Appraising Oyo State so far under Seyi Makinde

Oyo, as one of the federating units in Nigeria, has gone through thick and thin as far as governance is concerned since its creation in 1976.

Major David Madayese Jemibewon was a one-time military governor of the state. Quite true that the involvement of the military in politics is an aberration, there is no gain saying the fact that the tenures of David Jemibewon, Gen. Oladayo Popoola and Colonel Ike Nwosu respectively brought development of varying degrees to Oyo State.

The advent of Second Republic produced Chief Bola Ige as governor, in 1979. Before his emergence, education seemed the exclusive right of the children of the rich and the middle class. His ascension as governor brought hope for the indigent child. Education was made free at the primary and secondary levels.

Books and furniture items were supplied for free and to make the teaching and learning processes more intensive and productive. Expatriate teachers were brought in from Ghana and other countries of the world.

Succeeding administrations in the state also came and played their parts developing the state. Whether these succeeded or not while piloting the affairs of the state is better left for posterity to determine and possibly judge.

Akinfenwa, a great leader, lived for truth — Omisore

The major concern of this piece is not to chronicle the achievements or otherwise of past administrations in the state. Rather it to out to assess and bring to fore what impact the current administration under the headship of Governor Seyi Makinde has had on the lives of the good people of Oyo State since May 29.

Who in his wildest imagination would have thought the menace of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) could be curtailed the way it has been since the coming of  Gov. Seyi Makinde?

Violence, thuggery and brigandage which characterised the tenure of some past administrations in the state are now confined to the dust bin of history. Today, there is relative peace within the state and people can now afford to go about their daily activities without any fear of harassment or molestation from anyone in the name of thuggery by transport union members.

The government of the day has also rekindled the hope of the poor child in his quest for qualitative education. Out of school children now have the second chance of living their dreams. Thanks to the zero levy policy of the new administration.

Workers’ welfare is also being prioritised by the government. Salaries are now paid as and when due. Retirees, for the first time in recent years, are getting paid their pensions on regular basis. And what›s more, backlog of gratuities are equally being paid. It is on record that the present administration has paid more gratuities within one hundred days of its being than what a particular past administration paid for the period of eight years that it was in power.

The Governor Makinde-led administration, within this short period of its existence, has proved beyond any reasonable doubt that it is out to right the wrongs of the past. There are sure glimpses of hope that the administration is out to govern in its true sense and aims at bringing about a positive turnaround in the fortunes of Oyo State.

It is hoped that the good intentions of the government would not be hampered by the activities of sycophants and self-seeking individuals. In other words, the Governor Makinde administration should be circumspect when dancing to adulations and also seek out the positive sides of criticisms that would surely come its way.

The entire people of the state firmly believe Gov. Makinde to walk his talk by fulfilling his pre- election promises.

Indeed, a new Sheriff is in town. The good old days seem to be back with us. This certainly is the dawn of a new era.

Long live Oyo State, long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Adesina Aderemi, is the Principal of Community Secondary School, Olunde, Ibadan, writes from Ibadan.