1. In Oyo State today, it’s complete DANSE MACABRE! From Ibadan, to Oke-Ogun, through the Ibarapas. Indiscipline. Traffic mess. Anarchy. Insecurity. Gov@seyiamakinde
is trying his best but the fundamental remains: He must (re-)situate his approach to governance, far far away from performative populism.
2. The point has been made over time that Oyo is too complex, too conservative, too ‘Ladical’ even, to be handled with such “laissez faire” style, all in the name of being seen as the “people’s governor”. The consequence, as we are beginning to see in d recent anarchy, is dire.
3. The governor should not be shy to walk back on his populist mantras, especially those that have proven to be disastrous – his jejune take on street trading, for instance. There is no point clinging on to failed (non-)policies when the end-result is disorderliness/lawlessness.
4. HE may also re-consider his relationships with those around him, licking his ‘bum-bum’ for crumbs. They are more dangerous to him, and indeed the state, than those he may consider “enemies” today. e.g The sycophantic dingbats that embarrassed the state recently with what has proven to be a fake WAEC ranking/list.
5. Like they did with insecurity and things degenerated, folks who manufacture jejune, childish, asinine, kindergarten lies in the name of “defending” the governor/govt would do anything to shield him (Mr Makinde) away from the ugly realities until, God forbid, things would go completely out of hand.
6. I drove to Eruwa in the autumn of December and had my heart in my mouth all through the journey, almost literally. That’s not the Oyo state we all want to be proud of. Of course, the less one talks about the conspiratorial silence in the state, the better for one’s sanity.
I wish the governor the very best in his resolve to fix the state.
Ipinle Oyo o ni b’aje o…
