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Prince Dapo Abiodun |
25 YEARS RELATIONSHIP/FRIENDSHIP COUNTED FOR NOTHING OVER AMBITION.
The gentleman Governor Elect of Ogun state, recounts what 25 years of friendship meant to the outgoing Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. He also recounts how because of his ambition he was sent on a fool's errand, by the outgoing Governor.
Read his testimony at a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, in London below. This testimony was written verbatim by Mr. Tolani Abati, aka the Prof.
AMOSUN AND I HAVE BEEN FRIENDS FOR OVER 25 YEARS AND YET......DAPO ABIODUN
Mr Dapo Abiodun, the governor elect of Ogun State gave the testimony of his sojourn in the mine field and sharks invested waters of politics at the Redeemed Christians Church of God, London parish recently which has been trending on YouTube for some days now.
Here is the abridged version of the testimony as transcribed.
"Someone say alleluia . I sneaked into the church this morning, I was sitting at the back because I didn't want to cause any sensation.
I spent the last one year in the campaign train, talking and sharing my vision with the people of Ogun State and largely Nigerians.
I came into London just to have a me time. Pastor Agu has been my friend for many years. He decided that I should come and sit in front. Pastor Badejo is someone who is close to my family and I. As he preaches and shares the testimony, he began to prick my conscience. And as the service progressed, it was all about testimonies and I thought that, God will not forgive me if I didn't come forward to share a bit of my testimony and my holy God moment.
My name is Dapo Abiodun. I am the governor elect of Ogun State. I am a member of of Redeemed Christian Church of God London (applause). I stand here to the testimony of the wholesomeness of the almighty God and the fact that God is greater than man.
God will be God and man will continue to be man. Because if it were man, I will not be the governor elect of Ogun State today.
I will share a few things with you and I will be very brief. I have been in the private sector but I have always had the passion for politics.
In 1997, I made my first showing in politics. I ran for senate and I became senator elect. I was the youngest ever elected in Nigeria. I was so young there was controversy that I was probably too young to be sworn in. Because, the age limit then was 40 and I was quite not 40.
Fortunately or unfortunately the Head of State then died and that republic came to an end.
I tried again in 2015. I was persuaded to run for the senate . I didn't quite win. I was rigged out. I went to court and I won at the tribunal . It went on to appeal and it was overturned. I was so unhappy that I thought to myself, this should be it . I am done with politics. God is telling me something. I must just face my business. That politicians are not trustworthy. They are not reliable. That politics is just a waste of resources and money and all that.
In 2017, I had an unfortunate incident. I lost my first son. Life couldn't have dealt me a worse blow. For over six months I could not function. I could not go to work. I became completely restless.
In 2018, someone came to me and said would I consider going back to politics? I said never. Time after time I will be talked to . Then it was suggested that I should go for senate. Senate? I said I was not interested. I have done it twice , I am not interested. God definitely doesn't want me to be a senator.
As time goes on, someone asked me if I would consider being a governor. I said that I will consider. But I will first go to God and hear what God has to say about it.
To cut a long story short , I became convinced that God indeed wanted me to be governor of Ogun State. I could not explain it. I sat down with the incumbent Governor (Amosun). I had a chat with him. Of course he said no, never. I will offer you the senate. I said I don't want the senate.
Eventually our pastor prof, that is the vice president intervened and said may be you should consider the senate. I said okay, alright, I will do it. Only to find out that the incumbent governor (Amosun) that indeed offered me senate, did not actually mean it. He was actually just leading me on. And when it became clearer, I went back to Pastor prof and I said, Pastor prof, God is telling me something. I am going to be the next governor of Ogun state.
Church, like Pastor Agu said, it was probably the most turbulent, the most bumping, the most challenged and the most difficult of all the elections in Nigeria.
From my primary process, the incumbent governor did everything humanly possible to stop me. This is considering the fact that, the incumbent governor has been a friend of mine for over 25years.
He did everything humanly possible to stop me. But at every point in time, I serve a living God (applause). The God that I serve is a God that makes impossible possible.
He is a God that makes a way even where there appears to be no way.
People have asked me what keeps me going ? What drives me ? And I said to them, first I am a testimony of God mercy. Pastor Agu knew when I had an accident and I had to be flown here (London) against all odds. My faith in God is a mountain moving faith.
My favourite passage in the Bible is Mark 11 chapter 23. (He quotes)...................