Let me first congratulate Senator Buruji Kashamu on his 62nd birthday that coincides with the day that I chose to write him an open letter. I wish him many happy returns of the day, long life and prosperity.
I must state clearly the background of my encounter with Prince Buruji Kashamu so that my readers and researchers can know and be able to disregard the wanton claim of the blackmailers, of any incompetence on my part as the appointed state Coordinator of Omo-Ilu Foundation, an Organization founded by Prince Kashamu.
His Excellency Otunba Gbenga Daniel as the then Governor of Ogun state on instruction of the then Nigeria President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan directed the collapse of the Labour Party Ogun state, being promoted by the former Governor whilst I was the then state chairman of the most virile party in Ogun state, with PDP Ogun state under the leadership of Prince Kashamu.
Governor Daniel then complied and we therefore met with Prince Buruji Kashamu at his Omo-Ilu Foundation Secretariat in Ijebu Igbo and formalised the merger with some understandings.
Subsequently, he personally requested through Mr Lukman Ajomale to have a private meeting with me. I turned down the invitation because of the negative impressions I heard of him.
He subsequently paid me a surprise visit sometime in year 2014 at my Ijebu Ode residence in company of Otunba Adewale Oshinubi aka Wesco and other retinue of his aides and pleaded tremendously with me as a political juggernaut to support his senatorial contest.
I confronted him with my reservation about his person and that I did not want to have anything doing with him. He strongly pleaded with me to jettison those erroneous impressions being spread by his adversaries and I then resolved to give him a trial because I wanted PDP to win all contests. When he was parting, he gave me, my political associates and followers some cash and promised to personally give me a functional vehicle as a mark of appreciation of my positive consideration of his request.
I then joined others and worked for him and won the election and he subsequently fulfilled his promise of a car gift after his victory at the polls even though he forcefully retrieved the Jeep from me with the intimidation of the Police when I voluntarily resigned from his Omo-Ilu Foundation two years after.
Since then we have both been on separate ways until recently when he alleged that I was behind the crisis he is having with Engr. Bayo Dayo, the immediate past state Chairman of his faction of Ogun state PDP, who just parted with him. This of course is not true even though, I discussed with Engr Dayo to consider reconciliation of the Ogun PDP factions before the expiration of his tenure in office.
He then seized the opportunity to lobby me to return to his camp and possibly assist him to ensure reconciliation with Hon Ladi Adebutu devoid of Engr Dayo who he regarded as traitor.
I then suspected that when he could not earnestly see positive response from me coupled with the fact that I passed a comment on his expulsion from the PDP, he then made his counter response on the social media followed by his hawks who maliciously attacked my person.
It is in view of the above that I decided to put the record straight as nobody no matter how highly placed can berate my personality and integrity without seeing my red eyes.
Let me state ab-initio, that it is not in my character to result to social media, to expostulate on what ordinarily should have been considered as family affairs. But since Senator Kashamu, and his paid blackmailers, the trio of Messrs Austin Oniyokor, Sunkanmi Oyejide and Abayomi Arabambi have drawn me out of my shell, then I have no option than to use the same media to clarify issues, and set the records straight.
Political observers, and those who are constant on electronics and social media must have heard and read the various unprintable names, insults, and unproven allegations that Senator Buruji Kashamu’s mad dogs and blackmailers had unleashed against my person. Thereby frantically wanting to maliciously malign my reputation and integrity which I have built and laboured for over the years.
For avoidance of doubt, the blackmailers amongst other lampoons alleged me of betrayal, dishonesty, ingratitude, greed, lust for money, lack of integrity, political flirtation and managerial incompetence.
With utmost faithfulness and sincerity, I wish to state that not one of the fabricated lies and concoctions fit into my person. It would not have been possible for me, if truly I possess all these negative attributes to have gone this far in life. I worked as a civil servant for twenty three (23) years without blemish, and pensionably retired as a full Director on Grade Level 16. I have intimidating track record having held various highest leadership positions in Students’ Unionism, Trade Unionism and Social Organisations that earned me so many laurels and trophies. I enjoy so much goodwill within my peers, community, organisations, traditional rulers and society at large. As a matter of fact, I cut a niche for myself everywhere I worked or with anybody I have a relationship. Some of them include Navy Capt Olofinmoye as he then was, Commodore Sam Ewang as he then was, Chief Olusegun Osoba, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole amongst others.
