There are not a few who see Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, former Minister of Interior and onetime Osun State Governor, as an enigma. A politician that would not shy away from a fight he considers necessary, even if it appears unwinnable. A man who would yield no ground unless confronted with a superior argument. A puzzle that needs to be unknotted.
On September 3, 2026, I was part of an audience in Abuja that attended the launch of the book Ogbeni: The Osun Renaissance Years, which tried to explain the leadership model of a man who rejects all titles except Mr. (Ogbeni, in Yoruba) and argues that “Excellency” should be a grading of work done in service and not a title awarded to anybody in high public office.
But the book, written by Olakunle Abimbola, a prolific journalist, turned out not really to be a political one. Rather, as the organisers explained, it is a leadership manual for emergent leaders interested in people-centred, inclusive and developmental politics. Drawing from his years as governor, it seeks to chronicle the practical solutions to the societal challenges Ogbeni confronted in delivering development to the citizenry, even in the face of severe resource limitations.
