Ajimobi’s indecorum
When the students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho, Oyo State whose workers have been on strike for eight months went to Government House in Ibadan to see the governor, Abiola Ajimobi, the least he could have done was to be cordial to them. However, to the consternation of everybody that watches the video, the way the governor reacted to the students was totally unbecoming of a governor who is supposed to be the father of all citizens of his state and therefore be accommodating.
As expected the students were worried and as normal with young people they were rowdy, but since he came out to address them, he should have acted with maturity and not behave like one of them. Ajimobi said, “You complain your school was closed for eight months, am I the one that closed your school?” When the students got rowdy in response, he worsened matters by saying, “If this is how you want to talk to me, then go and do your worst. If you want to be troublesome, I dare you. I am ready for you. Let’s see what happens then.”
He told them that it was not the first time schools were shut. “So what?” he said in anger. When the students got rowdy again, Ajimobi pinpointed one student and asked the police to bring the student to him, but the other students resisted the arrest so Ajimobi said, “Leave him.” He then told the students that they must face reality on ground, which is that Oyo State government and many state governments lack funds, and they must find a way to help the students. “But if you come here shouting at me, I am not going to talk to you. And if you want to start trouble, go ahead!”
Governor Ajimobi asked the students to have respect for the constituted authority. Pointing at himself, he said, “This is the constituted authority of Oyo State. The fact is that I am the constituted authority. Even if I don’t pay salaries, it does not remove that authority.”
When the students went to him, he was supposed to calm them, give them assurance to do something that would end the strike for them to go back to school. Instead he talked to them in a derogatory manner, which is insensitive to their plight whose education has been on hold for a long time. This behaviour is against his responsibility as their governor. Even if he was not the one who closed the school, as the governor of the state he must be responsible for seeing to its reopening. And he has the power to meet with the striking parties and end the strike.
We are disappointed that Ajimobi, a former senator and a governor for six years, did not show decorum on how he responds to aggrieved citizens. Moreover, the state House of Assembly should sit up to its responsibility, because one would have thought the House Committee on Education should have intervened and sorted out the problem since without allowing it to linger for eight months.
There should be no room for such impunity from the leaders who are there to serve the people. After all, they campaigned vigorously to get elected and represent the people. Unless it is all a ruse that they do it for themselves and their families. Nigerians are not happy with Governor Ajimobi. He should apologise to the students and the people of Oyo State for bringing it to disrepute. The other governors should learn from his mistake and refrain from treating people with disdain. Every citizen deserves respect, and the ‘constituted authorities’ should respond to their grievances in a decorous manner.