My stint at work is always exemplary to the extent that when I tendered my letter of resignation to Senator Buruji Kashamu, as the then State Coordinator of Omo-Ilu Foundation, he begged me not to go and re-appointed me into two higher offices. The letters of appointments are still with me for prove even though, I displeasurably quitted thereafter in less than a month. If I am not futuristic, de-emphasize financial gains, and remain principled, I will accept the offers of Mr. Buruji kashamu. However, I realised that it was a great mistake and wrong decision in the first instance to have associated with Senator Buruji Kashamu.
If the allegation of lust for money has anything to do with me, I would have returned back to Omo-Ilu Foundation since as I have thereafter received pleas severally from Senator Buruji Kashamu to come back to his organisation. Recently, he also offered to pay me between N4m-N5m per month as a Ph.D. holder, to come back to his organisation. He even told me that he could sponsor me to vie for Gubernatorial seat in the 2023 election if I am in his group. But I turned down the offers to show my loyalty, consistency and disbelief in him.
If I actually have lust for money, I will by now be in affluence because of various opportunities that I have had in the past and that are being presently thrown at me. Good name is better than riches and gold. Everybody that knows me know that I am not money freaked and as a principled person, I only ask God, up till now, for the minimum that can keep my life and that of my family going.
Some reasons that made me to quit the Omo-Ilu Foundation include but are not limited to the listed, as a former Students’ Union President, State President and South West Zonal Chairman of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, State and Western Zonal Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, two terms Transition Chairman of Ogun waterside and Ijebu Ode Local Government, former National Chairman of Olabisi Onabanjo University and member of the Governing Council, Cabinet Member of Ogun State Executive Council, State Chairman Labour Party, retired Director(GL16) of Local Government Service, Ogun State, twice Acting Coordinating Director of Ogun waterside Local Government and as an holder of highest universal academic qualification, I considered it worthless to restrict myself to that small enclave of Omo-Ilu Foundation that has no purposeful operation and direction. Moreso that I see the Omo-Ilu Foundation as a fluke.
I could not have attained and possessed all these credentials, if truly I have traces of any of what these blackmailers called me. I therefore say that, since I was born up till now, I have no record of any indictment or conviction from any law court and I remain very responsible to my family, community and organisations. If they are in doubt of these assertions, they should please and kindly bring out verifiable prof and empirical evidence to contradict me or prove my claims wrong.
On the other hand, if they can not do this, they may take me to the court of law to prove their allegations. Until any of these is done, I urge members of the public to disregard, in its entirety all accusations or allegations from these quarters and see them as mere imagination from insane minds and blackmailers.
Taking a critical look at the reasons for the conducts and attitudes of these blackmailers and their suspected principal or sponsor, it is crystal clear that the core motif of all these men and as succinctly put by Senator Buruji kashamu, is that “before you can overthrow any government, (structure) sic, you must work harder, and it is either you fail or lose...anybody that believes they have to push me away totally and put me to shame... will have plethora of work to do, as I will never submit myself to defeat”
My interpretation of this statement by Senator Kashamu is liken to attempt by anybody to deny him and his co-travellers the possession of the soul of his life, that is, the authentic PDP structure and governance of the party in Ogun State, which he sees as tantamount to plotting a coup d’état which is an herculean task required of great acquisition of all combatant skills and strategies as failure of any coup has a grievous consequences on the perceived enemies or coupists.
Since this is the view of Prince Buruji Kashamu, on anybody or group of people who might want to overthrow or topple his government, then no one will be in doubt about his determination, resolve and disposition to resist violently anybody trying to take over and lead the PDP structure in Ogun State. It is also because of his selfish interest that he decided against the Federal Government’s directive towards minimising the dastardly effects of COVID-19 pandemic that he defaultingly organised purported party congresses whilst the lockdown order was still in force and inaugurated his appointed officers, as the state elected officers of the party at the same period. This inordinate ambition is unthinkable and laughable.
In an attempt to legitimise this absurdity, he is therefore battle ready to “fight” anybody that crosses his path. Hence, the main reason that he asked his paid agents to tear me into pieces, take me to the cleaners and to continually attack, bark and bite any imagined, real or unreal “enemies” or threat to his oligarchy.
