In Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, a character seriously caught my attention each time I critique Seyi Makinde and his antics. “The artful dodger”.
The artful dodger in Oliver Twist was so skilful in the art of pickpocketing to the extent that he did his trade with the speed of lightening and invisibility of Air.
Makinde have demonstrated that he possesses an uncommon, infact, unthinkable skills when it comes to hypnotizing his victims, spellbound dribbling and playing havocs with their sensibilities while ensuring that in the end, even, those you expected to be clever and intelligent fell for Makinde’s antics and cheaply so.
I still wonder in awe, how he cleverly encroached on the conscience of the Traditional and Religious Institutions before and during the 2023 gubernatorial election.
A particular Oba in Oyo State was so mesmerized to the extent that he was jumping from one Radio station to the other, campaigning for Seyi Makinde!
Religious Institutions didn’t fare better. Most especially the Christian Association of Nigeria.
An Institution which, like the Traditional Institution supposed to be neutral actually got deceived and of course induced to jump into the murky waters of politics.
People have always argued that Makinde’s ability to finger people’s conscience with ease is solely due to inducements.
I strongly disagree. I think the man is just a typical example of a genius who, having studied the drastic drop in values and principles in our society to always latch on to the decadence to wreck havoc.
Albeit, it takes a man with less or no fear of His creator to engage in such dastardly exploits.
If anyone is still in doubt as to the ingenuity of Makinde, let him study how we arrive at a situation where he successfully rubbish late Governor Ajimobi’s reviews of the Chieftaincy Laws of Oyo State to get his first term in office and having using same issue to get himself a second term bringing up back to Ajimobi’s policy on Chieftaincy.
Isn’t Makinde a genius?
Haven’t we enjoyed a jolly deceitful ride?
When you look at how he deceived unsuspecting members of the public with his Light Up Oyo State project and how, after the election came out to admit that there were issues with the concept and the fact that people kept clapping! Are you seeing what I’m seeing?
If you look at how Makinde have turned flag off of projects to take precedent over commissioning of projects and the people always clap!!!
The rot in the Education sector is terrible. Interestingly, Makinde won them over with cancellation of three thousand Naira per session of Ajimobi, even though, Ajimobi was paying for WAEC which is over twenty five thousand Naira and Makinde doesn’t and yet, they clap. Is he not a genius?
Looking at how he capitalized on the indiscretion and greed of some APC stalwarts to scuttle the chances of their Party during the gubernatorial election and he succeeded in using them, only for him to go on live Radio to cleverly exposed them by “appreciating their contributions”!
The fellow is indeed an enigma.
The one common feature of Makinde is that he will deliberately create confusion or allow an existing confusion to fester and will eventually use them to his favor.
You can however be sure that no matter the pact you signed with him, he’s coming back to stab you at the back. That is as sure as daylight.
Whatever he’s doing today in respect to the amended Chieftaincy Laws, he’s sure to show his true identity to those presently cheering.
SOLA ABEGUNDE.
