Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, a Quintessential Zenith Labour Gubernatorial Candidate in Oyo State

By Olamilekan Aremu

Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli is different personality to different people. To many, he is humble, meticulous, understanding, grassroot politician, brainy, cool and friendly.

However, some people through ear say and rumour mongers had a negative thought of the man they had never met or had one-on-one relationship with. This class of people deserve to be told that the man, Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli like every mortal is not without his flaws but he is an Omoluabi of no mean standing especially when placed side by side with other contenders in 2019.

My personal experience stemmed from that unverified ground which curiously was a mere assumption and far from the truth. A night with a close associate of Sharafadeen Alli clarified negative thinking about him and Ladoja’s relationship. His associate explained that no decision taken in his political career without the input of his political godfather, Ladoja.

He said if Alli emerges as the governor of Oyo state in 2019, he will become the greatest achievement of senator Ladoja political sojourn. Nobody was invited to the family meeting where Ladoja and Alli resolved their misunderstanding, suggesting people had to be careful in interference of their issues.

Tale of the two leaders:-

Ladoja and Alli are cousins. While Ladoja is a High Chief in Ibadan land, Alli on the other hand is aspiring to reach the status of the Osi Olubadan in future because he is also on Ibadan chieftaincy line to the Olubadan-In-Council. They are both grassroot politicians. Alli was chief Ladoja’s secretary to the state government and later Chief of Staff during his tenure. They are both kindhearted. Their love for poor cannot be quantified. They never pretend where they belong in politics. They are the real sons of Ibadan land.

Born in 1963, Oloye Sharafadeen Alli is a Lawyer, politician, public administrator, philanthropist and businessman.
He studied law from the University of Ibadan‎ in 1986 and attended the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island in 1987.

Alli observed his compulsory youth service corps at A.E Enumah & Associates (Barristers and Solicitors) in, Anambra state in the year 1988.
His first employment was as a Counsel at R.A. Sarumi & Co., Solicitors Advocates & Notary Public, Ibadan between 1988 to 1991.

Brilliant, eloquent and friendly Alli became the first elected Executive Chairman of Ibadan North Local Government, at age 28, in 1991.

As a great son of the soil, Alli was installed Asiwaju Balogun of Bakatari in Ido Local Government at age 29, in 1992.
The same year, Alli was honoured as a Great Ambassador of Kuti Hall, University of Ibadan. Same year, 1992, he got the Best Local Government of the Year award. In the same year, he became the Life Grand Patron of Ibadan North Local Government Community Development Council in 1992.

He has sponsored scores of people (both Muslim and Christians) to the holy lands of Mecca and Jerusalem. Many are presently on his payroll as indigent students studying in institutions of higher learning across the land.

Alli is a man without blemish in all his services to his fatherland. Until recently, he was the Chairman, Odu’a Investment Company Limited and President of the foremost indigenous social club in Ibadan, Omo Ajorosun Club. He is a man who love making friends and cherishes relationship. Check out the list of the people around him, they have all been together for decades with addition of many more quality men and women in the corridor of power and the underprivileged ones. He never leave Ibadan to live in any part of the country before. He travels only on official assignments to foreign lands and hardly spend weeks before returning home. He knows our challenges, and he has solutions to them all. He is indeed a man of the people.

Let us all vote for the bridge builder who knows nook and cranny of our state like the palm of his hand. His emergence as the candidate of the ZLP after all detractors had earlier created a wedge between him and his father, is a pointer that his aspiration is a God’s own project.

Gauge the feelings in Ibadan, Ibarapa, Oyo, Ogbomoso and Oke Ogun, Alli stands out as a politician of note who has been tested and is therefore trusted.

He will not disappoint all. He is the best of all the candidates yearning to occupy Agodi government house in 2019.

A vote for Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli is a vote for secured future for all manner of residents of the state.