I wish to digress a bit, to shed light on these paid blackmailers who are ready to assassinate the character of perceived opposition to their principal or anybody that may want to disrupt the source of their livelihood. Both Messrs. Austin Oniyokor and Sukanmi Oyejide are media assistants to Prince Buruji kashamu but rather than committing themselves to professional media jobs, they are unfortunately now being used for hatchet jobs and blackmailing without thinking about their personalities and dent that they are bringing to the Public Relations practice. I call on their professional association to refer these bad examples to their Ethics and Disciplinary Committee to stem influx of degeneration into that noble profession. Both men ordinarily appear to me as gentlemen with very amiable mien and short height but for their negative inclination and lust for money, they are always eager to do all dirty jobs to sustain their principal’s interest and source of their livelihood while in the case of Mr. Abayomi Arabambi, he is a roving politician and an itinerant and chronic blackmailer, a violent mudslinger, bootlicker and controversial personality without any iota of integrity. He is known as such by everybody in Ogun State. Since Mr. Arabambi is the State Chairman of Labour Party Ogun State, what then is his business in the PDP matters? The answer is obvious to all discerning minds. Bread and butter politicking! Shame to this man.
The concluding part of this piece, shall now focus on the fake call of reconciliation by Prince Buruji Kashamu, his past political maneuvering, intrigues, shenanigans and the danger of partnering with him.
The recent political past of Mr. Buruji Kashamu is that he came into politics claiming that he wanted to strengthen, empower and support both politicians and political processes of the PDP in 2008 whilst Otunba Gbenga Daniel was holding sway in Ogun state. Before one could say Jack Robinson, he had pumped so much empowerment like cars and so much funds into the polity, that he wittingly hijacked the total control of the party structure and pulled the carpets off the feet of His Excellency, Otunba Gbenga Daniel. He did not stop at this. He took over the political structure in Ogun State totally including nearly all other South West States without sparing South West Exco.
Within a small time and for his ambition, he has had brushes with OGD, OBJ, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Mr. Kayode Oni, Ahmed Makarfi and so on.
He actually succeeded and craftingly took control of Ogun State PDP structure for about twelve years now. The good Lord has never been supportive of unjust cause. No sooner he got the control of these structures, the bubbles began to burst that he lost them too. The germane question is that what benefit did his control bring to the party ever since? Though, he had some momentary gains but he was unable to retain the success due to his administrative incompetence, political naivety, lack of human management, and hidden agenda. He lost control of the SouthWest Exco, he lost the control of SouthWest states that he initially gained, and it can be said that he has now lost that of Ogun State PDP. This is the reason for putting up the posture of do or die into the scenario playing out now in the Ogun State PDP vis a vis the Executives.
Prince Buruji kashamu knows quite well that he has lost control of the PDP Exco and leadership in Ogun State. This is because he has lost 12 out of 14 members of the state working committee to Hon Ladi Adebutu mainstream group. He has lost all the main stakeholders and notable political elders and leaders to Hon Ladi Adebutu group. While the tenure of Engr. Bayo Dayo led Exco which he gained through court process, had lapsed. He is being confronted with stark reality on the ground and gripped by fear and practical realities, he therefore feigned to be ready for reconciliation.
At this juncture, let me say that what so many PDP leaders and critical stakeholders in Ogun state do not like in Senator Buruji Kashamu are his autocratic nature, imagined insincerity to the State PDP, his poor handling of crisis management, using of government security agents to bully and intimidate party members that cross his path, habitual reference of party matters to the courts without exhausting internal dispute mechanism control, series of litigation against party members, forceful collection and retrieval of car gifts from associates that has fallen out of favour from him, general poor human relations and retrogression of party successes under his watch for more than a decade. All these tendencies with their antedant consequences had made a lot of faithful party members to move out enmass and join other splinter parties with the caveat that they will be back when the party leadership and control is not with Senator Buruji Kashamu. With the Exodus of the large number of people, the Party can not win any election.
Prince Buruji Kashamu said and i quote “ I am not interested in contesting for any political office again now and forever”. He also said that “ I am ready for genuine reconciliation with Ladi Adebutu. He is my younger brother”. Ordinarily, if one should evaluate the statements above, one may quickly embrace reconciliation with him to allow for peace. However, because of the antecedents of Prince Buruji Kashamu, he is known for such antics and turn around attitude to breach such agreements. For example, OGD took us in good faith in 2014 from Labour Party to PDP Kashamu on the instruction of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. We joined together with certain understandings. I am not sure if OGD did not regret his steps. Similarly, if OBJ is contacted on Prince Kashamu’s political intrigues, he will definitely have a tale or more to share.
