The late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi had amassed formidable enemies for himself in the field of politics, the students Associations, the Civil service and the elites.
In his party, the APC, the nomination of Bayo Adelabu as Its gubernatorial candidate resulted in an implosion that rocked the party to Its very roots.
The late Governor also had unresolved issues with the Labour Union in the state as a result of arrears of unpaid salaries, gratuity and allowances.
The issue he had with the students of tertiary Institutions in the state climaxed during an altercation between the Governor and the students when the students protested at the Agodi Secretariat.
The late Governor, while addressing the students, perhaps, out of frustration, or anger or as a result of both, declared that he was the constituted Authority for Oyo state and that the students should do the worse.
That singular statement would later hurt Ajimobi and the APC.
The most potent weapon used against Ajimobi however was his handling of the reforms to the Olubadan Chieftaincy Law.
The mishandling of the issue nailed the coffin of the APC’s failure in 2019.
The motive of this piece is directed at how Governor Makinde became Governor in 2019 merely as a result of impulse rather than substance and why Oyo state should not repeat such mistakes in 2027.
Like I said, emotions, pushed by anger and vengeance against the outgoing Governor Ajimobi took precedents over important issues such as the antecedents, experience, capacity and ability of the one who was promoted to take over from him.
It was the same as the 2015 slogan of ” anything but Jonathan” of the APC.
If anything, Governor Seyi Makinde have justified the thinking that anyone who hasn’t held one political office or the other in the past, or, who hasn’t attained the level of at least a Director in the civil service might not be fit for the position of the Governor of Oyo state.
Before Governor Seyi Makinde, the late Governor Kolapo Olawuyi Isola was a former Local Government Chairman of Akinyele Local Government, the great Lam Adesina was a former member of the House of Representatives, Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja was a Senator who represented Oyo South Senatorial District, Akala was first a Local Government Chairman and Deputy Governor before his election as Governor in 2007.
Seyi Makinde is the only Governor Oyo state elected without the experience of having served in any political office.
When the Governor first made the statement that he has no godfather in politics, I shuddered and began to prepare myself for more shocking actions from the kitten who was poised to become a Tiger with the fullness of time.
I didn’t have to wait for too long.
The whole world and of course, Seyi Makinde knows that he had a godfather, but one which he knew inside of him he needed to climb to the seat.
The Governor is a master of manipulations.
He humbled himself. Pretended to go along with every arrangements made with coalition partners at the instance of a former Governor of the state, who only, was capable of bringing together everyone under the coalition.
At that point, Seyi Makinde dare not make such statements as, ” I don’t have a godfather”.
That Seyi Makinde rubbished the promises and agreements made to the coalition partners is already history.
From day one, the Governor made no pretence about the fact that he was prepared to run his shows by himself or at least with whoever he chose to do the show with and he does find one.
Someone who have been saying he has no godfather does have something worse than a godfather.
He has a godfriend or is it a godbrother?
It is open secret that there is someone in his life who, you may refer to as the Mr. Fix it of the Makinde Government.
This individual, even though, not from Oyo state and not holding any public office known to the public is said to be so powerful that even the high and mighty crawl before him.
I heard Auxiliary saying in a video that though, he’s older than the fellow, yet he prostrates to greet him.
Isn’t that funny?! The Governor, who could not tolerate a godfather but he is comfortable allowing a non state actor to loom large.
If you look at the way Governor Makinde have been running his Government, you will see that he does perceive Government as a private enterprise.
That is why the Governor was bold to say that he is opposed to the Independence of Local Governments.
That is why he was not moved when he agreed that he was indeed monitoring the spendings of the Local Government Chairmen like a kind of a Senior prefect.
That is why he goofed when he was threatening Folarin with the ” Eleweomo file”, whatever that meant.
That is why he doesn’t know that he is not the one to crown the Olubadan when he demanded that a man in his eighties must be strong before being crowned.
The mentality of the private sector is apparent in the actions and inactions of the Governor.
I agree that there is much to gain from the private sector but for a position as that of the Governorship of Oyo state, the Makinde experiment have shown that a blend of public service experience is necessary for whoever should be considered as Governor of the state.
Many, if not majority of American presidents were either once a Senator or a Governor.
Former president Trump had no prior political experience and we all saw what happened with his presidency with regards to certain issues.
Those who are coming from the private sector tend to have an Independent mind and governance requires flexibility. That, they don’t have.
The private sector also tend to sometimes make people unpredictable.
Politics, like any other trade, is an art. It requires training.
Left for Governor Makinde, his deep purse and his tricks gave him the seat of Governor and he doesn’t need to carry anyone in esteem. It is a spirit of the private sector. Set your goal and get it at costs. After that, discard those who were used to achieve the results.
I have seen and heard of many who wish to take over from Governor Makinde in 2027.
I must sound this note of warning to politicians to be weary of candidates who have no public service experience.
A retired Local Government carrier officer would have done better than Governor Seyi Makinde in a lot of areas.
There are and there will be a lot of experienced politicians and many from the private sector.
It is my personal opinion. Oyo state is too dynamic to be govern by someone who haven’t at least, been a ward Councilor.
We can not afford another master in chief in Agodi. Even though, the present master also have his ” Basorun Gaa”.
I am not, by any stretch of imagination advocating for godfatherism in politics.
I am however of the strong view that as Governor, you can’t afford to be a lose Canon. A kind of I know it all.
Yorubas will say when a child lacks someone to discipline him, he becomes spoilt. ” Omo o ni onibawi, Omo jera, o se idin”.
Even, clergies also have Elderly clergies from whom they sought guardian when faced with situations beyond their ken.
The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, as Premier of the Western Region confessed to appointing for himself, two unofficial Advisers. One of them was the Odemo of Ishara at the material time.
People from the private sector, most especially, those who are always fond of reminding you that they passed out with First Class from the University or the ones who have made loads of money from whatever ventures do not love to be subjective to the opinions of others.
Unfortunately for them, governance entails effective collaboration.
The fact that can not master the method to collaborate with people with different academic and social backgrounds because of ego is the reason they abhor interference.
To them, every other person is a riff raff to be used and dumped at the appropriate time.
That is exactly what is happening in the Government of Seyi Makinde and that is why Oyo can not afford a repeat of 2029 where our emotions rather than substance, dictated our choice.
Although, you might want to argue that things wouldn’t have been different, had it been the other side got it.
I also think so and that is why public should be interested in who carries the flag of the leading political parties.
The political parties also must not allow their choices to be dictated for them by external forces who will not be there when things get messy.
SOLA ABEGUNDE
