By now, Governor Seyi Makinde ought to have apologized for one of his recent social media posts. In a saner clime, that distasteful post is enough to raise dust of public anger. But here, immunity has morphed into impunity. Arguably one of the most insensitive, condescending, and needless posts by any public official since the Femi Gbajabiamila’s Harvard Kennedy School of Governance row last year July. Whereas most politicians take pleasure in strong-headedness, the way the Governor is now, the former speaker’s public apology caught many off guard. Perhaps, his action was counterintuitive in a country where elected officials assumed they could always eat their cakes and still have them.
“I apologize for the post at this time, and I hope you will understand that it was not my intention to cause disaffection,” Mr. Gbajabiamila remarked “As Speaker, I have made multiple interventions within the powers of the legislative to avert the ongoing strike”. Many condemned and criticized the former Speaker who is now the Chief of Staff to the President for embarking on a frivolous leadership course in the US at a time Universities across the country were shut down by the Academic Staff Union of Universities. In a way, the outrage and uproar that trailed Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila’s post showed that public anger and resentment of any leadership mishap can force public officials from acting in ways that advance their interests at the detriment of the country’s collective and overall development.
Unfortunately, many must have assumed that after the Gbajabiamila saga, public officials would be conscious and careful not to ruffle the feathers of the public. Until a few days ago Governor Seyi Makinde happily and cheerfully posted about his time at the just concluded US Open won by 19-year-old Coco Gauff and 36-year-old Novak Djokovic, the self-serving post has generated mixed reactions. Expected that such a post would instantly generate positive reactions from his digital dingbats albeit they are also suffering from the grueling economic condition in the land. In today’s teeth-gritting, excruciatingly biting social-economic reality, Makinde’s lickspittle must have been delusional to think hailing the Governor was a noble call.
Instead of calling out the Governor for frolicking in the US with taxpayers’ money, most of them went berserk, falling on each other just for the Governor’s attention. Quite unfortunate those who suffered from this same government are the ones showing solidarity. Poverty in other words can make a mess of any sensible person. On the other hand, Governor Makinde’s globetrotting saga has bandied people who felt such a disgraceful outing is the least from a Governor. For a Governor to be chilling in the faraway United States of America while his people languish in multidimensional says a lot. Understandable that the Governor’s Kids live in the US and as a father, it’s an obligation to keep up with his children.
But his visit this time around is to New York City and not California. Ridiculous that if the Governor is not running a marathon in California alongside his daughter, then he is vibing in the US Open alongside his buddies. And when you connect the dots of how frequent local and foreign trips by those in power ground governance to a halt, you will see why the criticism that greeted Makinde’s adventure to the US was needed. If nothing, the fact that people who are otherwise loyal to the Governor could take a different stand on that distasteful adventure shows that the Governor’s invincibility is fading and most of his people are beginning to suspect his motives.
Traveling is not the problem but the timing and the essence. Any sensitive Governor would not show off when his people are in pain. What many assumed was the defining features of the Governor has been turned on its head. Empathy has turned into a farce. Think of the way Makinde’s SAfER palliatives distribution has suffered huge setbacks. In some parts of the state, video clips have emerged depicting the crisis and chaos around the distribution. When you have a band of impoverished people to feed, you don’t jet out of the country to post about your time enjoying the wealth of those same people. In his first term, Governor Makinde ranks among the most traveled sitting Governors in Nigeria. In one instance, the opposition APC claimed that in just six months, the Governor had traveled out in a staggering 23 times! Olawale Sadare, APC spokesperson pointed out that the Governor’s frequent trips out of the country are hurting governance in the state. “Without adding any significant value to the state since May 2019,” Olawale Sadare enthused “Makinde has been wasting the meager resources available on foreign trips”. If he is not in France today, he’s in the US tomorrow, or the UK the day after among other trips that add nothing to the state’s bottom lines.
In a way, what strikes me most in the Governor’s US Open post is the way most of his followers bashed him. On Instagram, Ndukeogbeide politely asked what efforts the Governor has made in grassroots sports development in the state. Shrewdi asked when the Governor would post Oyo state’s achievements in lawn tennis next time on his profile. Dotun_o wondered what the Governor and the commissioner for sports are doing to promote sport in the state. on Facebook, former Presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore berated the Governor for “wasting money of the state watching those whose governments cared about their future”.
Also on Facebook, Sulaiman Ayinla Oladoja observed that in his local government (Oorelope), there has been no single road construction by the state government. Akin Ashaolu equally posited: when all roads in Ibadan are dilapidated and in a sorry state, seriously, this guy is a total failure as a governor”. In addition, Adigun Yinka also declared that “GSM government is a deceit to Oyo state, no good road, functional school”. Siji Olorunsola sadly pointed that: it’s very sad for our office bearers to stand and take pictures confidently in the sporting arena in another man’s country while theirs is in shambles”.
In his first term, Governor Makinde left no one in doubt of his desire to fleece taxpayers’ money for his pleasure. In a matter of months after his second term inauguration, he traveled to the Benin Republic as part of the President’s entourage, Rwanda for NGF retreat, and to the US where he frequented almost every month. Tomorrow, he will be part of the President delegates to the UN General Assembly as well. Before his inauguration, the Governor held a business summit in London where he said investors have been attracted to the state. It remains to be seen how those incessant trips will pay off in the long run. Ultimately, the Governor is undoubtedly the new Ajala in town: globetrotting at will without recourse to the sustenance of his impoverished people.
OYO101 is Muftau Gbadegesin’s opinion about issues affecting Oyo state and is published every Saturday. He can be reached via muftaugbadegesin@gmail.com and 09065176850.
