Gbenga Daniel Celebrates 70th Birthday: I Never Abandoned the PDP

Otunba Gbenga Daniel, also known as OGD, served as the governor of Ogun State from 2003 to 2011 and is currently a senator representing Ogun East, marking a notable presence in the state's politics.

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Daniel recently celebrated his 70th birthday and reflected on his life and career in an interview, discussing his relationship with prominent politicians, including President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as well as his experiences as governor and Director General of Atiku's campaign in 2011.

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When asked to capture his life's journey, Daniel referenced a message he once wrote, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do," which he believes summarizes his experiences, including the good and bad times, and expressed gratitude to God for his life.

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Daniel started a picture book and a book of goodwill messages to commemorate his 70th birthday, which has grown to nearly 300 pages, and reflected on his family, noting that out of his mother's eight children, only four are still alive, making him an orphan.

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Daniel's journey into politics began with his appreciation for Ogun State and the desire to develop it, inspired by the state's prominent citizens, including Pa Ayo Adebanjo and Pa Abraham Adesanya, and he wrote a book about his vision for the state, which he called "the land of my dreams".

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Decades later, Daniel is excited to see that his dreams for Ogun State have been realized, with significant developments in various sectors, and he believes that he created the foundation for this progress, although he acknowledges that others have also contributed to the state's growth.

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Daniel recalled that when he became governor, he received advice to focus on specific areas, but he chose to address all issues in the state, including sports development, education, rural development, and tourism, and he worked tirelessly to develop the state, often working 24/7.

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When asked about his philosophical views, Daniel referenced the avenue in front of his location, named after Obafemi Awolowo, and discussed the comparison between his own philosophy and Awolowo's, acknowledging that Awolowo was an enigma and a meticulous strategist who lived ahead of his time.

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Daniel tried to follow in Awolowo's footsteps by revisiting some of his initiatives, such as the Odeda Farm Institute, which was established in the 1950s but had become comatose, and he worked to revive it and other similar projects, including the Ijebu Igbo palm oil institute and the Kennedy rubber plantation.

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Daniel believes that he is in tune with Awolowo's ideology of democratic socialism, which aims to provide a better life for the masses, and he tries to evaluate his decisions based on whether they can withstand the scrutiny of the masses.

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Looking back on his decisions, Daniel acknowledges that he may not have made the correct choices every time, but he has no regrets, as he did what he thought was best at the time, and he believes that his 15 years of experience since leaving office have given him a new perspective.

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Daniel was asked about his experience as governor and how he managed the diverse zones in Ogun State, including Awori, Egba, Egbado, and Ijebu, and he replied that he tried to turn the diversity into an advantage by creating a competitive environment.

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He gave an example of how he handled the creation of a university in the state, which was initially intended to be a multi-campus institution, and he worked to reactivate the educational blueprint, establishing colleges and universities in different zones to promote development and unity.

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Daniel also discussed the issue of road infrastructure in the state, stating that he does not believe the roads are depreciating, but rather, the people's expectations for better infrastructure are justified, and he noted that the government can do more to address this issue.

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He compared the resources available during his tenure as governor to the current budget, noting that the state's budget has increased significantly, with the current governor announcing a budget of N1.6 trillion, and he believes that the people are right to expect more value for their money.

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Daniel was asked if he saw the crisis in the PDP coming, and he replied that he did not "jump" from the party, but rather, he moved to the PDP because he saw potential for development that was not available in his previous party, and he worked with a group of young, vibrant people who shared his vision for Ogun State.