Akeem Olatunji, the Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) accused Oyo APC of being the brain behind the rumours that Governor Makinde promised to start bringing in maize from Botswana in order to discredit him. Olatunji blamed the opposition for spreading what the governor did not say.
Confirming what Gov Makinde said, Akeem Olatunji said the governor only promised that Oyo state would start exporting maize to Botswana. Akeem Olatunji was right! That’s exactly what the governor said. During his inauguration, Governor Seyi Makinde said he had concluded plans with Botswana to start exporting maize to the country from Oyo State as part of his agenda on agriculture to increase revenue. However, Olatunji disclosed that Gov Makinde shelved the idea of exporting maize to Botswana when Dr Debo Akande, an Agriculturist, advised him against it.
It has been Governor Makinde’s stock-in-trade to superficially plan on issues of governance and projects only to jettison such plans midway or before implementation. What manner of a governor would make a pronouncement of maize export to Botswana during his inauguration, only to be told later that the idea was not feasible and viable?
An instance which readily comes to mind is the issue of Ikere Gorge Dam. During 2019 governorship electioneering, Governor Makinde’s singsong was that he was going to turn Ikere Gorge Dam to irrigation and power generating centre. But the governor recanted in the middle of governance that the late Ibadan business mogul and philanthropist, Chief Bode Akindele, told him that the Ikere Gorge Dam project was going to be a white elephant one, hence he halted the idea of making the dam an irrigation and power generating centre.
It’s a worrisome habit that Governor Makinde has imbibed not to make adequate consultations on his plans before making them public. This does not portray the Executive Governor of Oyo State as a man adequately prepared for the demands of governance. Governor Makinde should henceforth enlist technical and professional helps on projects he plans to undertake for the benefits of Oyo State and its people so that he won’t continue to appear as being not serious with governance.
