From a Party Agent’s Daughter to a Cherished Protégé: My Journey Under Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi’s Guidance

They say politics is not for the faint-hearted, and truly, if you survive ward politics in Nigeria, you deserve a national honour or at least a handshake from the governor. I was born into a political home, but the kind of politics I met was one where you did not need to know your leader personally. Between 2011 and 2016, when I began to understand the political terrain, my family stood solidly behind Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala. My father, a loyal foot soldier, once dared a soldier during the 2007 elections while serving as a party agent. He never met AAA one-on- one, yet his loyalty was unshakable. If loyalty alone could buy compensation, maybe he would have had a G-Wagon before he passed away.

As George Orwell once said, “In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” My father’s kind of politics was that simple truth, selfless, honest, and fearless. But like most grassroots politicians, he was only remembered when it was time to be a party agent, not for opportunities. And trust me, if you have ever been a ward-level party agent, you will agree it is not a job for the lazy or fainthearted ones. You must be loyal, alert, and capable, like James Bond with a voter register.

I remember one funny episode during Alhaja Mulikat’s mega empowerment programme when someone brought home the event brochure. There it was, my father’s full name boldly printed among the beneficiaries from Okelerin Ward. The man laughed and said, “Ah, I did not collect anything o.” The next day, he stormed the party secretariat at Apake, demanding explanations. The funniest excuse they gave was, “You are not the only one bearing that name.” My father just shook his head and said, “Yes, there may be many with my name, but only one with my temper.”

Many in Okelerin now say my political appointment is divine compensation for my father’s struggle. I never argue with them because, in politics, perception sometimes carries more weight than fact. But truth be told, the people God used to lift me never even knew my father, never heard of his name. So when anyone says, “She does not deserve it,” I just smile. If I did not get it by my own struggle, then maybe heaven decided to reward my late father through me.

This political journey has been nothing short of refreshing. For once, I am in a dispensation where mentorship actually means something. Each time I speak with Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi, whether over the phone or in person, I catch myself smiling for days. I often kneel down to thank God for giving me a political father who is not only great and present but also listening, involved, and genuinely committed to my growth. Otunba has become more than a political father to me, he has become my father in every sense. A leader who listens, corrects, teaches, recommends, and defends. A man who proves that not all godfathers are “godfathers.” As John Maxwell would say, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”

I now understand what Ẹ̀gbọ́n Oyelowo Dawhood Oyewole used to say, that before getting politically involved with anyone, he must first build a relationship. Back then, I thought he was just being dramatic. “Can we not love a politician from afar,” I would ask. But after experiencing Otunba’s mentorship, I get it now. Political relationships without personal connections are like cooking egusi soup without oil, it will never go well.

Sometimes, I wonder what my late father would say if he were alive to witness this. He would probably tease me and say, “So you now sit with the leaders ehn? Do not forget your father o.” He would be proud and maybe even more dramatic than I am now.

Sadly, many young people run away from politics today because they have seen too many leaders who refuse to retire, competing with those they should be mentoring. But like Nelson Mandela said, “A leader is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow.” Leaders like Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi remind us that good shepherds still exist. Leaders who will hold your hand, defend your name, and never let your dreams die.

To those who have had bad mentors, do not give up. There are still good ones out there, leaders who understand that raising others does not dim their own light.

Baba mi, you have made loving you and following your principles easy and effortless. May heaven reward your kindness, and may the road before you be smooth and free of thorns. When you call upon God once, may He answer a million times.

Thank you for being the difference, Sir.

Yours in loyalty, service, love and laughter,

Taofeek Mariam Ajoke

Ladoke Compound,

Okelerin Ward, Ogbomoso.