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Engr. Kehinde Raji, popularly known as Aaraj, is a philanthropist of Osogbo origin. His social intervention activities has pitched him against some politicians in Osun State, and he obviously has an axe to grind with some of them. In this interview with ISMAEEL UTHMAN, he revealed why he parted ways with former governor Adegboyega Oyetola, and why his relationship with the PDP went sour. Excerpt:

WHAT is the idea behind your current social intervention project called Kejebu?

Kejebu is just an offshoot of Aaraj Empowerment Foundation which is set up to liberate the poor. We have a number of oppressed people in Osun State; a lot of poor people are around us, not because they are lazy but because a whole lot of them do not have opportunity. I feel that the way the son of the rich is born is the same way the son of the poor is given birth to. As God has given me a bit of edge over them (the poor) I feel there is the need to make them happy and improve their living condition. Human capital development has always been my watchword; I have always been committed to doing what will make the people happy. I am happy to tell you that in 2023, we enrolled over 1000 residents of the state in Osun Health Insurance Scheme under this Kejebu project, among other things we were able to do.

There are insinuations that your philanthropic gestures and Kejebu project in particular are a means of reaching out to people for political purposes. How true is this?

Kejubu isn’t a political project; it has nothing to do with politics. Aaraj Empowerment Foundation came into being in February 2012. A total of 493 people were beneficiaries of the empowerment programme then. We engaged 16 professionals/experts to train the people in their various fields. As of that time, a total of 100 people were given N50,000 each as startup funds. In 2013, we bought vehicles and motorcycles for people to use as source of income; and we supported market women on their businesses. We have been doing this empowerment programmes every year since then. My philanthropic gestures might be new and strange to some people; especially politicians; that’s why they read political meanings to it. God has been so faithful to me; that’s why I am spending some certain percentage of what I am blessed with on the people. My empowerment programmes has no political colouration.

My parents are my motivation on the philanthropy; they believed so much in the law of sowing and reaping, so they always encouraged us to make offering and pay tithe in church. I had known the meaning of tithe as of the age of three-four.

You’re known to be an admirer of the immediate past Minister of Interior and former governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. What endeared you to him?

I didn’t know Aregbesola before he came into the state; I never met him in my life. But when he brought in some major contractors into the state; he mandated them to grow the indigenous contractors. We (indigenous contractors) were asked to apply for work; and I applied under ONGE International which had won six roads to construct. The company sub-contracted four of the roads to me: The 4.2km Igbajo-Okerun-Okeresi road, 10.4km Akure Express-Iloko-Ijeda-Ijebu-Jesa road; Iwaraja-Iloko-Ijebu-Jesa road and 9km Gbongan-Orile Owu road. That endeared me to Aregbesola. Aside that; he did a lot of work; he transformed Osun and he developed Osogbo, my hometown. The best road we have in my creep today was constructed by Aregbesola. He redefined Osogbo and I will always respect and give him that honour. His quality style of governance attracted him to me. When there was an opportunity for him to present contractors for World Bank project; he presented my company and eight others; and the World Bank approved the project for me. And that has been the only project I executed directly in the state since 2012. Aregbesola gave us the platform to grow and I thank him for the opportunity.

But you fell apart with the APC government during the administration of Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola. What was responsible for that?

By virtue of what Aregbesola did for me and the opportunity I had elsewhere, I felt that there was the need to support his government and what he stood for. I was able to use the proceeds of the opportunity he gave me to help the people living with poverty in Osogbo, especially at my area in Isale-Osun. He was a source of happiness for me and my people. I supported Aregbesola, not APC. I supported his personality.

Governor Oyetola succeeded Aregbesola but I had issues with him, not the party. APC is a fantastic party with creative people. I had personal grouse against Oyetola. He met a unified structure led by Aregbesola. But Oyetola watched the structured divided; it was not supposed to be. I went to him about four times to appeal to him; but few of his aides would always counter my advice. The rest is history. I believe wherever Oyetola is now, he would remember I warned him.

You played prominent role in installing Senator Ademola Adeleke as the Governor of Osun State in 2022; but it seems you have parted ways with the PDP now; what is the issue between you and the party?

Governor Adeleke is someone I respect a lot. Senator Adeleke, the PDP State Chairman and Chief Lere Oyewumi were here to appeal to me to work for them in 2022. I told them I am not a card-carrying member of any political party; but I promised to work for Adeleke. We won the election and everybody was happy.

Problem started when the Coordinator of RAMP (Rural Access and Mobility Project), Engr. Okediya was illegally sacked by the Oyetola’s administration. I took him to meet Senator Adeleke and explained that he was sacked because he refused to sign N186m that was demanded by the former government. The memo to that effect (N186m demand) is still at Accountant General’s office. Senator Adeleke praised Okediya and told him not to worry. He said he would be sworn-in as the Governor of the State on the 27th of November, 2022. He directed me to take Okediya back to RAMP office to resume as the Coordinator on the 28th of November, the second day after his swearing-in. The former Caretaker Chairman of PDP, Dr. Akindele, the Accountant of RAMP and an official of the agency were there when the Governor gave the directive.

We went to RAMP office on November 28, 2022 as directed by the Governor and Okediya resumed without any opposition from any quarter. On the 30th of November, Chief Mrs Dupe Adeleke-Sanni called me and questioned the right I got to install Okediya as RAMP Coordinator. I explained that I did that on the Governor’s directive; and a whole lot ensued.

