When we were growing up, we were used to the analogy of our parents about someone who consoled himself after failing in a struggle with others over an issue and thereafter resigned to fate that only the Grace of God is unlimited.
On such occassions, our parents would say, ” eni ti owo e o ba ijagudu nii pe ko sohun to ndun tii tan, a fi ola Olorun”.
I saw Governor Makinde’s reaction to the Supreme court judgment granting full Autonomy to Local Governments and I laughed till some pleasant tears were rolling from my eyes.
Governor Makinde in his reaction, called on his colleague Governors to focus on IGR and not be distracted by Local Government Autonomy.
Governor Seyi Makinde is a very clever individual who sure knows how to play down his disappointment and frustrations.
Ignore LG Autonomy and concentrate on IGR! Just like that?
If the shoe were to be on the other foot and the Supreme court had given judgment in favour of the Governors, would Governor Makinde have taken the same position?
I bet, he would have been the loudest voice, beating his chest, saying ” I said so”.
He was very consistent about his position on Autonomy for Local Governments.
He had many times described the Local Governments as aberrations, claiming that in a Federating Unit, there are always two tiers of Government, the Federal and the States.
Those were his exact position.
So, when did that change?
If you listened to the Governor, pontificating about the Federating Units as a basis for his antagonistic stance against the Local Governments Autonomy, you will think you were listening to some Senior Advocates.
Unfortunately, while he was canvassing this position, due to his personal interest, he completely lost sight of the provisions of section 7 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
Even his pliant Speaker, who doubles as the Chairman of the Nigerian Speaker’s forum was not ashamed to take the campaign to the National stage.
The young man had told the world that his colleagues and their master Governors will oppose Local Government Autonomy as a result of some laughable reasons.
Now to the issue of whether the Governors should be distracted about the Autonomy granted to the Local Governments by the Supreme court of Nigeria, I don’t know of others but Governor Makinde would be distracted.
Why won’t he?
Since he became Governor, he had been running the 33 Local Governments of Oyo state like an annexure of the Oyo State Government.
The errand boys he had been selecting to man the affairs of the Local Governments have no say about how the monthly Allocations are being used.
They are just there for necessity sake.
One of the first distractions that the Governor will have to deal with is how to device a fresh method that will allow him use the Allocations of the Local Governments on state projects and how he will be posing as the owner of projects funded with Local Government Allocations.
That has been the practice for the past five years.
I challenge the Governor to bring out the papers for the rehabilitation of the Akesan Market, the Road project commissioned today, 11th of July, 2024, the Omi Adio/ Ido Road and the ill fated Light Up Oyo state Project.
It has also been alleged that he has been using Local Government funds to run the Oyo state Technical University.
He was said to have allegedly removed 2 billion Naira of Local Government funds to pay for the ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology.
These were illegal and unauthorized deductions of funds because the state Legislature can not legally give approvals to the Governor to spend Local Government funds.
The fact that, under the present arrangements, he can not spend Local Governments funds on state projects as he has been doing in the past is enough to distract him.
All the glory which are due to the Local Governments are being claimed by the Governor and the ” Men Friday” in the Local Governments dare not raise an eyebrow.
The Local Governments are what the Yorubas call the ” a sin ni wayes”. The never do wells.
If you remove the projects Governor Makinde has executed with the Councils funds from his lists of achievements, you will discover that there is nothing left for the Governor to celebrate on his own.
All that will likely remain are projects executed with loans.
Is that not enough reason to be distracted?
It has been a case of one who didn’t labor to harvest the palm fruits but is busy making palm oil out of it. ” Eni ti o kope, to nsepo”.
That magic of putting meat in your mouth and making it disappear will be defeated by the judgment of today. ” Ogbon ka fi eran senu, ka waa ti”.
That is a distraction that could not be wished away with some bold face.
” Iyan ti di a tun gun”. The worries of how to think outside the box is a distraction.
I do not doubt the fact that the ” yes men” in the 33 Local Governments will dare collect the soup and not bring it to the master in Ibadan.
However, there is no way it will be business as usual and I think the public have a duty here.
Fortunately, Local Government Chairmen do not enjoy immunity.
I am sure the Autonomy granted to Local Governments today would likely be the ticket to the prison for many Local Government Chairmen.
The citizens must ensure that they monitor the activities of the Local Governments to ensure fiscal responsibilities.
I seriously sympathize with Governor Makinde whose strongest cover have been blown today.
His advice about IGR is an afterthoughts. Why did he waste resources to oppose the Federal Government in the Supreme court when he was convinced that Local Government Autonomy is a distraction and IGR is the solution?
SOLA ABEGUNDE.
