YINKA OLATUNBOSUN: Time to Reward Party Loyalty

The 2019 general elections in Nigeria have come and gone. Winners and losers have emerged and our democracy has been strengthened. However, there are some unsung heroes of our democratic experience.
They are a new breed of young politicians who understand party ideology and loyalty. One of them is Pastor Yinka Olatunbosun, MBA, MEd, MBF, ACIB, ACIA, ACIPM, ANIPR, MNIM, MNIMN, FCILG, FCE, FCILRM, JP.

Yinka Olatunbosun was born in Ile-Ife, Ife East Local Government Area of Osun State about 45 years ago. He started his political career in 1992 as a member of the defunct Social Democratic party (SDP) and later joined the National Conscience Party (NCP) as a founding member. He is presently a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ilode Ward 2, Ife East Local Government, Ile-Ife.

In 2014, Olatunbosun was an aspirant for the Osun State House of Assembly (Ife East State Constituency) on the platform of the APC but lost at the primaries. Again in 2018, he aspired to contest for the same seat, bought the primaries nomination form, mobilized and campaigned vigorously at both Ife and Modakeke axis of his constituency and was clearly the leading and preferred candidate of the people before he was compelled to step down for a consensus arrangement of the Party by the leadership of the Party.

This was as a result of the fall out of the state governorship election of September 2018 which went into a run-off. The APC at the national level had entered into an alliance with Senator Iyiola Omisore, one of the governorship candidates in that election. He accepted to work for the victory of the APC candidate (Gboyega Oyetola, now governor of Osun State) and was promised some political seats in Ife as compensation. It was in fulfilment of this promise that the Ife East and Ife Central State Constituency seats were offered to Omisore’s loyalists while all the APC aspirants who bought nomination forms were asked to step down. For Yinka Olatunbosun, this decision was a huge test on his political journey especially as all political calculations and permutations had favoured him to emerge as the next Assembly member to represent Ife East state constituency. He immediately began consultations with the people at the grassroot, his greatest support base where he runs a forum known as Bosun Forum of more than one thousand members.

The decision of most of his supporters was for him to leave the APC and move to any of the smaller party and easily be awarded the party’s ticket. The people were ready to move en mass with him and were willing to ensure his victory at the general elections come March 2019. It is also on record that two of the major political parties were wooing him to decamp to their party. However, with all these pressures, Yinka Olatunbosun decided to stay with the APC and support the candidate of the party, Hon. Olajide Adeyeye, who eventually won the election on March 9, 2019.

It is also noteworthy to say here that Yinka Olatubosun is not just a party man by words but by his actions before, during and after elections. This can be seen with the following contributions to the party especially at his constituency :

1. Constructed a gigantic billboard for Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in 2014 during his re-election campaign at Mayfair roundabout, Ile-Ife.
2. Constructed gigantic billboards and produced campaign jingles aired on radio stations for all APC candidates in Ile-Ife during the 2015 general elections.
3. Constructed billboards and donated campaign materials to APC councillorship candidates in Ife and Modakeke during the January 2018 local government elections in Osun State.
4. Constructed three gigantic billboards in Ife and Modakeke and branded two buses for Alhaji Gboyega Isiaka Oyetola’s governorship election. He also produced campaign jingles which were aired on Orisun FM and Oodua FM for one week in addition to several radio and television interviews where he appeared to champion the continuity ticket of the APC governorship candidate and his deputy.

At the community level, Yinka Olatunbosun through the Yinka Olatunbosun Foundation has done a lot for his constituency (Ife and Modakeke).

• He was the sole sponsor of 2016 National Ife Descendants Students’ Association (NIDSA) annual quiz and debate competition for all secondary schools in Ife land.
• He was the sole sponsor of the annual quiz and debate competition organised by Federated Union of Modakeke Students (FUMS) for all secondary schools and higher institutions in Modakeke in November 2017.
• Donated free exercise books and other educational materials to NIDSA and FUMS annual free summer school since 2017.
• Co-sponsored first edition of Ife Youth Economic Summit (IYES) in 2016.
• Sponsored 100 Ife and Modakeke women to participate in the 2018 Ooni Annual Women Empowerment Programme.
• Sponsored Ife and Modakeke youths for a 3 months free ICT training programme in 2018.
• Organized a football competition for all registered clubs in Ife and Modakeke in April/May 2018 known as Yinka Olatunbosun Youth Peace Football Competition.

In recognition of his positive contributions to community development, he has received several awards such as:

• Award of Excellence in humanitarian service by Ife Ooye Leo Club
• Award of Excellence in humanitarian service by Rotaract Club of Modakeke
• Award of Excellence by FUMS, Ila-Orangun Chapter
• Patron, Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Ife East Chapter
• Exemplary Leadership Award by Rotaract Club, Zone L, Osun State.
• Patron, Youth Wing, PFN, Bethel Chapter, Ile-Ife
• Award of Honour by Prison Fellowship Nigeria.
• Leadership Award by the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo.
• Leadership Award by FUMS, National Secretariat.
• Media Personality Award by Eyewitness Media.

This illustrious son of Osun State can be likened to a golden fish which can no longer be hidden. He is a member of the following associations:

• Ife Recreation Club
• Ife Clarion call Initiative
• Progressive Gents’ Movement, Ile-Ife.
• Bobakeye of Ife

Yinka Olatunbosun has proved to be a loyal and committed member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a man dedicated to community development and a philanthropist per excellence. He holds the title of Alatunse of Fajuyi Community.

Yinka is married with children.