By Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji
At times, we place some comments not even analysis in their proper perspectives and come to stack truth that they should be left at the realm of the delusional imagination of the people.
The latest bombshell by a renowned writer and Publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu (Nigeria, What Are We Restructuring) and application of the article to Ogun State politics, has awakened the sensibility of the political spectators that most postulations by Governor Ibikiunle Amosun’s 2019 Yewa Agenda are mere political gestures.
Partly, democracy is a game of numbers and maneuvering, and attaining political power through it, requires adopting the right permutations, acquiring the best strategist, planner and executioner to get the job done.
Governor Amosun clearly understands this and has tactically thrown in the towel in Yewa’s camp with all its attendant challenges. Secondly, note that political power is not served a-la-carte; you have to think it through hard work for it in all ramifications, and applying the right mix of political options.
Let us get down to the brass tacks and tackle the matter of zoning or political arrangement in the state.
The socio-economic and political stability of our dear Ogun state is collapsing in the hands of the current gladiators and the need to urgently rise to rescue the dwindling fortune of the state’s resources cannot be anymore entrusted in the hands of the charlatans who are parading themselves today as true democrats.
For those that are in myopic desperation and unjustified tribal sentiments, foolishly imposing on us unconstitutional zoning arrangement to beguile the sensibility of the people of Ogun State for their wishful thought and selfish interest should ensure that their desperate ambition would not thrown the state into another state of emergency after 2019 general elections.
Those who have controlled the state politically in the last 40years have shown no capacity to explore their immense power to the overall benefit of the people. All they have succeeded in doing was to empower a few of their cronies who become tin-gods during their reign.
We should ask many of those saying they felt cheated in the political setting of Ogun state to explain what they meant and you will be amaze from their answers that it is more of politics than anything else.
The point is that, if the Yewas argue that they want the Governorship seat as a matter of legitimate right, then, the answer is that they must keep working like others. Democracy or politics is a game of mathematical numbers and it should not be a gift to anyone.
Out of the four geo-political zones of the state, (i.e Remo, Ijebu, Yewa, and Egba), a governorship candidate must not lock down on his territory, living on the apron string of some godfathers and power of incumbency to realize his dream. The point is that, you can never become Ogun state governor simply by virtue of where you come from but by what you can offer to the development of the state.
Unfortunately, many of those agitating for Yewa governor, are doing so due to their believe that, the zone has not really enjoyed government impact in that area in terms of infrastructure and rural development.
If their zeal for power is based on the lack of dividends of democracy as highlighted above, then, they should stop crying foul, but rather hold their leaders responsible.
Governor Amosun clearly understands that, the Yewa people would continue to fight over supremacy and portend hindrance to their aspiration. He knows that, the Yewa agenda cannot be achieved. He understands his support for an Imeko person to clinch the governorship ticket will not augur well with Ilaro people and Aiyetoro et al. Governor Amosun knowing full that, the unity of Yewa is at stake with the endorsement of any minority from that zone will definitely spring up intra-tribal crisis and this will create room for many aggrieved group from the zone to fall out with his candidate which will incidentally be at the advantage of the other unified political zone in the state to present a formidable candidate.
What the Yewa people should be afraid of, is the joker of Governor Amosun’s hidden card. What has happened to past leaders, deputy-governors, senators, lawmakers, Ministers, political appointees, local government chairmen from Yewa? What has been their contribution to the development of their region, if they felt they have been indeed marginalized and did not felt impact of government in their region?
Does it mean that, those present and past political representatives from the region are only representing their pocket? If the previous Senators and House of Representatives members and local government chairmen have failed to facilitate federal government and state developmental projects to that area, of what use will a Yewa governor be to that region?
Governor Amosun’s support for the Yewa agenda should be his personal opinion, not forceful imposition on the rightful thinking indigenes of the state. The resources of the Gateway state are being carelessly wasted on self-prioritized project in a single region. If we truly love ourselves, we must bury our foolish pride and do the needful.
The principle of rotation is unconstitutional. It is left to the parties to accept or not. Any Nigerian is free to contest his popularity at the polls and should never be threatened into abandoning his dream. That is why Nigeria is a multi-party state with about 45 registered political parties.
The decision of who becomes Ogun State Governor should be the unilateral decision of the electorate at the poll without any inducement or intimidation.
We should take our destiny into our hands in pragmatic terms now. I enjoin our people to rightly make the right choice in voting person of unblemished character above party interest for the job at hand. The time to embrace logics over tribal sentiment has come. The stakes are too high for rhetorical sentiments and innuendo.
The submission here is that, there are more attaining democratic power than mere postulations and individual’s grandstanding.
OGUNSIJI, is a public commentator and analyst based in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
michaelogunsiji@gmail.com