There was this infamous Emperor of Rome by the name of Nero, who busied himself partying and merry making while the Empire he ruled was burning.
There was a trending pictures of Governor Makinde and the G-5 meeting with the President in Abuja on Tuesday night and those pictures touched my consciousness to the sad story of Emperor Nero.
By the time Governor Makinde was posing for those pictures in Abuja, Iwere-Ile, a town in Iwajowa Local Government of Oyo state was burning.
In fact, it is safe to say that while Governor Makinde was posing for those pictures, there was serious tension in Iwere-Ile and by extension, Oke Ogun axis of Oyo state.
There was reported violent clashes between Farmers, Fulani herdsmen and the security Agencies.
In fact, the reported violent clashes has reportedly led to loss of lives and maimings.
Unfortunately, while Oke Ogun was burning, the Governor, the supposed Chief security officer of the state was in Abuja, playing politics!
This is not the first time that Governor Makinde will abandon his duties as chief security officer of the state.
A couple of years ago, the people of Igangan in Ibarapa North Local Government had Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Igboho to thank when the Fulani herdsmen invaded the territory.
The Governor, at the time was holidaying in the United States of America and never considered the bloodletting in Igangan as enough reason to cut short the holiday.
Many lives were also lost in Igangan as a result of the clashes until a non state actor stepped in to arrest the situation.
The crisis in Iwere-Ile has been on for some time. Obviously, Governor Makinde must have been briefed before he left for Abuja to play politics.
He obviously chose politics above the well being of the people he was elected to protect as the chief security officer of the state.
The conflicts between Farmers and the Fulani herdsmen is not just starting today.
Governor Makinde some years ago signed the Anti open grazing bill of Oyo state into Law.
Unfortunately, the Law only exist on paper. There is no framework for implementation. It is cosmetic just like most of Governor Makinde’s policies.
Security is a serious issue. Establishment of quasi security outfits and purchase of vehicles for security outfits is not enough.
There must be a solid framework for effectiveness.
What are the measures put in place to take care of towns and villages in boarder areas within the state?
The larger percentage of this herdsmen are concentrated in the boarder areas of Oke Ogun and Ibarapa and their threats mostly come from those areas.
What are the preemptive measures put in place so that the Government will not be responding all the time after valuable and precious lives have been lost?
How did the Governor conclude that being in Abuja will benefit the state far and above him being in Oke Ogun to nip the security threats in the bud?
At any rate, it appears that the Governor have been elected for a second term of sabbatical and he is surely enjoying the holidays.
Not long ago, he was pictured enjoying a game of Lawn Tennis in America while some of his colleagues were struggling to handle the consequences of the removal of subsidies on Petroleum.
The question that kept excising my mind has been what exactly the Governor still wants.
He has gotten a second and final term in office as Governor deservedly or otherwise.
Methinks he ought to sit tight and concentrate on building the legacies he plans to leave behind him.
When I observed that his constant and embarrassing visits to Abuja had abated, I thought, perhaps, reason have prevailed.
Whatever the Governor is looking for in Abuja is his right but such rights should not be pursued to the detriment of his constitutional duties.
Sola Abegunde.
