His opening remarks were spiced with humour, taunting his critics and massaging his ego where and when necessary but quickly adding that his legacies would compel history to judge him well.
His jokes
His jokes were no less when he fielded questions. There were times he directed relevant commissioners to buttress his points on questions. He was not only proud of his projects but also proud of his team many of who he said should be happier now that they are rendering more service to humanity than when they worked in oil companies making only money. Laughter followed when he singled out one commissioner and asked her if she was not happier now than when she made only money? More laughter followed when the commissioner did not know whether to say yes or no.
He laboured to give details of his runs in office and repeatedly interjected with "I don't want to talk" but really went on to talk at length. Throughout his speech, he was never boring, he excited all.
Ibikunle Amosun thrilled his audience, sometimes employing sarcasm from a seeming local content to dismiss critics. From time to time he found better expressions in vernacular and entertained with the Yoruba language. He laid emphasis on his management of resources, which he said was prudent.
Response to critics
Amosun has been criticised for constructing wide lane roads and flyover bridges where vehicular and even human traffic are said to question the economic sense in embarking on such projects.
His response: "They say I'm building bridges where there is no water and I say must there be water for you to build a bridge? They say I am constructing roads where vehicles do not run. I want to quickly remind them that when (Obafemi) Awolowo was building roads people said similar things. I remember that as kids we would stand by roads and sometimes be counting cars passing. That time you could count about seven cars in 10 minutes. But what is traffic like now on those roads? It is people who don't think about the future that will frown at what we are doing.
"Anything I want to do I do it well. When I step into a place you will know that I have been there. I want to bring people who made Dubai and some of the good places what they are here to make a difference. Yes, I want to construct the tallest building in Africa. There will be a lot of things tied to it. When I came on board, there were many two-bedroom schools but right now we have some model schools and the people appreciate the legacy."
On the April 11governorship election in the state, he said that the opposition parties would not be able to win votes in the state because his legacies would work for him. It may be better to read partly the words of Amosun as he voiced them during his opening remarks and during the question and answer session.
On his housing plan
"Look at our houses now, I'm happy with the kind of housing plan we have put in place. So if people call me 'low breed', Ole (Thief), let them continue. We will have the tallest building in this continent. I have measured it and I've gone round. We are going to do it. Those people who built the tallest buildings in Dubai and Singapore are with us. You will see, all these celebrities will leave where they are staying. I'm not just talking, it's the Atlantic City move-over. You will see what we will do, God willing. We are straightening Ogun River and I'm going to tar some roads. Immediately after the elections, we will move in with full force.
Having invested a lot in the area of education, have you noticed any improvement?
In the area of education, we've done well. We are using KPI - Key Performance Index to measure our performance. In the NNPC Quiz Competition, we came first. Our higher education index has risen from 26 to 53. In the last WAEC, the best in mathematics came from Ogun State and two years ago, the best in the whole West Africa was from Ogun State. In the Presidential Excellence Award, we came first throughout Nigeria. Out of the 14 award categories, we won eight.
Also, in terms of our students gaining admission into the University, we've moved from 26 per cent to 55 per cent. And people say what are we doing in Ogun State? We won National awards and it makes me glad.
What to be remembered for
I want to be remembered as someone who came and redefined the entire landscape of this state. That's what I want to achieve, to leave a system-driven environment and we are gradually getting there. You don't need to know Mr. Governor to get things done. It's important even more than all the bridges we are building. People don't understand why they are Amosun and they are not taken for jobs. Because you're Amosun doesn't mean you should be given a job you don't merit. So it's like that even if they say we are crazy. Some people are still surprised that PDP still benefits from the things we do. It's not about PDP, it's about us.
The opposition were initially abusing me when I was building a bridge. Now the bridge is done and it's helping everybody. They even castigated me when I built model schools, but when we said people should apply, all their children applied. You see the problem? I'm happy that they are identifying with those things they say we are not doing well. Look, they are shameless, they're even applying for our housing schemes through the back door. If it's not good, why are they applying for them?
What are you doing in the area of energy improvement?
This question has just shown that you've not been following our progress on TV. Just yesterday, we launched 100 Kilowatts. You see, sometimes you plan and some people just come and mess your plan up. Before the elections were postponed, we had put so many plans in motion and all of a sudden, somebody, somewhere said 'No election' and everything collapsed. I was telling them during campaigns before the postponement that as soon as it's March, we will do this and do that. Some people are wondering why all these things are just springing up, but we've not even started because we set them up thinking that we will have the elections. But no problem, we are putting everything in motion and some things are better left unsaid. If after a year in office, you still refer to what your predecessor did, it means you're not ready to work. After one year, you're still saying what he did, it means you're clueless. That's why I don't want to concentrate on that, but focus on my own.
How can anybody in the year of our Lord, in this present generation place an order for a 1970 technology which is already obsolete. How could you do that if you meant well? With all these technological advancement, how can you bring in obsolete technology for Ogun State of all states, the home of Awolowo and all these giants?
On improving existing schools instead spending huge funds to build model schools as well embarking on economically viable projects instead of building the tallest building
The same three blocks of classrooms that existed when I was born are what we still have, nobody cared for the equipment and facilities there. These days, what kind of schools do you send your children to? We are trying to change everything - the way our people live and think. We have repaired most of those old schools, but it's not enough. We were the first to have access to education in Nigeria. I can't keep renovating three- bedroom schools! I want to work for posterity. I'd rather build a fantastic model school than renovate the rickety jaku jaku ones.
Our people cannot be deceived any longer. We were building houses for civil servants and I was told to stop building houses for civil servants. And I asked, "Are civil servants not people? Why can't I do something for them?" I rather be a slave in heaven than a king in hell. I want to leave this place better than I met it.
Go and see what we are doing, it will stand the test of time. Aren't all those ramshackle schools an insult to us? 90 per cent of the houses in Abeokuta lack good toilet facilities. And I told them I'm coming. When we were young and there weren't toilet facilities, we just went to the bush. Now, we don't have bushes any more. Gradually, we are putting several things in place. In fact, I don't want to talk. All these eminent people you see around don't have good roads to their houses. They pack their cars miles away and walk down to their houses. No sane person will want to invest here. I'm stopping all that nonsense and I want to attract quality investors to the state. We are trained, we went to school, so we must leave this place better than we met it.
The tallest building is not just tallest building, it is tied to several things. That's why we are putting several things in place that will make it economically viable. Lagos is already saturated and the way we are going, we want to take the burden off Lagos. That's why I said we want to feed, house and move Lagos. We are not just building the tallest building in the continent, we are going to anchor it around some things. About 60 per cent of the middle and lower level workers of Lagos state live in Ogun State.
We have well built estates. When you get apartments in those estates, you'll know you're living. Mark my words, you'll come to me and say you also want to be part of the scheme because we know what we are doing. Everything is sorted out, not that this one is building his own toilet, that one is building his own kitchen, another one is doing his windows and doors... . You have everything fully fitted. All you have to do is carry your mattress and tooth paste and move in. Ask yourself, do you buy land and build houses in London? No, you don't. Everything is in place and everybody is well catered for. I took a tour to some cities around the world and I'm doing some of the things I saw in those places in this state.
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