carries village cries to Abuja and returns with answers, not excuses. 

Seventh, oversight is the soul of the legislature, and who better to perform it than a man raised on the doctrine of “hold power accountable”? He knows the Freedom of Information Act like a second language. He can collaborate with other lawmakers to scrutinise budget the way an editor spots a libel. With him, MDA heads will remember the adage, “The chicken that strays will meet the fox.” Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun money will not grow wings.

Eighth, networks win wars and projects. From newsroom contacts to executive councils, Dr Ajakaye carries a Rolodex that spans editors, ministers, donors, and technocrats. In lobbying, as the Americans say, “It’s not what you know, but who you know, and who knows you.” His goodwill is a federal allocation magnet for the constituency. Roads, solar power, and ICT hubs do not build themselves. They follow men who know the doors to knock.

Ninth, empathy cannot be legislated, but it can be lived. He has reported issues of great concerns across different sectors. The Bible says, “Bear one another’s burdens.” His bills will carry the weight of farmers who need storage facilities, traders who need credit, and youths who need skills. When a representative has walked the dusty paths of his people, he does not need a map to find their pain.

Tenth, his candidacy lifts the profession. The young reporter in NUJ Chapel today will see that the pen can open the door to parliament. As Thomas Jefferson noted, “When the press is free and every man able to read, all is safe.” When the press also governs, all is safer. NAWOJ, NUJ, and media veterans must therefore see this race as our collective project. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,” says the African proverb. Let us go far with him.

Eleventh, from consultation to mobilisation and the primaries, his profile is his campaign manager. Delegates respect performance. Stakeholders trust a man who managed the Governor’s reputation without blemish. The late M.K.O. Abiola once said, “You cannot shave a man’s head in his absence.” Dr Ajakaye has been present in Kwara’s development story. Let him be present in Abuja to continue the shave, this time cutting waste and shaping policy.

Twelfth, the final goal is dividends of democracy, not dividends of grammar. As the saying goes, “The taste of the pudding is in the eating.” With Dr Rafiu Ajakaye in the House, Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun will taste federal presence: classrooms rebuilt, health centres equipped, grants facilitated, and voices heard. Journalists are the umpire, but sometimes the umpire must enter the field to ensure fair play. 

Therefore, let NUJ, NAWOJ, civil society, artisans, and all well-meaning Kwarans rally. “A single bracelet does not jingle,” our elders say. Let us jingle together behind Dr Rafiu Oriyomi Ajakaye, 

"Like the Qur'an says in 68:4, 'exalted character' is the mark of true leadership. Dr Rafiu Ajakaye has capacity, capability, character, and charisma to represent Ifelodun/Ofa/Oyun,from the first handshake of consultation to the final ballot of victory. For as Chinua Achebe wrote, “The sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them.” Let Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun stand with the man who has stood for truth, service, and excellence.

****Idris Alooma is the General Manager UNILORIN FM radio station and Deputy Director Corporate Affairs University of Ilorin*