@80: PDP stalwarts, Don eulogise Sarumi as Jandor advocates annual lecture
The Lagos PDP Chieftains on Thursday poured encomiums on Chief Dapo Sarumi, a founding member of the party and ex-Minister of Information, on the occasion of his 8l0th birthday.
The top PDP leaders including Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor), the PDP Gubernatorial Candidate for Lagos State in 2023 General Elections, described Sarumi as a worthy Nigerian, who had contributed much to nation development.
Speaking at the 80th Birthday Lecture organised on honour of Sarumi, who is outside the country, the chieftains agreed that the former Minister of Integration for West Africa, followed the footsteps of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Applauding Sarumi’s integrity, selflessness and sacrifices, Adediran called for institution of annual leadership lecture in honour of the PDP’s foremost leader.
The PDP governorship candidate, in his message delivered by his Director of Media, Mr Gbenga Ogunleye, said that God used Sarumi to bring PDP to Lagos State.
“If not for Sarumi that God used, PDP would not have got to Lagos at the time it did. He has integrity and has sacrificed personal interest. He has a very high sense of decorum.
“As much as he is interested in winning elections, you won’t see him descend to violence. He is an ideological politician. We must celebrate him and must continue to do.
“It is very important that we have Chief Oladapo Sarumi Annual leadership Lecture,” Adediran said.
Also speaking, a strong follower of Sarumi, Chief Wale Mogaji recounted how the former minister worked hard for the success of the PDP in Lagos State.
Mogaji said that Sarumi was selfless and had produced governors and presidents, adding that he did his best to make life better for the people.
Also eulogising, the PDP Deputy National Secretary, Mr Setonji Koshoedo, described Sarumi as a leader of leaders, who had laid a good path for younger party members to follow.
“His legacies are there for others to follow. We should continue to follow his tendencies and political ideology,” he said.
These were corroborated by other chieftains including Otunba Bola Odebiyi, Dr Dayo Kayode, Mr Sunday Oyesina, Evangelist Olumide Israel and others.
Delivering the 80th Birthday Lecture, Dr Dayo Kayode, described Sarumi as a political juggernaut and enigmatic personality of repute.
Speaking on ‘Politics Of Survival Within The Contemporary Nigeria’s Political Environment”, Kayode said that Sarumi remained a consummate, and astute politician with character, capacity and enviable clout in the class of Alhaji Shehu Yar’ Adua, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, ,Chief Yomi Edu and others.
In his lecture, Kayode said that Nigerians now practise politics of survival, which he said was all about investments and profit maximisation with its operational core hinges on Greek gift of unsolicited palliative of money and foodstuffs distributions rather than sustainable wealth creation.
He said that ideological politics on the other hand has its basis on service to the people with real delivery of democratic dividends at the centre of its operational core.
According to him, actors of politics of survival often have their focus laced with self preservation, acquisition of resources with impunity, Machiavellian political manoeuverings, uncouth political navigation towards any threat that can jeorpardise their political survival and holding on to positions of power.
On the other hand, the lecturer said that ideological politics implied steadiness and stability of the actors in pushing through ideas, dogmas and standards that are very specific to the advancement of their well thought-out programmes.
Stating that their programmes were usually people -oriented, Kayode said that these actors focused on ideological politics rather than personal aggrandizement and consideration just like Sarumi.
“Their priority is on passion for service. They concern themselves predominantly with issues that has to do with the role of government in ensuring socio-economic well-being, security, individual rights and social justice.
“Once compromises have been attained actors maintained near absolute consistency within the policy framework of their adopted positions,” he said.
He called for the emergence of inspirational leaders with a clear vision of what leadership is to the society “away from the selective leadership by godfathers”.
He called for development of strong, independent, empowered and effective institutions rather than individuals to ensure politics and politicking were ideological based.
Sarumi, born on May 16, 1944, received his primary education in Epe and secondary education at Anwar-ud-Deen Secondary School, Agege.
He rose to the position of Director at the Computer Control Department of the Nigeria Port Authority before embarking on his political journey, starting with his association with the late Obafemi Awolowo in 1975.
