Oloka's visit by Gov Makinde really 'shows we have a government'

Oloka’s visit by Gov Makinde really ‘shows we have a government’

Femi OGUNLANA

Applaudably, the Oyo state helmsman Engr Seyi Makinde stormed Oloka town near Ikoyi in Oriire local government area Friday for an on-the-spot assessment of the recent attacks by suspected bandits on the park rangers’ office in the community which led to the hacking down of five officers in cold blood. The incident sent shock waves across the southwest; fear enveloped the region that are the dreaded bandits and terrorists here?

Ogbomoso is a major gateway to the southwest and if its “defences” are breached in such manner, the region could be at the mercy of the blood hounds. The strategic location of Ogbomoso is well known.

Interestingly, it played the same role in the 19th century when the advances of the Fulani jihadists under the banner of Sokoto Caliphate were checkmated. Many times, the ancestors of the present bandits attempted but as many times they met with fiascos, Ogbomoso remained impregnable; and the invaders borne solely by imperialistic ambition, stubbornly persisted until finally and conclusively they were trounced at the Osogbo battle in 1837, with reinforcements from the Ibadan army led by Balogun Oderinlo.

It has always been suspected that their demonic imperialistic dream remains active. Moreover, the reign of terror unleashed by these beasts parading as bandits in the north is blood-curdling. That cannot be allowed to be exported into the region of their old nemesis.

Thus, the action of Governor Makinde is highly commendable. ”It shows we have a government” as Baale of Oloka, Chief Joel Olatunde Alagbe, noted in a thank you message to the governor. He is proactive about security issue and it will go a long way in nipping a potential threat in the bud. His action particularly sends a clear signal that Oyo state cannot be a base of kidnapping for ransom, killing, payment of protection fees and tolls etc. The governor’s visit is like a commander swiftly storming a flashpoint of battle with overwhelming force. The enemies will pick the import, that they won’t be treated with triviality or with kid gloves but with iron fists. They will sense this is not a no-go-area. The governor’s visit and strong words are thus like a battle-cry. It will inspire resistance; yet he still promised to confer with the military top brass on how to embed a military base in that axis, assuring he would bear part of the cost.

Compare his action to the governor of a neighbouring state, who never considered it germane to go and condole his people writhing under the attacks of the same bandits. Even when some old women living in the hotspots of banditry in the state came to stage peaceful demonstration in front of the Government House, some touts poured out from nowhere to pounce on them. Engr Makinde didn’t allow matter to degenerate before taking decisive actions and unveiling measures to tackle the developing menace. He also announced various compensations for the victims and for the Oloka community such as a gift of ₦5m each for the five families whose breadwinners were mowed down and scholarship up to university level even though the five park rangers were employees of the federal government, just as he promised to provide infrastructures such as road, boreholes, streetlight and telecommunications facilities in the area. All these are incentives against banditry activities.

Governor Makinde’s humanistic sense is admirable and encouraging. If all governors have taken such proactive approaches, banditry wouldn’t have become endemic in the country. This streak in him has manifested in other aspects.

In this we applaud him.