By Ben Dairo

The concept of leadership is not just the ability to lead, dominate, instruct or control, rather leadership begins with a new and refined mindset; that is , the moment you think of better life and opportunity for others, the moment you think of new ideas, innovations and possibilities capable of stimulating the desired change in people and society and translate the same into reality.

A leader is someone who thinks right, acts right, leads and guides his followers aright. A true leader is courageous, compassionate, resilient, focused, create a vision to greatness and set the tone/ direction to make this a reality. With his accomplishment in the private and public sector, Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru is one man whose journey through life can be characterized as exceptional, a life filled with examplary leadership traits, a life worthy of emulation and an embodiment of what a true leader represents.

A Chinese proverb says “fall seven times stand up eight”, this is a human nature of perseverance and war of attrition at its finest, like every other personality that have achieved greatness and have recorded numerous failure and countless scars on their journey to greatness before their hardwork and perseverance eventually paid off.

The story of the senator representing the good people of Kwara South Senatorial District is not different from those that journeyed through this route that a few can only travel, stay true and dedicated to, to achieve greatness.

Senator Yisa Oyelola Ashiru is a story of humble beginning, it is a story of the hand of faith and personal determination not to remain at the lower rung of the ladder of life.

Born in Offà on 14th of June 1955, Senator Ashiru Oyelola attended Iyeru Okin Primary School Offa, before proceeding to Esie-Iludun Anglican Grammar School for his Secondary School Certificate. He then proceeded to Federal Government College Sokoto where he had his Higher School Certificate. For his brilliance and exceptional performance while in school, he was called several times by the teachers and students to run classes for them, he was awarded the best student in Mathematics and other science subjects.

The Master Builder as fondly called by many, obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Environmental Design and Architecture from the University of Lagos, 1979. As a very ambitious young man whose passion for education is immeasurable. Senator Ashiru Oyelola Yisa is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architect (FNIA). He was at various times the Chief Executive of Master Builders Limited, Capital Project Limited, Profarch and Architectural Consultancy Company, and the defunct Owners, Loans and Savings Nigeria Limited, a mortgage bank.

As an astute architect whose famed generosity has touched the life of generation of youths, his philanthropic act and love for humanity knows no bound and he has expended his God-given wealth in the services of humanity. To achieve more of this, he touched more lives positively and to stimulate growth and development in the society.

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He decided to offer himself for public services and eventually ventured into politics. In 2001, when the Senator began his political career, he has always focused on the red chamber mission and never for once did he derail.

He has consistently offered to represent Kwara South Senatorial District, been true to this mission and life long ambition to effect life positively and exact deliberate growth and development in the society he contested for Kwara South Senatorial Seat in 2007, contested in 2011, contested in 2015 and 2019 under the umbrella of APC when he eventually became victorious and was elected by the people of Kwara South to represent their interest in the Red Chamber.

While in the 9th senate, he was appointed Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Housing, Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Procurement, also a member of various Committees that include; Banking and Financial Institutions, FERMA, Gas, Navy, Public Account and Host Communities.

During this period 2019 – 2023, he sponsored series of bills and motions that are paramount to the growth and development of Kwara State and Nigeria at large, the notable bills include, a bill to upgrade Federal Polytechnic Offa to full fledged University which has been passed into law and now awaits Presidential assent, a bill that seeks to establish the University of History and Archeology in Esie, Kwara State, which has passed through the first and second reading, a bill that seeks to establish the Medical Physics Regulatory Council of Nigeria and a host of other bills and motions.

The Senator has also engaged in series of constituency and community service development project, empowerment/countless employment for the people of the State, scholarships and road constructions/rehabilitations, which cut across all the 83 wards and the seven local Governments in Kwara South.

In 2023, Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru re-contested under the umbrella of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to continue his impressive representation for the people of Kwara South, he was re-elected by his people and because of his selfless leadership skills, his impressive contribution in the 9th Senate, the seal to do more, reach new heights, formulate new laws and policies so that it will be highly beneficial to the citizens of Nigeria and to exact positive growth and development in the country, he was appointed the Deputy Chief Whip in the 10th Senate.

And just before we say Jack, the providence and benevolence of a beautiful fate has catapulted him from Deputy Chief Whip to Deputy Majority Leader all within the space of a year and in the same 10th Assembly.

Only God knows what the future holds but with Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru, doggedness, perseverance, selfless leadership skills, his endless philanthropic act, his unwavering love for humanity and the unflinching patriotism for his country which knows no bound, the sky is just the beginning.

• Dairo, a Senior Legislative Aide to Senator Ashiru Oyelola, writes from Abuja