Political Associates, Loyalists Celebrate Olawepo-Hashim in Ilorin

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The recent celebration of International Youths Day was used in Nigeria to celebrate those contributing immensely to the political and economic advancement of youths. The youths under the auspices of Youths Assembly of Nigeria (YAN) convened in Ilorin, Kwara State to give awards to many distinguished Nigerians aiding youth development.

A former Presidential Candidate in the 2019 election and now an APC chieftain, Hon. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim was honoured with “Youths Merit Award” in entrepreneurship.
Speaking at the event, the National Speaker of the Youth Assembly of Nigeria, Rt. Hon. Shuaib Sanni said the award was given to motivate those that aid youths’ inclusiveness in governance and businesses.

The convener of the event, Hon. Musbau Eshinrogunjo said youths “are determined to provide a leading role in the nation building.”

Eshinrogunjo, who is also a special assistant to Governor AbdulRazaq on Rural Mobilisation, stated that youths had been watching the activities of the elected representatives of the people since the return to democratic governance of the state and would continue to monitor them for the provision of dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of the populace.
He added that, the youths decided to honour Olawepo-Hashim and other awardees in view of their contributions to the socio-economic development of the society.

Eshinrogunjo assured that youths in the state would leave no stone unturned at supporting the present government in the state so as to add more values to the society.
The event provided a triumphant entry for Olawepo-Hashim as his past political associates and loyalist used the occasion to give him an emotional re-union; more so, the awardee had been out of the state for over 20 years now.

Like an experienced Generalissimo that he is, Olawepo-Hashim breezed into Kwara to rally the “troops” who seems to be suffering from a counter-attack from an enemy they once defeated due to their infighting.

Some 15 years ago, Olawepo-Hashim sat at the head of the biggest political machine in Kwara outside the Saraki family when Dr. Olusola Saraki, the head of the dynasty was still alive and active. In view of his political sagacity, during the 2007 gubernatorial election in Kwara, Olawepo-Hashim was first runners up. He polled the most votes amongst the opposition challenging Bukola Saraki’s re-election. Running on the platform of the Democratic People’s party (DPP), Olawepo-Hashim scored about 70,000 votes, Ajadi about 40 000 votes and Bamigboye 28,000 votes.

Many political pundits in the state during that period believed Olawepo-Hashim won that election. He challenged the victory of Bukola Saraki unsuccessfully to the highest court.
After the struggles at the courts, Olawepo-Hashim travelled abroad on self-exile. When he returned to Nigeria in 2016, he relocated his electoral participation to Usuma Ward in Bwari Area Council of Abuja. Some of his supporters believe he stepped out of political contests in Kwara to allow the opposition win.

They further argued that while he was active, despite the fact that he had the largest political following amongst the opposition then, a number of the opposition leaders would rather spend more time fighting him than Saraki.

There were many explanations for Olawepo-Hashim’s towering influence in the opposition then, which today largely constitutes the Kwara APC.

First was his extreme generosity comparable only to that of Elder Saraki himself. He gave over 500 youths and women cash grant for micro-businesses of N20,000 to N30,000 each. He gave out cars and motorcycles, built houses for a few, facilitated over 28 Federal appointments, gave out scholarships, donated to churches and mosques.

Though, a Christian, Olawepo-Hashim sent many Muslims on pilgrimage to Mecca and was always the highest donor at launchings.
He also funded scholarship schemes. His philanthropy is legendary which he rarely publicizes, but still does nationally and in even in some African countries. In 2003, Olawepo-Hashim contributed $3,000 for the resettlement of some Liberian students in Ghana.

In the past one year, his Foundation- Gbenga Hashim Foundation – has supported over 200 students in the acquisition of relevant digital skills, making them ready for the global cyber market. He also donated computers to the University of Ilorin faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in 2004 as well.

