The Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, has disclosed that he washed dead bodies while schooling abroad in order to pay his school fees.
He said he took up the job to survive as money from his parents back home was scarce, adding that he only got $30 from them throughout his stay abroad.
The governor urged the Nigerian youth of nowadays to imbibe the culture of hard work, recounting how he spent eight years washing dead bodies, a job which many consider odious.
Ajimobi who spoke on Tuesday at a South-West Youths Regional Summit in Osogbo, Osun state, said, “I left Nigeria in 1963 to study abroad, but throughout my stay there, I was washing dead bodies to support myself to go to school.
“Whenever I got home from work , I will be weeping , remembering the number of dead bodies I washed.
“My boss at work then said I should not be afraid or fear , adding that such feeling is normal for first comers.
“He encouraged me to always see those dead bodies as iced fish .
“But against all odds , I survived and that is why I am urging youths to see hard work as the only way to success.
“I am saying this to challenge the youth of our next generation not to give up.
“This is our chance as youths and as Yorubas to come together to chart a successful pathway for the country.’’
Ajimobi, however, urged Yoruba leaders and governors to unite for the progress of the Yoruba race.