•Former OGUN Sports Commissioner, (OZOGULA)
Many know that Chief Bukola Olopade, popularly called Ozogula, is from Abeokuta, in Ogun State. But not many know that he has links with Delta State. What is his links with Delta State we asked him a few days ago? “Many don’t know that I was actually born in Ughelli, Delta State. My dad was in Shell Petroleum Development. I cut my teeth right there in Delta State. I grew up in Warri, where I met the likes of Amaju Pinnick. We were together at Hussey College in Warri. Hussey College is one of the best colleges in that part of the world.
From there, my mother, due to her business, relocated to Abeokuta to tap into new opportunities. So, she left Warri and relocated to Abeokuta. That was how I was brought back to Abeokuta. I was already in Form 3 at Hussey College, but we were promoted without promotional exams under the policy Ambrose Alli government. And my mother was disgusted because she felt we did not meet up with the curriculum of those years.”
“And my parents being the disciplinarian they are, decided that myself and my brother must be withdrawn back to Form 4, from Form 5. So when I got to Abeokuta, I was irritated. I was angry. I didn’t like the idea at all. Guess what? It was the best decision of my life”. Why? “Because I was very young. I was about 13, and 14 when I was in Form 5. And I had learnt nothing about the ways of life. When my mummy brought me back to Abeokuta, I had to start life all over again. I was able to learn my mother tongue, Yoruba, which I couldn’t speak a word off prior to coming to Abeokuta. I was able to also learn a lot about Abeokuta.
“That is why if you look at the trajectory of my life today, you will understand that everything I do has to do with Abeokuta. I am an Egba Boy, blue born right and left, both parents”.
“From BBHS, I went to Ogun State University and I started English. I then travelled to England where I studied Law and started family life. After my return to politics in 1999, I came back and joined the political train. I joined the PDP who were not in government in Ogun State. I just like the challenge. I have always loved to challenge the establishment which had the likes of Aremo Olusegun Osoba as members. I didn’t want to be part of it. So, I joined the vibrant, upcoming PDP in Ogun State which had a lot of young players, like the present Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, and Senator Ibikunle Amosun, like former Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.”
“That explains my political life and my foray into politics started. The rest is history. Today, here we are. I am back in private business”.
Though he runs his private business, he is still very active in Ogun politics. He is a valued member of the APC. “Yes, I am in the APC, a party I have come to respect. The APC in Ogun State is an extremely organised party. And I think Governor Dapo Abiodun is doing well. Just before the 2019 general elections, my leader, Otunba Gbenga Daniel led us into APC, to support the political gubernatorial ambition of Governor Dapo Abiodun.”
“We contributed to the victory of APC in Ogun State. Right now, there is no other party that can beat the APC in Ogun State, because the governor has done very, very well, with a lot of huge performances everywhere. And we have no doubt that he is going to win an easy 2nd term in office”.
We asked him to tell us about his relationship with his political leader, OGD. How has he sustained his closeness to him? “It is because he has been a great leader. Friendship has to be vertical & horizontal. It has to be up and down, Otunba Gbenga Daniel is one of the most loyal human beings you ever want to know, he manages people & his political associates. You can’t find a leader when it comes to that. He defended me all through my tenure as the first Special Adviser on Youth & Sports in Ogun State. He kept to his promise when he made me an S.A. he said to me; ‘I will watch you for one year, show me that I know what I am doing. Show me that those opposed to your appointment don’t know you. Show them that you are a result-oriented young man, at this your very young age and I will make you a Commissioner after one year,’ Exactly, a year after he made me a Commissioner. He didn’t just make me a Commissioner, he made sure I had access to him, I had access to whatever I wanted. He built my capacity and built my leadership capacity. Till today, he still consults me, when he wants to take some decisions. I was meant to go to him this morning for breakfast. He wanted to discuss with me and give me an update on how his Ogun-East Senatorial project is going. I am not from Ogun-East. I am from Ogun- Central. But he still tells me things. That is a loyal man. That is loyalty. That is why my loyalty to him and my love for him keeps growing by the day”.
In the next few weeks, Bukola Olopade & his wife are to be honoured with chieftaincy titles by the Alake of Egbaland. Why did the Alake pick on him, to be honoured? Why did he also accept? “It is because of the love and respect that I have for the Alake. It is also because of the significance of the title,” he explained. “Over the years, I have been offered a number of chieftaincy titles in the last 15 years but I have been reluctant to take them”.
Why is that so? “Growing up, I saw my dad collect chieftaincy titles after his retirement. And I have always wondered why? My father never told me, why he collected those titles until 2014 when he said Bukola, you know I have so many chieftaincy titles, let me tell you why I collected each of them. He brought out the letters written by those Kings. All of those letters was in recognition for his work as an Engineer with Shell, all 4 letters. Those are the only ones he collected. So, it occurred to me, that I will only accept chieftaincy titles that point to the work I do, for humanity, that will point to the business I do successfully so that I know that apart from the naira and kobo that one is making on a daily basis, one is also recognised by society. So, when the late Agura of Gbagura gave me the Jagunmolu title held last by Chief M.K.O Abiola, I liked that. I like the fact that I am taking up a title left by one of the biggest heroes of all time. When the Alake of Egbaland decided to bless my wife & I with the title of Osi Asoju Oba of Egbaland & Erelu Osi Asoju Oba of Egbaland, the letter said it was because of your historical contributions to Youth development, and your huge contributions to Sports development which you have turned into big business. It is a meaningful award. I like it when awards are well deserved. That is why I accepted the title from the Alake. We are looking forward to June 24th, by God’s grace in Abeokuta.”
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