Also, some politicians in Osogbo felt threatened by my growing popularity; in spite of the fact that I always explain that I am not a politician. During the 2023 general election; I resolved to support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Ajibola Basiru, that didn’t go down well with the PDP leaders in Osogbo. Both Tinubu and Basiru won in Osogbo and Olorunda local governments and the PDP leaders were aggrieved; and they started campaign of calumny against me. I accepted to face the consequence of my action – the PDP could decide not to give me contract as promised again. As a matter of fact, I have not made one naira in this state for the past seven years, and I am doing well. It is the politicians that are spewing what is not. Governor Ademola Adeleke is not against me; we are not fighting. I keep my relationship with people, like I said earlier that I do not mix friendship with politics. I still maintain my relationship with both Oyetola and Adeleke; who knows if I will still work for either of them again, depending on terms and conditions. I am also growing; I have learnt from my mistakes and I have worked on that.

Why did you withdraw your structure from the PDP?

The PDP Chairman, Hon. Sunday Bisi went to Awo and threatened violence on members of his own political party who are not in his camp. Before that time, he had also during an empowerment programme by Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi (Ajagunla), stated that some opposition group within the party should be attacked, or leave the party. I felt that was not right; why would a Chairman of a party instigated his supporters against members of the same political party. I have over 50,000 registered member of Aaraj Empowerment Foundation who belong to different political parties. I don’t want issue; because if anyone of them is injured in an attack, the medical bill will be on me. That is why I withdrew my people from the party; they may return when things settle later.

I don’t know what warranted such violent statement. If my philanthropic gesture caused that; I am sorry, I can’t stop it. If anybody thinks that my helping the people has political undertone; that is wrong. After Governor Adeleke was sworn-in, I started Imoleans project which was the advancement of his government. All the empowerment programmes were done in his name. Nobody raised any eyebrow then; I spent over N40m on the project without a single thank you from anybody. And I decided to move away from Imoleans to my own foundation. No party Chairman was asking people to drive others away when I was doing Imoleans. I went to Hon. Sunday Bisi twice to go and advice and remind him that what they were doing is not what they promised me. Anyway, the rest is history.

The Osun APC Chairman was here few weeks ago; are you moving your support to APC?

No. The APC chairman came to thank me for showing love to members of his party because four of them were made millionaires by my foundation. Four members of APC got N1m each as a business support fund. Politicians will always come and that is expected. His coming has nothing to do with party relationship. I am not a member of any political party; I belong to everybody. But when election comes, we will know where to go.

Are you in anyway connected to Atunto Osun, a political group within the PDP?

Why and how would I be connected to a group whose members go on the blue app to attack me? I have a friendly relationship with Dotun Babayemi; he is one of my egbons that I respect a lot. My relationship with him has nothing to do with politics. We have never sat down to discuss politics; God is my witness. I don’t manage my followers politically. They are free to join the party they want. But the ones that are aggrieved in PDP are those the party chairman asked to be driven away. Somebody has been with you for 12 years; and you are saying because somebody is helping them to grow their businesses, they are now enemy within and should be driven out. No. Let me repeat that I am not a politician and I don’t have any political ambition.

How would you assess Adeleke’s administration?

It is unfair to assess him when he just spent one out of his four years. One year is just 25 per cent. So, I cannot assess him now. The Governor is faced with some challenges; so it is not fair to assess him now. And that is why I said earlier that the uproar is not coming from the governor or the government, it is coming from some cabal who are threatened by my sudden rise in the state stakeholdership.

Why was the hall you wanted to construct for Isale Osun stopped?

The PDP manipulators stopped the project. I was contacted by the heads of the compounds in Isale Osun and they requested the construction of the hall. I mobilised people to the site and paid for all necessary things. The hall was designed to accommodate 800-900 people at conference sitting. I sunk the borehole on the site. We were to do soil turning on Saturday but on Friday evening, the head of the baales called and told me that we had to stop the project. I asked for reasons but he insisted I should not just do anything there. He said I should go and see our father, Chief Olatunde Badmus, who I was with on a flight to Abuja few days before that time and he never mentioned anything of such. I knew something was wrong somewhere, so we moved away from the site.

It was later I learnt Ajagunla and some PDP leaders in Osogbo went to start the construction of the hall, and what they constructed is far below the people’s approval. I think what they constructed is just a-100 capacity hall.

What is the issue between you and the Secretary to the State Government, Alh. Teslim Igbalaye?

Igbalaye had a misconception of the information I was trying to pass during the appointment of cabinet members of Governor Adeleke. If I could stake everything I have for Governor Adeleke in Osogbo, and you expect me to close my eyes to the first list of appointed commissioners without Osogbo having good representation; that’s no. And I took it up and the list was reviewed in favour of Osogbo.

Secondly, I am from Isale-Osun part of Osogbo; majority of the appointment being done are from Oke-Baale and I had to protest that too. Why would they relegate us at Isale-Osun? We feel oppressed, we should be given the right of refusal at Isale Osun, and they should give us total respect if they want our total support. I don’t think there is anything bad in that. But they felt bad about it. The rest is history.

(Source: Osundefender)