GOODLUCK JONATHAN GETS MY VOTE AGAIN IN 2015

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not exactly the kind of person I personally like, maybe because he is too dark a man, or because he looks too timid for my personal liking....or because he has refused to curtail the little excesses of Mama Peace (I pray she does not get angry for this because I am a huge fan). Not exactly likable, but I say emphatically and convincingly that Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will get my vote again in 2015. I will explain why in the paragraphs that will follow.

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NIGERIA GIVES ME HEADACHE.... – INSOMNIA PACKAGE 1

Okay, let me tell you immediately that it is exactly 2:30am, Thursday 6th November, 2014 and I am somewhere in South-West Nigeria unable to sleep. Now, if by any chance you are expecting me to be courteous about whatever I am about to communicate, I think you might have better luck living in Liberia at this time. I do not intend to be courteous, neither do I plan to use any measure of restraint in my diction. Mind me less, you know how angry the brain gets when it is deprived of sleep!

Why exactly am I finding it difficult to sleep? I already did the two articles I planned to do for the night and in my mind i was done. It struck me abruptly, that Nigeria is the source of my headache, sorry more like migraine.....I do not know the best way to describe my afflictions. In short, the myriad of problems disturbing our nation is making it excessively impossible for me to calm down. You dare not tell me to calm down by the time I start my vituperations!

OYO 2015 – THE CONTENDERS, THE PRETENDERS, THE DEAD-ON-ARRIVALS...

We cannot describe a state whose politics is characterized by serious drama, constant back-hand deals and heated contests without considering Oyo State to be the most qualified State for that sort of description. Various political gladiators flex muscles when it is time to contest elective positions. Even more amusing is the fact that at such moments of increased political muscle-flexing, even traditional rulers become political gladiators trying to promote their personal, and in rare cases, community interests. Such scenarios were obvious in the 2011 elections.

Prior to the 2011 elections, there had been diverse speculations as to which of the top contenders (Alao-Akala – PDP, Ajimobi – ACN, Ladoja – Accord Party) possessed more clout than the other three and as such stood at pole position to win the contest. There was a lot of behind-the-scene horse-trading between candidates and traditional rulers, candidates and other candidates, even INEC officials were not spared the lobbying pressures of these politicians.

Looking from all indications, save for the adamant refusal of the Alaafin of Oyo to support Otunba Alao-Akala’s second term bid and the ominous gang-up of certain Ibadan elements against him, Alao-Akala looked certain to clinch victory and run a second term in office. Those of us who analyzed using such key indicators were almost proved right when results of the gubernatorial election began to trickle in and Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala was in a clear early lead. To our chagrin however, owing to some unforeseen wielding of the magic wand by the Ibadan anti-Akala gang-up at the last minute, Ajimobi was returned as the winner. It was a major electoral surprise.

Till date, different schools of thought have proposed various hypotheses concerning the events that culminated in Alao-Akala’s loss, but what is certain and clear to all, is that he was a victim of top-level antagonism from people who he has either offended at some point in his political ascension or whose political standings have been threatened by his growing political prowess. Whichever way you choose to look at it, the most important thing is, Ajimobi won that election and became the Governor of Oyo State.

It is almost 2015 and time again to decide who rules Oyo State for the next four years. Expectedly, the usual accusations and counter-accusations has commenced and the Oyo State political scenario is getting hotter every passing day. However, while some contestants (the contenders) can lay claim to assured popularity, some others are contesting to make themselves known (the pretenders) and possibly get selective positions if and when the candidates they eventually ‘step down’for becomes Governor.

For instance, the declaration  of interest to run for Governorship by one of the sons of Alhaji Lam Adesina (no offence intended), will appear to any keen political observer as a cheap popularity stunt and an attempt to make himself known as the political replacement for his late father. It is clear to all that such contestants are more interested in making people see them on the faces of campaign posters than they are interested in becoming the Oyo State Governor. I am still laughing.....

Of the contestants, five occur to me as serious contenders who have the clout and the wherewithal to go all the way and win the election. These five, without fear of being misunderstood are: Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi, Senator Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja, Engr. Seyi Makinde and Alhaji Sarafa Alli. Each of these contestants have their core strengths and areas where they enjoy a near-god followership and are as such sure of securing maximum votes from such places. Let us cross-examine these suitors for our beautiful bride – the Oyo Government House.

Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala lost due to certain forces as I have outlined earlier, but has decided to re-climb the same horse that threw him in 2011. Some political observers believe he should have run for Senate instead, but he seems to believe he can do a better job than the present man at the helm of affairs. What stands in his favour, is the resounding followership he enjoys in his Ogbomoso constituency, a followership he has so diligently oiled over the years financially and otherwise. One other factor that could work in favour of Otunba Alao-Akala is the fact that majority of Oyo people have now come to realize that they made a gross mistake in choosing Ajimobi over Alao-Akala. Where Akala ran a government with a human face, Ajimobi has so far ran a government that is textbook-based in its approaches to governance, never making concessions towards alleviating the sufferings of the masses. In all these areas, Otunba Alao-Akala stands tall while not lacking in sound antecedents of infrastructural development while he was Governor of the State. He is not only a contender but one with a high tendency to return to government.

Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi is the incumbent Governor of Oyo State, a fact he will be hoping to use to his own advantage when the chips are down in 2015. However, the same fact that worked for him and against Alao-Akalain 2011 is staring at him in the face this term – Oyo people somewhat superstitiously believes it is wrong for them to serve one person twice! Much greater worries for him are the seeming hostility of the Oyo State people towards his government in recent times, his poor project completion antecedents which has made life unbearable for people living in Ogbomoso, Apete and various other areas of the State and his unrepentant projection of his wife’s image above that of his deputy at every given opportunity. He sure is a serious contender but from my standpoint, he will be wise not to expect a second term in office.

Senator Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja was Governor of Oyo State between 2003 and 2007, missing only in action for 11 months during which Otunba Alao-Akala was made Governor of the State. He was known to be a Civil Servant Governor but was grossly lacking in the area of infrastructure development. Known as a gentleman, he enjoys good support in Ibadan particularly being one of the city’s high chiefs. He is a top contender, but one who has to work harder at extending his support base beyond Ibadan city if he is to make any serious headway at the polls.

Engr. Oluseyi Makinde is also another top contender who has taken the Oyo State political scene by surprise. Though he belongs to the same party as Otunba Alao-Akala, he has been going about his campaign activities as if he has been annointed by the PDP. The commitment he has shown, the contacts he has established and the distance he has covered in the short time he came into the scene presents him as a very serious contender for the position. He is quite young and some will call him inexperienced on the seemingly hot political turf of Oyo State, but having dedicated so much to his vision, we must take him serious.

Alhaji Sarafadeen Alli on his end has been in the political scene of Oyo State for a while having been Secretary to the State Government at some point. He is believed to be experienced politically and has the capacity to lead Oyo State. However, the obvious virginity of his Labour Party in the scheme of things in Oyo State makes him vulnerable to a disturbing defeat as recorded in Osun State. I believe he has a good chance if he is able to overcome the huge financial capabilities of the APC and PDP coupled with their vast political experience.

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I am not a soothsayer neither am I any experienced politician of any sort, but looking from my point of view, the likes of Folarin, Adedoja and Baba Lam’s kid are not seriously gunning for the Government house but are seeking certain ends which I may not be immediately aware of. Ultimately, I believe one of these listed above will govern Oyo State from 2015 till 2019, I pray it is my favoured candidate.

Namaste!

THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN OYO STATE UNDER ABIOLA AJIMOBI – A STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACKWARD

I have to start this piece on a very sarcastic note. I was browsing the Contact Profile of a friend of mine on Blackberry Messenger just a few days ago and his display picture came out very amusing. The picture showed the comedian ‘Bovi’ eyeing another young man in a very funny way. Underneath this picture was the caption, ‘Guy, dem never serve me rice for your Papa burial oh...No worry, shey my father go soon die!’ As you laugh out the sarcasm, there is a lesson in the joke: For everyone who complains about the performance of one person, when their time comes, we will all witness how well they also will perform; ‘se ipako onipako ni a n ri, a kii ri ti ara eni.’

Whille Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala was the Governor of Oyo State, the then ACN were very vocal in the condemnation of his government as non-performing and a colossal failure. I said it then and I stand to be corrected, that these ACN talkatives are just conmen eager to feed on the vulnerability of the people of Oyo State to plunder the State treasury. Fate is beginning to prove me very right. Ajimobi emerged the Governor of Oyo State in earnest and he began making promises to rebuild Oyo in no time.

Today, we have a tale of disappointments, failed promises, abandoned/failed projects and Oyo State have moved much backward than it has made any forward movement in the last three and a half years. Much pitiable is the condition of the education system in Oyo State at the moment. While the State Government is going about claiming it has made giant strides in the development of education in Oyo State, schools in Oyo State are groaning under experiences of decay of infrastructure, lack of instructional materials, shabby conditions of teaching and learning among other woes bedeviling the education sector in Oyo State.

As enticing as media reports emanating from Oyo State sounds, even though they appear doctored to me and of only face value, a physical encounter with these projects being praised on TV exposes one to a different dimension entirely in the Oyo State governance – a dimension of corrupt practices that extends into media manipulation and grand schemings to fool the entire nation and make every outsider think Oyo is getting better while it is actually sinking deeper into collapse.

Before my sojourn in the Pacesetter State, I once said loud that of all APC Governors, Abiola Ajimobi was still better as he is a little sincere and much more committed to serving the people. I was terribly wrong. I came to Ibadan to realize that particularly in such sensitive areas as education, the Ajimobi Government has been a monumetal failure. For every one school building that his government has renovated, another two buildings somewhere in the State have gone into total collapse without any attention. Many school children now learn in terrible environments which are not only non-conducive for learning but are also detrimental to the health of the students.

I personally encountered one of such infrastructural decay in Oyo State Schools when I visited the Unity Secondary School, Ijokodo Ibadan. I must say without hesitation, that the school bore little or no difference from an animal farm in terms of infrastructure and the conveniences of the learning environment. I began to wonder immediately that if the school could be that bad in Oyo State, how exactly will Sen. Abiola Ajimobi justify the claims by Oyo State media houses that his government has done exceedingly well in all sectors of the State? Or will it not be safe to conclude that as far as education is concerned in Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi has failed? Will we be saying too much if we say that he has achieved more in taking education backwards in Oyo State than forward?

For me, judging from my experience in the school named, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi has taken a step forward and two backward in the education sector of Oyo State. My candid advice is, he must immediately rectify all these major flops, tidy his house, so that the next Governor of Oyo State does not have to run into too much trouble trying to untangle the massive knots Ajimobi has created in the education sector. I believe a word, is enough for the wise!

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