He enjoys a special and unique status among politicians in Osun State. Hon Rafiu Adejare Bello who holds the prestigious title of Oluomo of Ede land was a member of the Osun State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2011.
He was the Minority Leader between 1999 and 2003 and he later served as Speaker from 2003 to 2011. Bello, who once served as Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Osun State PDP is now a chieftain of the ruling APC in the Land of Virtue. He is currently the Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico and he has concurrent accreditation to the Republics of Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama. In this interview with AKINLOLU ABAYOMI, the former Osun Speaker who has a gentle attitude and a calm mien gave his take on issues that you will love to read about.
Read On:
You were before now based in Nigeria and only had instances of traveling out, spending a few days and returning to the country, this time around, you have been made to stay permanently abroad, what has been the experience?
The experience? Well, I will say it features the good and the bad sides, I have been here for six months which I never did before now. I never spent more than one month abroad before and actually there were only two instances that I did that and I spent 29 days on each of the two occasions when I went to Mecca to perform hajj and when I went to Canada for medical treatment in 2005. I was supposed to be there for two weeks but I missed my flight so I had to be there for 29 days. Apart from the two instances I have mentioned, I have never spent more than two weeks abroad but now I have spent six good months. The good side is that it has taught me and made me to know many things that I never experienced in my life before and I have come to the realization that we take many things for granted, people will say necessity is the mother of invention. Take for instance in Europe and America we are in the winter; if they had not come up with the idea of a heater for people to warm themselves, they will die but in Africa and Nigeria in particular, there is no weather that we cannot cope with, no one is extreme. While discussing the issue of putting Nigeria on red list because of omicron with some non-career ambassadors on a platform, I told them that it is never the fault of the United Kingdom and other countries; that it will be okay to punish us more, maybe that will help to reset our brains. I asked a question; must we go to them? Look at what UAE is doing to us by denying an airline three flights weekly while the Federal Government of Nigeria allows Dubai-based Emirates Airline to operate 21 flights per week into Abuja and Lagos airports. Where is the principle of equity and justice if you are taking 21 from me and giving me only one in return. Even a mad man will know that the situation is not balanced. Another thing that I never knew and I have come to realize is that a Whiteman is not in any way better than any Blackman.
Why?
I discovered that when they are confronted with difficult situations; they give up easily so it is because we have misplaced our priorities long ago and that is why they dictate to us and would continue to dictate to us.
You are in charge of four countries, how have you been able to cope?
Well, by this time last night I was just arriving from Guatemala where I presented my letter of credence to President Alejandro Giammattei; so by the arrangements, I am to stay here in Mexico while I will only visit the three other countries when I need to do that.
Can you expatiate on your job duties?
Mostly diplomatic work is about attending meetings, government functions, attending to consular matters; people who want to get things done in respect of their visas, passports and other things.
When you were in Nigeria, you were known as someone who interacts with people freely and you were never known to live ‘alakowe life’ . How have you been coping?
That is one aspect of it that is very ugly.
Ugly?
Yes, because you are on your own, you go to the office and return home. Even if you want to go out; the weather is not friendly. You will rather stay at home.
So you have been watching movies during leisure time?
As a politician, I must keep myself updated about events at home, so I go on Youtube to get informed of happenings back home. I have never been a movie person. I listened to news even while in Nigeria. I don’t watch movies but when you are abroad; you are so lonely; if care is not taken, you could be depressed.
What has been your happiest moment since becoming Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico?
When you look at your background and you find yourself in the midst of presidents, rulers and the bigwigs, you will say to God ‘thank you’, you will thank Him because He has favoured you.
I am deeply grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing me as his representative in four countries; it is a special privilege to represent the President in four countries. Don’t forget that we are a country with over 200 million people.
2022 Osun State guber election is almost here, what is your take on Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s reelection bid?
I want to tell you categorically that he will win reelection fairly and squarely because his performance, his carriage and pedigree will speak for him. Osun people are reasonable; they have experienced good governance under Governor Oyetola, they have seen a government that has ensured probity and accountability, prompt payment of salary and wages, provision of infrastructure like roads, health facilities, schools rehabilitation and reconstruction, people-oriented government policies. With all these in place, people will not want to miss the opportunity to enjoy such for four more years.
I am not saying he has done almost everything that people want but to the best of his ability and available resources in the state, he has performed excellently well.
I am not saying others in the APC and other parties should not aspire to become the governor. It is their constitutional right to do so but Oyetola would tower above all of them.
What about the intra-party conflict in the state APC ?
You know I had been a member of APP, PDP before joining APC and I will tell you the difference between APC and other political parties. The hallmark of progressive parties is that they have the ability and the capacity to manage crisis better than others. The crisis in Osun APC to ordinary minds looks insurmountable but within 48 hours we can get the matter resolved to the amazement of everybody. So opposition parties in Osun State should not rejoice over the crisis in APC, we would settle our matter. I use this medium to call on the leaders of APC in Osun State and across the country to find a lasting solution to the lingering crisis.
What is the tenure of your appointment?
It could be three, four years; it depends on the decision of the president who appoints ambassadors. If he likes, he can say come back tomorrow and there will be no argument, the tenure is not fixed. It depends on the person who appoints.
Many are of a considered opinion that anyone appointed as an ambassador has been simply made to go on political exile?
It is not true. My lovers and admirers in Osun State and across the country have called me to express reservations about the appointment; that it was meant to put me in the cooler. It may be true of some others but in my own case it is not.
Why and how?
On a daily basis, I get in touch with my followers likewise my leaders. We hold virtual meetings and if you want to confirm if I have spoken the truth or not, go to Ede and abuse me there.
What will happen?
It may be extremely difficult for such a person to leave there unhurt. So whether I am at home or not, my followers are on ground. Yesterday, I was in Guatemala with the president, Governor Oyetola telephoned me and we discussed politics on 15 December. I called him too; we discussed politics. If anybody has erroneous belief that it was an attempt to send me on exile, the person must have got it wrong equally, I appreciate the concerns of some people in respect of my appointment and I want to say that it has been an experience like never before. I have discovered that it is an experience that one must have in a lifetime.
What are your plans for 2023?
Well, if it is about my plans for 2023, that will belong to God Almighty. Many times, we politicians make a lot of mistakes. Take for instance, Governor Oyetola has not started his second term in office, the office he will occupy till 2026 by God’s grace but some of us have started positioning ourselves as his successor. Can you tell me how many of us will be alive by then?
Tomorrow is not for me to decide but God almighty.
