*Yusuf is a political material – Oni
+he left the council with laudable achievements – DPM
By Mike Adeyemi
Amidst outpouring of encomium and emotions, Ilofa, the headquarter of Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State penultimate week agog as the immediate past TIC Chairman, Hon. Victor ‘Gbenga Yusuf was given a rousing send-off ceremony organized by the staffer of the council in his honor, The Fact Newspaper reports.
The carnival – like send – off was spiced up with songs of praises, prayer and rendition as workers emotionally bids him welfare, describing Yusuf’s period as TIC Chairman as the best in the political history of the council.
Speaking with our correspondence at the event, the Council’s Director of Social Welfare, Comrade Olatayo John Oni lauds the immediate past TIC chairman for changing the narrative of Oke-Ero Local Government within three years of his leadership.
“Today we are celebrating a performer, Hon. Victor Yusuf. He is not the first Chairman here, but his own is difference. He has changed the narrative of this Oke-Ero Local Government. If you look around now, you will see Street Lights, you will see Interlock, hitherto there was nothing like that.
“The Secretariat was in shamble before his arrival. He changed the topography of this council. Within the Secretariat now,we have two motorised boreholes and if you go to the nooks and crannies of Oke-Ero, you will see his footprints everywhere. That is why we said it is necessary to celebrate this kind of people in order to serve as a good example to others, ” Oni said.
The eloquent Director of Social Welfare added that Hon. Victor Yusuf’s kind of leadership style is unprecedented in Oke-Ero Local Government, saying he is a man of his words who doesn’t talk much.
“Hon. Victor Yusuf is such a nice person who doesn’t know how to say no. If you come to him with your problem, he would say God will do it. And belief me , God would surely do it. He is a man of his words, he doesn’t talk much. That is the person we are celebrating today.
“At the same time we are celebrating ourselves for having a saleable product. Somebody that we can project further. Test people with little and see what they would do. He is a man we have to celebrate. All the staff are here with their gifts and Awards to give him. He touched the lives of every individuals, unless you don’t go to him. That is the person we are celebrating.
“He caters for every staff. In fact, last Christmas, Hon. Victor Yusuf gave the staff of the council the sum of one million naira to celebrate the festival. If you come to him with any financial assistance, even if there is no money in the council’s wallet, he will use his personal money to help you.
“I pray he will move higher. I pray that from this local government, God will take him to the national level in Jesus name. Hon. Yusuf is a genuine political material for Kwara State. He doesn’t renege on his promise. When we had the news of his ouster, people were crying. We will miss him. I cried too. He is my junior brother, but I cried, ” Oni affirmed.
Answering question from our reporter at the event, the wife to the immediate past TIC chairman, Mrs. Olajumoke Yusuf thank the staff of the council for honoring her husband, affirming that she felt emotional as outpouring of accolades on her hubby started coming.
“I feel happy today with what I saw at this occasion. As people here have attested to, my husband is a nice person, with good heart, though he is not perfect. I’m overjoyed for various works he has done at the council.
” At a point while the program was ongoing, I felt emotional with the outpouring of praises and eulogies on him, I was just trying to control myself. I am proud of him,” the beautiful ex Oke-Ero first lady said.
In his words, the Director of Personnel Management, (DPM), Oke-Ero Local Government, Alh. Amuda Musbau described Hon. Victor Yusuf as a man of integrity and an achiever.
“The send forth celebration organized by the staff of this Local Government for the immediate past TIC chairman is a deserving one. I said this because one good they say deserves another.
“I want to tell you that today’s honor on Hon. Victor Yusuf is not the first of it’s kind in appreciating him. The Local Government had earlier organized prayers and thanksgiving service in his honor, by both Christians and Muslims.
“We held the prayers to thank God for upholding him throughout his period as TIC chairman. He did wonderfully well in Oke-Ero Local Government. He is an achiever. He has impacted lives in Oke-Ero and he left a laudable achievements. He is a man of integrity, ” the DPM said.
In the same vein, the supervisory councillor for education, Oke-Ero Local Government, Hon. Tope Victor Olajide thank the executive governor of kwara state,Mall. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for given Hon. Victor Yusuf to the people of Oke-Ero Local Government Area.
“Hon. Victor Yusuf without micng words is a man of his word. When he say something, he would surely do it. I remembered when he assumed office, I was given the post of Supervisory Councillor for Agriculture. He said he wanted me in Education Department instead of Agric. That he needed somebody that is vibrant, brilliant and capable to handle Education Department.
“He decided to move me from Department of Agriculture to Education. So working with him was a blessing to me. He is a nice person with pure heart. I really appreciate working with him and that is why he is being celebrated here today.
” I also thank the Executive Governor of kwara state, Mall. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for given us the opportunity to serve at this level. If the Governor had not given us somebody like Hon. Victor Yusuf as TIC chairman in Oke-Ero, the kind of development we are seeing today wouldn’t have been achieved. Mall. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq really gave us a better candidate in person of Hon. Victor Yusuf, ” Olajide said.
Hon Victor Yusuf who was ushered into the pavilion amidst tumultuous crowd and jubilant staffer of the local government used the medium to thank the management and staff of the council for honoring him, saying the historical send forth would go down in his memory lane.
“My experience in the last three years in the council was interesting, at the same time challenging. But I thank God for seeing us through the period. I feel overwhelmed today seeing the staff of this local government honoring me. It affirmed the truer of the statement that whatever we do in life, people watches.
” By September I will still be going to Lagos for an Award. Some NGOs saw our efforts and they have decided to honor me. In all the Awards that I have been receiving, I would say today’s own is the best, because it is coming from my people, where I served. So I feel very happy today, ” the elated soft spoken former TIC chairman said.