I Never Thought I Will Live Up To 50 Years- Chief Bisi Akande

By Ayobami Agboola, Osogbo

The former Governor of Osun state, Chief Adebisi Akande, Thursday said he never thought he would live up to 50 years.

Akande who revealed how he attempted to rush to achieve in life because he thought he would die young noted that his parents died young.

The pioneer Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, made the remark while appreciating the crowd of eminent personalities across the country who graced his 80th birthday ceremony in Ila-Orangun.

His words: “My father died at age fifty and my mother died at the tender age of forty-five and I thought within me that definitely, I am not going to live long. I therefore tried to achieve much early in life.

“When I did not die as expected, I decided to slow down and made less haste. That is God in action. Human beings propose but God disposes, though as a matter of tradition, I can’t disagree with my monarchs, the Orangun of Ila who said I will clock 120years on earth, God is at the center of it all”.

He charged politicians to be less concerned about personal issues but rather think of what will benefit the society.

In his remarks, Osun State governor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola described the former governor of Osun as a person that stands out as symbol and model of politics of principle, politics without bitterness, political inclusion and integrity.

According to him, Chief Bisi Akande by any estimation is a great man, a compassionate human being, an example of decorum in any circumstances and indeed a principled leader.

Also speaking, the immediate past governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola described Chief Akande as a father to all adding that Akande impacted positively on whosoever comes his way.

“For him, political participation is for the higher goal of improving the condition of man-galvanising the human and material resources of the society for meeting needs and solving problems and in the process bring progress”

Aregbesola who described Chief Akande as iconic politician said he did not have intention of contesting for Governor, but it was chief Akande that encouraged him to contest.

He therefore prayed God to continue to give Akande wisdom and strength to lead the progressive fold and entire country.