Furthermore, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka (GNI), Hon Ladi Adebutu, myself and a host of others definitely regretted our association and experiences with Prince Buruji Kashamu. Lest I forget, over one hundred first class PDP leaders in Ogun state had jettisoned their relationships with Prince Buruji Kashamu for what they described as lack of proper handling of political administration and human management. Many claimed that since PDP had not succeeded under the leadership of Prince Buruji Kashamu nor triumphed at any general election at three consecutive times (2011-2015-2019),then there is no point for him to retain the leadership.
It is opined that, since Hon Ladi Adebutu has shown enormous prowess, commitment, dedication, resilience and unparalled courage to bring PDP to limelight and the promised land and since he, Adebutu, is already collaborating with key elders and stakeholders in the camp of Prince Buruji kashamu, the latter should give way, except if he has anything profiting from withholding the structure at all cost.
I wish to remind Prince Kashamu about ephemerality of life and positions. The only permanent thing in life is change. This is about principle of dynamism of nature. The Yoruba aphoristic sobriquet says, oba mewa igba mewa. The Hausa also share this belief that Seriki ngo mo, samoni ngo mo. Even the English proverbs support this claim that an actor leaves the stage when ovation is loudest and that no empire that does not have its autumn or end. I wish to refer Prince Kashamu to a Yoruba fiction book titled JEN LOGBA TEMI. Any resistance to clinch unnecessarily to power more than necessary may bring disgrace. I can foresee that the time to step aside for another leadership has come going by the indices that he has lost about 85percent of his structure to Hon Ladi Adebutu.
Mr Sunkami Oyejide, while still living in the euphoria of Mr Kashamu:s past glory said and I quote, “ Buruji is deeply rooted at the grassroot, his footprints is everywhere across the 236 wards in Ogun state through Omo-Ilu Foundation” He also added that “ Buruji is an enigma that any politician that wants to win election in Ogun state will be happy to have in his camp” . No doubt that Oyejide is only been sycophantic as Prince Buruji Kashamu’s popularity has dwindling drastically judging by the elections results for the senatorial and gubernatorial tickets in 2015 and 2019 comparatively. He had total votes of one hundred and twenty thousand in the senatorial election from a senatorial district and meagre seventy thousand votes I the gubernatorial election from three senatorial districts that make Ogun state. What a woeful performance !
Prince Kashamu’s aggression and unrelentless posture of going to courts everytime, without following laid down internal dispute settlement procedure calls for grave concern. The vigour and rigour that he puts into accessing rulings, injunctions and judgements are suspicious and confounding and call for questioning. It is more than what the eye can meet. Over what? Austin Oniyokor, his media aide once said about Mr. Buruji Kashamu that “once the rules are violated, as it was... then he is at liberty to approach the court for the interpretation of the rules guiding the party “.
Austin also said “ political power is not served a lar-carté. It is better earned or fought for”. Like master like servant. Rumor that is milling round is that Prince Buruji Kashamu is adamant to remain in PDP so that he could internally be potent to effectively do the bidding of his suspected APC collaborators, to disorganize the PDP and foreclose PDP access to govern and rule Ogun State. His romance with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun the Governor of Ogun state calls for worry. Some people are also wondering, that since Prince Kashamu has said that he is “not interested in contesting for any political office again, now or forever”, why did he not put himself in the position of elder statesman like Dr.Jubril Martins Kuye, and His Excellency, Otunba Gbenga Daniel to mention a few.
Another poser is that, why did Prince Buruji kashamu decided to buy 250 vehicles for PDP members in the state and unlawfully head-bent to install illegal state exco. It is suggested that he should rather go and run his moribund Omo-Ilu Foundation very well and as expected. People are seeing the foundation as a leap into politics. Adding that if he truly believes in philanthropism, he should register the cars in the names of the beneficiaries as against registering the cars in the name Omo-Ilu Foundation which could easily make him to retrieve the cars from the assignees when their relationships breakdown as he as been doing previously.
Conclusively, the opinions generated on the ongoing reconciliation is that Prince Buruji should hands-off, sit back and wash his hands clean of various insinuations if his personality matters most to him.
Partly to this, is that the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus and other critical stake holders should ensure, embrace and uphold the need to experiment the desired success of the PDP victory in the next 2023 general elections in Ogun State, devoid of involvement, inclusion and interference of Prince Buruji Kashamu. This is a challenge and a task to the PDP national leaders.
PDP – Power to the People.
Comrade Niyi-Osoba, Ph.D
Ogun State.
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