I listened to a live Radio program on a leading local Radio station based in Ibadan this morning and I was glad I did.
Some of us who have been dedicated to the duty of speaking truth to the happenings in Oyo state have been given names and asked questions about what special interest we have that is beyond that of the ordinary citizen of the state.
We have been asked severally, if we have personal grudges against the Governor of the state or if we were just playing politics.
I can understand most friends, who, out of genuine love do preach caution and offer advice on this crusade.
I also understand and sympathize with those, who, out of personal greed, selfishness and partisanship have been labelling us as enemies of the Governor.
Either way, I am unperturbed.
I am a firm believer in the Grace of God Almighty as being sufficient for me and whatever aspirations I have for now and the future.
I have learned and accepted the fact that the way my creator has wired me, it will be impossible for me to keep quiet when evil thrives.
If the likes of Awolowo, Akintola, Bola Ige and many of the late heroes of Democracy we talk about today had been silent, we definitely won’t have a taste of Democratic governance.
There are some who felt that I have not directed my criticisms at the Federal Government, that is far from the truth.
However, I will agree that my attention has been concentrated so much on the activities of the state Government lately and I will ask, why not?
If Governor Seyi Makinde gets things right in the state, if he had allowed the Local Governments to develop according to the resources accruing to them from the Federation Account. If there are good network of roads in the rural areas and the access roads to our farms and villages are in perfect condition, what else will be my problems?
I am a rural person. A farmer in Ibarapa East Local Government.
If I could access my farm easily and get my products to the markets without stress, why would I remember Agbowo shopping complex?
Even, the only road that links my community to the state capital has become a riddle which Governor Makinde could not solve in about six years!
Am I not a tax payer and am I not entitled to good governance?
The definition of good governance, for me, is not Government patronage and I think this is where the problem is between me and those who felt I harbour a personal grudge against someone.
Having said that, I started by stating my delight in listening to a particular program on a Radio station based in Ibadan this morning.
The anchor of the popular program informed the public that he spoke with six of the 33 Local Government Chairmen in Oyo state with a view to bringing them to talk about their records of achievements within their first hundred days in office.
He said he had an agreement and got confirmation that some of them would be on the program this morning but unfortunately, the Local Government Chairmen informed him that they won’t be appearing again because they have been warned not to grant interviews!
Who will not be bewildered by such a reckless excuse?
No one. Except someone bereft of common sense.
I wrote a piece recently where I was emphatic about the fact that the celebration of the first hundred days in office by the Local Government Chairmen in Oyo state on social media platforms was a celebration of emptiness.
I am not surprised that the Local Government Chairmen declined to appear for the interview.
What would they have come to tell the public?
That they have succeeded in exiting ALGON as directed by the Governor or what?
Oh! Or that they have been paying monthly salaries promptly on the 25th of every month?
They will dare not come except they get concrete assurances that certain questions would not be asked and that the public will not have the opportunity to weigh in on the program.
What would they say if they were asked about how much they have received as monthly Allocations and how they spent it?
Would they dare say that apart from salaries and some little change, they do not have access to their full monthly Allocations?
Honestly, like one of the panelists of the program said, those fellows deserve some pity.
Olorun ma fi ounje wa si ibi to nira. May God not put us in a position where we have to take our daily meals from a difficult source.
We all know what is happening in Oyo state regarding the relationship between the Governor and the Local Government Chairmen.
It is a relationship between the slave and the slave master pure and simple.
Unfortunately, many people can not say it and some don’t want us to talk about it.
The interesting thing is that the judgment of the Supreme court has thrown a spanner to the wheels of corruption within the system and it is just a question of time before the rump of the chicken is exposed.
Asking Local Government Chairmen to avoid press interviews is akin to the man who refuses to blow the phlegm from his nose. One way or the other, it will come out. ( A sun ikun simu, bi o wa ni ikun, yoo wa ni kelebe).
It is tyrannical to ask supposedly elected Local Government Chairmen not to grant interviews.
It equally stands logic on its head for supposedly chief security and accounting officers for Local Governments to sheepishly follow such uncivilized instructions.
Even though, the Chief Press Secretary reportedly denied knowledge of such instructions given to the Local Government Chairmen, question is, could the Chairmen be lying? I strongly doubt it.
Now, who possesses the type of powers to order the sealing of the mouths of the Local Government Chairmen?
Your guess is as good as mine.
SOLA ABEGUNDE.
