Before Osun goes down the valley!
By Mohammed Yacoob, Lokoja, Kogi State
Some of the problems troubling our society are not too far from the institutional standing of public institutions and their functionalities. As we all know, what distinguishes a state is when it performs up to standard. And how does a state perform up to standard? Well, it is by putting round pegs in round holes for effective functionalism. For that to happen, it behooves the people to look at issues dispassionately, sentiments off the table. How do I mean? If a man is capable enough to be governor, he should be put in that office. If he is not, he shouldn’t even be allowed to move near the office at all. The general standard, therefore, is: whosever will aspire to an office must work towards its realization. Ability to understand and process issues will always be central to the appropriateness of the choices that are made.
Except we are being economical with the truth, recent political developments in Osun State have painted a vivid picture of a State saying goodbye to the new beginnings. Sentiments aside, had Ademola Adeleke prepared to be the governor of Osun State, he would have long settled the contentious secondary school certificate issues currently discombobulating his beloved aspiration. That the governor-elect is now running helter-skelter, trying to resolve issues surrounding his questionable academic qualifications has only shown the seriousness we attach to governance issues in this part of the world. If, fifteen years ago, Adeleke had done the needful, by now, he would be sitting down comfortably, savoring the joy of the assumption of the office he is madly craving.
For all we care, governing a state comes with some certain, basic requisite standards; and we cannot continue to lower the standard. Doing so will only amount to a recipe for chaos. In other words, the survival of the state is greater and more important than the survival of any political party. A man whose only credit revolves around dancing should have stayed in the showbiz. The foolery associated with the American graduation should have been okay for a 21-year-old boy who did what was expected of him, and only when doing so was commendable for him. That Ademola Adeleke was the only candidate Osun PDP could present for an office as important as Osun State Governor is food for thought. Within the parlance of Yoruba cosmology, it is like a man coming to equity. He must come with clean hands.
When the world looks at us from outside, it would be as if Osun is a State troubled by the dearth of leadership. But it is not so! Within Ede Township alone, there can emerge more than 5,000 men of ideas like Jawaharlal Nehru, Lin Kuan Yew, John Kennedy and Nelson Mandela who are even capable of being presidents of Nigeria. Anyway, the Governor-elect may not appreciate that because he, in the real sense of it, didn’t go to school! True, he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but he willingly messed up the golden opportunities. Had he opted for Harvard at the time, Ademola would have long graduated. So, spending six months to earn a disputed university degree would never have been his lot; and that would have been a plus for him. Haba!
The way things stand, should Adeleke be sworn-in as Osun governor without resolving his questionable academic standing, then, a precedent will have been set; and that will be a bad precedent. In other societies, a contestant like Adeleke would have thought of it twice before even diving into the ocean, let alone attempt to become Osun governor. Let’s even admit that it was a mistake, surrendering the mandate and apologizing to Nigerians after his victory was announced shouldn’t have been a problem. But again, here we are! A largely unprepared contestant, who ought to be in a monastery, doing penance, is preparing to assume headship of a state which prides itself as the ‘State of the Virtuous.’ There and then, the unleavened bread will become the king of the shelf. The painful part of it is the impending bastardization of the prides and values of the Seat of the Cradle of Civilization by this half-baked personality. Likewise, everything the state has over the years prided itself in will be unthinkingly destroyed by mal-administration and power tussle among a disjointed team.
Statutorily as Visitor to the State’s institutions of higher learning, a Governor Adeleke will have to address graduating students, dazzlingly hooded. He as governor will be the one to appoint, promote, even sanction erring judges and other legal officers in the state’s employ; and beyond. What’s more? Should King Charles III decide to send an envoy to Osun State, then, God help dear state, for it is ‘Ade Dancer’ as the governor who will be the chief host.
Let’s even pause for a moment, what is Adeleke’s dynasty’s interest in Osun? Well, those who perfectly understand the game of politics will readily agree with me that the governor-elect’s elder brother who reportedly bankrolled his younger brother’s election is a businessman to the core, one who has invested hugely in the project; and he already has IOU to so many people. Like it or not, no responsible man invests in a business concern without concrete plans for recouping his investment. It is also a problem postponed: if ‘Egbon’ spends all his money pursuing the governorship ambition for his younger brother, the society that will inherit the problems will be one of some few rich people in the midst of a poverty-stricken majority.
Again, why do Yoruba send their children to school? Is it no longer because hard-work is the major tool and credible means of achieving elevated social status within the society? How come the governor-elect is the only one whose certificate is being scrutinized, even, on the pages of newspapers? Aren’t Nigerians also getting worried at the consistent presence of Ademola’s sister everywhere he goes? Take it or leave it, Davido, who also shared money to the people didn’t do it just because he liked their faces or voices. It was for a purpose! So, except God takes control, Osun State is already deeply immersed in trouble, should our friend be sworn-in.
On the Transition Committee set up by Governor-elect Adeleke, how many among them are professionals and what are they professing? What are they even transiting to when they don’t even have access to what obtains a la governance in Osun State? What about the civil servants who are clandestinely supplying Adeleke’s camp with fake documents? What are they up to? And the pensioners: are they selling their future to a governor-elect who, from all indications, will renege on his promises as he has incurred huge debts from the election? Won’t Osun State be another case of ‘the leper, who may be incapable of churning milk but can very well waste it’?
For most of us who reside outside Osun State, our major worry is: if the sharing of excess funds from the last governorship election by the PDP family in Ede could claim no fewer than three innocent lives, including that of an unborn child, isn’t that a terrible sign of what to expect, should the PDP get to power? With a soul like Ademola Adeleke in the saddle as governor, is Osun State not on its way to the valley?
Remember Aliyu Sabo Bakin Zuwo and Busari Adelakun, alias ‘Eruobodo.’ If you do, then, pray for Osun State!
