Seyi Makinde and my conscience at war
TWO small sachets of Bournvita and a sachet of Dano milk I had just mixed to regain my weakened self, when an inspiration knocked and directed my right thumb to hit the screen of my phone, incalculably. “Seyi Makinde and my conscience at war,” it first typed.
But beyond the personified expression, what could have really triggered a war between Seyi Makinde and my conscience? Will Seyi Makinde defeat my conscience? Will my conscience rather tremble beneath the crushing weight of Seyi Makinde? Soon, I will avail you of answers to these lingering questions.
Recently, while brooding over the sad situation of things in Nigeria, I sat and opened Nigeria’s Pandora box. Part of what I found in it is “blind support for politicians and blind loyalty to political parties.” If anything has done great harm to the progress of Nigeria, it is the fact that Nigerians blindly support their favourite political parties and candidates, that they refuse to see the good - even the littlest ones - from other candidates and parties.
For Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to become Nigeria’s next president, my support is striking: thanks to his amazing personality and track records which I couldn’t turn blind eyes to. I, however, find it quite unpleasing to my sanity that I would support Folarin, a ‘celebrated lout’ as the next governor of my state, only because I have declared my support for an APC candidate at the federal level. I find it disturbing to my conscience to support a fruitless senator, when there’s a better candidate that would lift my state with capable hands.
The good works of Engr. Seyi Makinde thus challenged my conscience to a duel, and defeated it. This fueled the need to declare my unwavering support for Seyi Makinde, and restate that: my allegiance is not to any political party, but to capable minds that would deliver the Oyo State and Nigeria of my dream. Like the former governor of Minnesota, Jesse Ventura would say, “I love my country, not my government”. I also love my country and not any political party.
“I am here as your governor to serve you. I will work tirelessly and take responsibility for the workings of every sector...” in Seyi Makinde’s inaugural speech seemed not to be mere word from a mealy mouth, but word from a sincere heart. For, only a godsend governor would kickstart his administration by declaring his asset - an uncommon act among his peers. That, alone, was a good pointer that we were in a ride with a capable driver, who would drive us to the shore of victory.
Seyi has made TRANSPARENCY the watchword of his administration, that he bared his daily activities to the knowledge of Oyo citizens and the general public. But I have this opinion of GSM: his experience, his sincerity, the advice he seeks, and divine inspiration would not only have made him an outstanding governor, but the great books and authors he reads too. Some of these authors, whom I have known via his biweekly newsletters, are Akinwumi Adesina, Roberto Kiyasoki, Olaniwun Ajayi, Clayton Christensen, and co. With a careful observation of these authors, their groovy personalities, and how they have managed the leadership positions they once held, you’d agree that Seyi has chosen to tap inspiration from exceptional writers/ leaders. Only light, they say, attracts light.
So far, Governor Seyi Makinde has been like the biblical serpent, very wise; the biblical dove, very naive. His leadership style has been a breeze - a breeze that sweeps off maladministration and corrupt government officials. The five-legged seat on which the Omituntun administration reclines: Education, Health, Security, Expanded economy, and Infrastructure were carefully-positioned and well-managed. He had not led selfishly or blotched his campaign promises, for if he had, he would have committed the seventh of the seven social sins of Fredrick Donaldson - politics without principle.
Education wise, Seyi Makinde had taken Oyo from the 26th position to 11th position on the national log. Feyi’s dad had successfully scraped the burdensome 3,000 education levy imposed on students in Oyo public schools. Lautech, which was once known for its endless interteslim nal strikes, is now a toast of admission seekers, thanks to the timely intervention of the Governor, and the ₦500m he disbursed to clear the institution’s outstanding payments. He would later upgrade Emmanuel Alayande College of Education to University of Education. That, did not even affect the ₦200m he disbursed to Poly Ibadan, which afforded the institution the opportunity to accredit 15 new programmes. Do one mention the special bursary of ₦500,000 each given to over 200 Oyo indigenes at law school, which totaled N116.5 million in 2020? Only a governor who values education would allocate over 20% of the state’s budget to the education sector. Commendably, in the 2021 budget, the education sector’s budget was 21% - which was even above the UNESCO recommended standard of 15-20%.
The health of his people is not something he takes with a levity; he had laudably renovated and remodeled one primary health center in each of the 351 wards across the state. Thousands of Oyo residents are currently benefiting from the Oyo Health Insurance Scheme, which has reduced uncomfortable medical bills. He had also facilitated the capacity building for the quality of care in ANC and PNC, which were conducted for 320 health care providers across 60 facilities. Thanks to his procurement and installation of medical equipments at hospitals like Jericho Nursing Home, Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, and the University College Hospital. The godsend Seyi had also facilitated 244, 073 free medical services, 2,349 free surgical operations, 1,000 free glasses, and 2,458 dental treatments. These are just a few of the health strides Seyi has taken for the benefit of Oyo indigenes and residents.
An administration without its challenge(s) exists nowhere in the world. In the face of security challenges that would have blighted his administration, GSM was quick to nip the unforeseen challenge in the bud. His fatherly role in the Fulani crisis in Ibarapa is one that deserves applause. He swiftly led armed units like the Police, Amotekun, Vigilante, and others to the boiling part of Oyo State and restored peace, while also relieving victims of financial burdens. He even condemned the ultimatum that Sunday Igboho gave to the Fulanis - which sent a clear message that Seyi presides over all the inhabitants of Oyo, and not just Oyo indigenes. An exceptional leader, that is. He was at the forefront of actualization of the regional policing unit, Amotekun. Matter-offactly, he spearheaded that just a month after resumption to office, while meeting with other Southwest governors and necessary stakeholders. Today, everyone commends the effectiveness of Amotekun, Mr Macaroni also did last week, when he came to Oyo and saw how ultraefficient Amotekun is. Lest I forget to add that the Omituntun administration created an additional security unit, the Police Mobile Force (PMF) and provided it, alongside Amotekun and other armed units, with hundreds of security vans, motorcycles, and Kia Motors. Our Seyi also secured a mobile police base, which is located in Oke-ogun. Only he, would dissolve NURTW and remodeled it into PMS, so it could be more official, and its members sanitized and less violent. Only a governor who values the security of his people would have taken these laudable strides and more.
Governor Seyi Makinde is indeed an economy expert who has kept our economy humming, even when what he met was huge debts and paucity of fund. He had taken Oyo State IGR from N1.7 billion to N3.3 billion monthly without burdensome taxes or rates, and made Oyo one among the only few states attractive to foreign investors in the first quarter of 2022. Seyi’s economic footprints in Oyo have led United Nations Human Settlements Programme (Un-habitat) research to rank Ibadan as the second fastest growing city in Africa, citing industrialization, urbanization, and economic activities as reasons for the growth. Cutting to the chase, Oyo State has attracted private investments of over N27 billion in agribusiness alone over the past three years. Between 2019-2022, OYSADA achieved international agribusiness funding of over $120 million for Oyo State. How, on earth, would my conscience ignore these?