Leadership is actually taking responsibility, looking beyond excuses and leading by example and not waiting for a push or directive, a leader has and uses initiatives.
Leadership is also the ability to create a path and inspire people to passionately follow that path.
History was made and leaderhip was shown on Thursday, 29th of July 2021 at the popular Ọba Akinbiyi High School II, Oremeji, Mokola Ibadan as a foremost politician and an upwardly mobile young man, Olanrewaju David Sarumi partnered with O. T Alphonso footwears and Stone Shoes to train secondary school students in the art of using used vehicle tyres to make school sandals.
The big deal in this capacity building is not in the clout but in the thoughtfulness and wisdom, it’s a meaningful, strategic and very wise investment in the lives of the children. Training Secondary School students on how to effectively make their school sandals will take off the financial burden from the parents and the smart ones among the kids will also do it for commercial purposes especially during the holidays.
I was amazed at the rapt grasping of the training by the students, many of them did their first practice after the training and it was 80% perfect, just a little more fine-tuning, the students will become as good as the trainers, I saw it myself and you can also see from the pictures attached.
The training was impactful and even the teachers marveled and demanded for more similar trainings on skills that would be beneficial to the children.
I spoke with some of the students participant and they were full of praises, prayers and gratitude for David Lanre Sarumi and the teachers were also glad that a politician could look into the future and assist their wards in building skills that will be relevant in the coming generation.
One undeniable fact is that the demands for white collar jobs are reducing and it is even almost unavailable so it is wisdom and sensitivity to prepare the young people for the future.
As a concerned stakeholder and a young person in Ibadan North, I walked up to David Olanrewaju Sarumi and I asked him why He spent that huge money on students and not delegates, executives or politicians who can really help his political aspirations.
He told me His political ambition is to serve as a bridge between the young and old, to repair the semmingly lost partition between the outgoing, incoming and upcoming generation, he told me he is running to bring a balance and an understanding between skills and strategy and to also practice politics with a human face.
He specifically told me that the training is not one off and different skills will be brought to the knowledge of the people of Ibadan North in a way to complement the good works of Engr. Seyi Makinde
I have been in Ibadan North all my life and we have always been dragged down by politicians who are only interested in their own ambition and not necessarily the people they are meant to serve, Lanre Sarumi appears to me to be a different young man with a lot of modern vibes, digital knowledge and experience of the ages. My amusing sense will call him a very old young man.
This is actually a man to look out for in the next election, when he told me he is a member of the PDP and He considers Engineer Seyi Makinde as his mentor, leader and the example he is following, I became less surprised at his good works, I see a lot of similarities between Governor Seyi Makinde and Hon. Lanre Sarumi.
I saw some politicians at the event and they all corroborated the same views I have about this Lanre Sarumi, I was still with him when a call came into his (Lanre Sarumi) phone and He told me the Medical and Health Workers Union of Oyo State have decided to honor him with an award in recognition of his selfless service to the humanity and the society at their South West Zonal Meeting.
I marveled when I saw the reception he received and the way everyone was eager to talk and engage this much talked about “Lanre Sarumi”, my assistant called him “Omo ti won n so”.
The coming political season is going to be very interesting but for now, I want to congratulate the students who have been taught the skill and I also congratulate Mr. David Olanrewaju Sarumi on his receipt of the award of Special Recognition.
Finally, I congratulate the people of Ibadan North Federal Constituency on this new found hope, bride and joy.
I heard a guy shout Lanre Sarumi de!
And I heard a cacophony of voices respond with “Asejere De!
Victor Oluwapamilerin writes from Ward 07, Ibadan North Federal Constituency