Olawepo is a man who detest inequality and injustice from every perspective.  Those who know Gbenga in his struggle days as student union leader testify to the fact that Olawepo not only hated inequality as a young activist, he fought it with his life and the world took adequate notice. 

Just like Gbenga, every individual must detest inequality and injustice in every way prior to their being in public offices, and they must even make greater effort against the menace when they are in the position of power.

Olawepo who was the founding National Administrative Secretary Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) in a condolence message noted that, Gani was to him a friend and father “with whom he shared nocturnal meetings, brain storming sessions and same fate in detention in the course of the struggle for freedom in our country.

Hear him:

“About this time 20 years ago, Chief Gani Fawehinmi and I were both detained under the Detention of Persons Decree No. 2 of 1984 as amended. This was after the Anti-SAP uprising for which over 200 Nigerians died and many lost their limbs and liberty.

Many of our country men made enormous sacrifices.”At this time too, Femi Falana was stabbed and was recuperating at Dr Beko Kuti’s clinic house in Imaria Street, Anthony Village, Lagos.

“My fate and that of Gani were intertwined then as he was standing trial at the Justice Ayagbunam tribunal. Our jailers tried desperately, but unsuccessfully to extract a statement from me pinpointing the late Chief as one of the sponsors of the Anti-SAP uprising.

“The state security service needed this statement as evidence to nail him at his trial ‘for planning to derail the transition programme.

“They failed because of our shared resolve, to stand for both truth and justice at any cost. A resolve that a lot of our patriots who today line up this arena also share. It is a resolve, and covenant that Gani kept till death came calling.

Some Nigerians who are acquainted with Gbenga Olawepo testify to the quality is his made of.

According to Mr. Segun Awolowo, a former presidential adviser who attended the Kwame Nkrumah award presentation by All-Africa Student Union to Gbenga Olawepo in 2003 at the Nicon Hilton Hotel Abuja. 

He said, "We have come to honour a brilliant friend. We are proud of Gbenga, He is one of the light for a new generation of leaders for Nigeria." 

History have it that, has a one-time deputy national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which he co-found, his tenure in that capacity is easily remembered for the principled stand he took at a time when individual selfish interests constituted the looming albatross of the PDP. 

In a publication titled ‘’moment of glory for Olawepo’’, the incident was narrated this way: 

‘’Olawepo personally fought against a ploy hatched by top national officials of the party to extend the tenure of party officers in contravention of the party's statutes. The interesting irony in his opposition to that move was that he would have been one of the beneficiaries if it had succeeded, moreso since its chief proponent was then assumed to be his political godfather. The furore and dust which that incident generated can be said to have contributed to his ouster from office and the eventual travails which he suffered in PDP. Such rare triumph of personal principles over a tempting political opportunism marked him out as a politician for the future‘’

Furthermore, Chief Ojo Madueke, former Transport minister aswell as presidential adviser said this of Olawepo:

"The lives of people like Gbenga should inspire us to speak well of ourselves. Gbenga is an inner driven person not afraid to stand alone, not afraid to be unpopular, not afraid to hold a view."

Gbenga his according to Chief Madueke, "A man who is inner driven listens to the music of his own universe, listens to the applause of the spirit inside him, that have etched out a horizon, which he must conquer and moving in that direction he takes the lead and others can follow, who can see the horizon with him, of such is the stuff a history of such is the stuff of greatness and if one can move beyond the democratization of incompetence and to take this nation to the gigantic leap that it is destined for, then we must celebrate inner driven people like Gbenga Olawepo, he inspires me." He said.

Testifying to some of the great deeds of Olawepo, a former national women leader of the PDP, Mrs. Josephine Anenih while describing Olawepo said, PDP is a party Gbenga Olawepo introduced to Kwara State as its convener.  

In her word: "Gbenga is PDP, Gbenga is original PDP. He is a founding member, infact, he his the foundation of PDP. I am saying this because he has been on sabbatical, PDP has missed his contribution, I saw his contribution during the time he served on the presidential advisory committee as secretary to women and youth development. His contribution gave me courage to take up the struggle of women in the main stream of our political struggles, Gbenga is one of the new generation of people that this country needs to move the country forward.

Gbenga is our promise and our hope for a new Nigeria" Mrs. Josephine Anenih said.

When it was asked, how was Olawepo able to come this far in a field frought with landmines and dangerous intrigues, considering his young age and urbane nature?

Professor Jerry Gana, former presidential adviser and information minister gave the answer:

Hear him:

"When the restoration process for democracy came in 1998/99 he was one of the young people who stood with us, so that we may allow the genuine process of democracy take place. He was one of those who came to us even when we were being harassed by the regime at that time in G34. One man who stood out any day anytime was Gbenga. I was the first secretary of PDP transforming from G34, the constitution and manifesto of the party were produced within 24hrs in my office and in Gbenga's press. He is a young man with vision and mission." 

And talking of courage, it does appear it is innate in him. He has such an uncommon ability to make enormous sacrifice for whatever he believes in. For instance, after the Anti-SAP protest when he left Nigeria en route Ghana to represent ‘’The All African Student Union’’ at the 13th Festival of youth and Students held in Korea, he was offered the opportunity to stay in Europe on exile since the military authorities were hunting for him in Nigeria. However, he offered to return home, saying, ‘’we have job to do in Nigeria’’.

I guess the same spirit pushed Olawepo to single handedly financed his political party (DPP) in Kwara state so as to give principled candidates with limited resources an opportunity to aspire for public offices. Olawepo not only financed himself to contest the governorship election on 2 occasions, he financed his party’s senatorial candidates, house of representatives, state assemblies, Local Government chairmen and including ward Councillors.

If such a man could not be celebrated in his home state for such a giant stride, ofcourse, it goes to confirm the popular saying that, prophets are not celebrated in their homes. A yoruba adage also put it thus: Ile ni adie ko ti niyi.

While Kwarans might not feel comfortable electing for Gbenga on the basis that he his an idealistic fellow who is too principled, it is in my opinion wrong for any individual to continue to have the wrong notion that Olawepo sold his mandate in 2007. He never did and will never do so. Infact, anyone that believe such a wicked and senseless lie against an iconic figure like Gbenga is naive, shallow and myopic.

For Kwarans, Olawepo is a man who should be celebrated. He his a genuine patriot who cares not for himself alone, but for the well-being of the kwara state people.

When asked why Olawepo had to sacrifices many things to get into kwara state politics despite having much more than he could get in Kwara state at the federal level, he said:

No matter what you have in personal capacity, it is not enough like putting your state in shape.

Olawepo added that, despite having everything he could wish for as a person to live a comfortable life, when they are discussing political issues in Nigeria or even outside the country among friends, kwara state is described as a state enslaved by one man and endless questions are thrown at him. This of-course infuriates him not because of the individual leading the state, but because of the level of poverty and oppression as evident in the way the people live. This challenged him to want to contribute his quota to the peoples liberation.

Though, he has made numerous generous donations through NGO's, donating to schools, giving non-interest loans, empowerment and many others, but as this writer once said, the only realistic means to development is good governance. 

Until those leading the state govern good, nothing can aid development as it should.

As Kwarans continue to search for purposeful leadership, let us do well to commend good men and women that have contributed in no small ways to the ongoing struggle for a better Kwara. 

My message to Gbenga Olawepo and other Nigerians like him is for them remain focus, principled and patriotic. The time when such purposeful individuals are needed is fast approaching and when it comes, you shall be call upon to pilot the ship of our dear nation. Be rest assured, your ideal, vision and purposeful reasoning shall eventually prevail.

Abdulrazaq O Hamzat writes from Abuja