No wonder therefore, that YAN gathered in Ilorin to honour him for his unsung charity works! The event also afforded Olawepo-Hashim’s loyalists and political associates opportunity for emotional re-union with him in Ilorin.
These loyalists, mostly youths he had groomed in politics, used the occasion of the award to publicly acknowledge his impact on their social and political trajectory in the state and beyond.

One of the mentees, Alhaja Mariam Wasiu from Moro Local Government Council Area of the state told those that gathered at the event that she lost her marriage for attending Olawepo-Hashim campaign rally in 2007.

Now, a Commissioner in the State’s Local Government Commission, Mariam disclosed that her husband was livid and never forgave her for leaving their 14 day baby to attend a campaign rally.

Another loyalist, Hon. Musbau Eshinrogunjo, who described himself as “Gbenga Olawepo’s first son” at the occasion, is at present a Special Assistant on Rural Mobilisation to the Kwara Sate governor. He was a former member of Gbenga Olawepo’s Youth Vanguard in the state.

Another “son” who publicly identified himself at the event is Ambassador Yahaya Seriki, a gubernatorial aspirant in 2019 and a House of Representative candidate for the Democratic People’s Party in the 2011 elections. The present Deputy Chief Whip in the Kwara State’s House of Assembly, Honourable Alli Jimoh was another “son” in the Gbenga Olawepo Youth vanguard of more than 10,000 members across the state.

Folasade Aransiola, an APC chieftain from Irepodun Local Government of the State was among ladies who also publicly identified themselves as “Gbenga Olawepo’s “daughters” at the occasion.

The loyalists gleefully recalled his social responsibility and charity which included Micro business grants to 500 women and youths; scholarships for indigent students; community development contributions; rehabilitation of neighbourhood roads and sponsorship of over 2000 youths in the acquisition of digital skills in 2021 alone across Nigeria with 15 participants from Kwara.

According to them, “Olawepo-Hashim has also contributed to Islamic fundraising in Offa in 2006 being the highest donor at the event.
His annual provision of food to many during fasting seasons in the past is still well remembered. Even though a Christian, he sponsored many on pilgrimage to Mecca.
To advance the works of Christianity, Olawepo-Hashim has built many churches and donated lands for many. Between 2017 and 2019, he built 11 churches in Osun, Niger and Benue States.

Olawepo Hashim thanked the group for the honour and encouraged the youth to awaken the spirit of entrepreneurship and resourcefulness in them to be able to stand a better chance in the present digital age.
He maintained that entrepreneurship remains the shortest route to breaking the glass ceiling in today’s digital age and implored the youth not to indulge in wanton luxury but to invest their earnings to secure their future.
Meanwhile, Olawepo-Hashim has reiterated that that the gains that came with the liberation of Kwara State in the 2019 elections would never be reversed despite the current schism by some political stakeholders in the State.
He was speaking during his courtesy visit to Kwara State Governor, Mallam Abdulraham Abdulrazaq at Government House, Ilorin recently. Olawepo-Hashim maintained that the liberation of Kwara took several decades and inflicted several battle scars on the participants.
He added, “no matter the level of disagreement among the stakeholders, Kwara must not be allowed to go back to slavery and socio-political emasculation that had arrested the progress of the state for many years. Never again shall Kwarans be allowed to be enslaved or go back to the era that stunted the growth of Kwara and Kwarans.”
He extolled the governor’s policy of giving political space to youths and women, while also commending his efforts to restore the dignity of the state in the areas of education, infrastructures and human capital development. “In fact, going forward is the only way forward for Kwara”.
On the current crisis in the state chapter of the APC, Olawepo-Hasim expressed confidence that the crisis would be resolved “as a family affair in a family way,” and enjoined the feuding parties to sheath their swords in the larger interest of the people of the state.
In his response, the governor recalled that the efforts to reposition the state had been challenging because “we met a state that has literarily collapsed in every sector.
He also promised to continue in his resolve to reposition the State to work for the larger interest of the people.