What Ibadan loses by its stranglehold on Oyo governorship – Group
Femi OGUNLANA
Advertisement
A socio-cultural organization Ogbomoso Development Initiative (ODI) has observed that by maintaining a stranglehold on power in Oyo state Ibadan power brokers are doing greater harm than good to themselves.
The group in an article by its publicity secretary Benjamin Oyeleke “Oyo 2027: A call for equity, fairness and justice – Can GSM rewrite history?” noted that the idea of shutting out other component parts of the state from the Agodi Government House deprives it of multiplicity of ideas and inputs that the others can bring to not only develop the capital city but to advance politically at the national level.
ODI stated the present monopolistic tendency of the Ibadans ran contrary to the principle of egalitarianism adopted by early Ibadan settlers whom it said alowed for individuals irrespective of origins to rise in the power equation of the community as long as such individuals are able to make invaluable military and economic contributions to the state.
The group noted this attitude was the basis of the strength of Ibadan averring it made it possible for non-Ibadans to rise to the pinnacle of power in the budding town.
He said this populist path has been jettisoned and so submitted it’s possibly why its politicians are non-starters on the national stage failing to make much impact.
“Nevertheless, looked at from another prism, Ibadan might not realize it, her monopoly of power sets her back also. Why is it that the city cannot muster enough goodwill and resources to make a statement politically at the national level? Tell me of any Ibadan politician that ruffles feathers in national politics. All their gragra ends at the Airport in Ibadan. But if they are magnanimous and relaxes their stranglehold at the state level, favour of God will follow them and they will be afforded the benefit of multiple ideas, resources and wherewithal supplied by other brilliant politicians from other regions to facilitate their ascendancy.,” it was noted.
Advertisement
“Only a coalescence of wide range of ideas will elevate the status of Oyo state politicians and help advance the cause of the state. Tell me any Oyo politician who is overtly reckoned with at the national level. This is partly due to the narrow stream of baking of political juggernauts, if Ibadan allows others to develop too by opening the field they will be the greatest beneficiaries. What is the secret of the strength of Ibadan at foundation and in its early history? Isn’t it based on a coalition of strengths, resources and ability of others?
“Then, it opened the field to tap from all comers’ input? That’s why she was able to create a thriving empire in the pre-colonial period. She jettisoned that policy in contemporary times shutting chances against brilliant, heroic minds from other lands, and what do we have , a shrink in status and vibrancy! I may be wrong though.”
The socio – cultural group also asserted that the capital city fared better when late Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala held forte as governor compared to when Ibadan indigenes were/are in the saddle and so urged the Ibadan power brokers to allow “justice, equity and fairness” as another general elections approaches.
Advertisement
Read full article below:
Oyo 2027: A call for equity, fairness and justice – Can GSM rewrite history?
Benjamin Oyeleke
The race for the 2027 elections is about to commence or has indeed taken off in various facets, and as usual it promises to be explosive. Meanwhile, the seat of governorship in Oyo state is the concern of this piece, how the blatant, brazen marginalization of other zones in the state will witness a pause and politicians from other regions be given a lifeline to have a shot at the exalted position. A state delienated into five geopolitical zones it is irksome that only a region has seen it as its inalienable right to perpetually dominate the seat in utter disregard to the principle of fairness, justice and equity. Ibadan, the capital city of the state has maintained a stranglehold on the position reducing other component parts to hangers on and a state of subservience. Ibadan forms the largest constituent part, harbours the largest population and ruthlessly leverages on this to hold the grip. Though never subjected to independent verification Ibadan boasts of a voters’ strength greater than all other constituent parts of Ogbomoso, Oyo, Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa put together. Aside the population factor, the Ibadan people because of their long years of running the government of the state have amassed enormous reservoir of wealth, which can be dipped into, to transform into a hefty war chest, that gives them an edge over others. In addition, their domain houses the headquarters of the various political parties and they control the machineries of these parties, enthrone stooges to head their administrative positions and so easily manipulate them to do their bidding. The structures favour the perpetual domination of the Ibadans and unless a divine arrangement unravels as it manifested in the enfoldment of late Chief Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala as governor in 2006 through 2011, this scenario will not change. The story of the emergence of the former Assistant Commissioner of Police as governor is well known and thus needs no retelling here. Unless such or similar scenarios happen in which a superior power or constellation of forces coalesce seizing the reins of government will continue to be practically a tall order.
This unpretentiously is a contravention of the spirit of harmony, fairness, justice and equity. It may be construed as democracy in its best practice rested on the plank of triumph of the majority having their way against the minority, but juxtaposed, it is in bad taste, it is oppression of those at a disadvantage, imposed by a people whose overriding interest is parochialism. This is the basis for the lopsided development in the state, if you move round the state, the rate of development in terms of state government’s touch is not commensurate, Ibadan’s developmental index far exceeds others’ combined. Ibadan continues to be the focus of development, certainly, as the headquarters it is the signpost of the state, but allotting over 90 percent of the state’s revenue to her at the detriment of others riles. In the last few years the notorious Joint State/Local Government Allocation system that has now been outlawed by the Supreme Court was inhumanly exploited to deny other regions of development as allocations meant for other local governments were re-channeled to amp the ante of development in Ibadan. Almost every week projects are commissioned in Ibadan with several others ongoing whereas other zones do not enjoy such luxury. Many towns outside Ibadan in the last five years of the present administration have not hosted any dignitaries for commissioning of projects and those that were lucky to welcome state actors for such perhaps only once have they been beneficiaries. This is unacceptable. Such lopsidedness only breeds resentment.
Advertisement
Nevertheless, looked at from another prism, Ibadan might not realize it, her monopoly of power sets her back also. Why is it that the city cannot muster enough goodwill and resources to make a statement politically at the national level? Tell me of any Ibadan politician that ruffles feathers in national politics. All their gragra ends at the Airport in Ibadan. But if they are magnanimous and relaxes their stranglehold at the state level, favour of God will follow them and they will be afforded the benefit of multiple ideas, resources and wherewithal supplied by other brilliant politicians from other regions to facilitate their ascendancy. Only a coalescence of wide range of ideas will elevate the status of Oyo state politicians and help advance the cause of the state. Tell me any Oyo politician who is overtly reckoned with at the national level. This is partly due to the narrow stream of baking of political juggernauts, if Ibadan allows others to develop too by opening the field they will be the greatest beneficiaries. What is the secret of the strength of Ibadan at foundation and in its early history? Isn’t it based on a coalition of strengths, resources and ability of others? Then, it opened the field to tap from all comers’ input? That’s why she was able to create a thriving empire in the pre-colonial period. She jettisoned that policy in contemporary times shutting chances against brilliant, heroic minds from other lands, and what do we have , a shrink in status and vibrancy! I may be wrong though.
Advertisement
Comparatively, I will also argue that Ibadan fared far better under the administration of late Alao-Akala because naturally whoever is a non-Ibadan indigene finding him/herself at the helms of affairs in the state will be pressured to pander to the whims of the Ibadans. The other advantage meanwhile is that it will be incumbent on such individual in the spirit of patriotism to spread developments to other regions. In such situation everybody is the winner, and the possibility of muzzled begrudging is eliminated. Ibadan needs to unlock the field, liberalize the Oyo state politics, she will be the greatest winner and beneficiary. It is against this backdrop I challenge the Ibadan leaders to allow power shift in 2027. Closing their mind against such possibility, standing it cannot happen is actually counterproductive.
Oyeleke is Publicity Secretary of Ogbomoso Development Initiative
