CANDID OPINION: The comedic, gratuitous and ridiculous stance of Oyo on LG autonomy
Ben GEORGE
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Since the ruling of the Supreme Court granting local government autonomy the government of Oyo state has not been at peace. The governor has been coming out smokingly challenging the “audacious” judgment picking holes in it and emphasising it is of no effect in his state. His position has really taken many aback. How can a governor as that of Oyo state be so much engulfed in such gratuitous fight? Of all the thirty states governors he appears to be the most hit by the judgment judging by his combative stance and actions. He has set up a committee saddled with the task of “reviewing” the landmark judgment. A judge of a High Court once ‘’reviewed” a judgment of the Supreme Court, l learned that particular “milord” suffered severe sanctions.
What is playing out in the state smacks of disconsolateness! It only confirms what people suspected all along that local government funds in Oyo state are totally hijacked by the state government, with its consequent adverse effect on grassroots development. The stance by the local governments’ chairmen in the state further takes the comedy to another level or season. In one fell swoop the council bosses announced their split with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), declaring they will start to operate under a new association to be registered soon. It is amusing and incredible. ALGON might not really be effective but the suspected reason for pulling out by the Oyo state branch is ludicrous. Can the independence of Oyo state council of local government chairmen be a ground to invalidate the Supreme Court judgment? Meanwhile, a recent letter by the Incorporated Trustees of ALGON to the Forum of Finance Commissioners demanding the immediate release of July allocations from the federation account to each of the 774 local government councils, through a letter by its counsel Prof Mike Ozeikhome SAN provides more insights into the decision to pull out of ALGON. Can excising themselves from ALGON give them latitude to disregard Supreme Court’s ruling and incredulously turn themselves into willing accomplices in the suspected heist? Comedic and ridiculous!
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It is indeed a jaundiced line of thought. The Oyo council bosses are merely displaying and advertising their ignorance in a most reprehensible manner. What they perceived as unwavering loyalty to their benefactor is actually a demonstration of infantile effrontery and garage braggadocio of rascally youths swallowed up in one-way exuberance. They are only making themselves the laughing stock of the season. This is not expected in a progressive state like Oyo that prides itself as pacesetter realm. It is obvious they lack proper understanding of democracy. People are at the centre of democracy – the wish of the people. Democratic leaders are representatives of their people and not of themselves or any other powers. But the Oyo government leaders including councils’ bosses are of the view that they are above their people and can act unilaterally to preserve their personal interests. This is the height of impunity. Majority of the people are jubilant over the proposed return of sanity to local governments as it is believed it is the elixir for greater grassroots rejuvenation in terms of economic, infrastructure, basic educational and all-round developments, but their representatives are busy engaging in naked dance to obstruct the process. They are claiming it is anti-development but ask them what is the scale of developments they had unfurled since these years? The observable indices at the grassroots point to only one unexciting and excruciating conclusion – collapse of government at that tier, evident in bad roads and other failed infrastructures, staff abandonment of councils’ secretariats, eclipse of vibrant economy and so on. We now are imposed with local governments which cannot execute construction of even a culvert! And some people in the name of being “elected” individuals want such regime of inactivity to be perpetuated. It is inglorious.
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The governor and the local governments’ chairmen are encouraged to retrace their ignominious steps to toeing the line embraced by the law of the land and the wish of their people. Let them listen to radio programmes, analyses and various comments on the topic and they will be able to glean that the vast majority of the people are in sync with the ruling of the Supreme Court and are desirous of local government autonomy. What brings greatest benefits is best. The citizens tasted local government autonomy in the past and despite its abuses by chairmen, legislators and career officers, abuses in the forms of fund mismanagement, misappropriation and embezzlements, the turnover was still impressive than the lackluster scenario of today. In those days councils competed in areas of road constructions and rehabilitations, opened up new residential areas, made strategic interventions in education such as payment of WAEC/NECO fees, repair of damaged schools infrastructures, giving of bursaries to tertiary institutions’ students etc, made a spike in primary healthcare a cornerstone, and through several engagements boosted local economies. Such golden era is what people yearn for again and so are not ready to tolerate the macabre dance by their present leaders trying to draw back the hand of the clock.
A real man accepts with equanimity calmness when he is beaten. That is the path of honour the Oyo political leaders need to take.