Oyo State witnessed transfer of power, not on the basis of monarchical succession as the case with the biblical Solomon and his son but democratically from Senator Abiola Ajimobi, to Engr. Seyi Makinde on May 29, 2019. The import of this piece is to ask Engr. Seyi Makinde as the people of Israel did, on what should be expected from him different from that of his predecessor.
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In all honesty, Ajimobi era witnessed security of lives and property which eluded the state before his coming. Also, the architecture of some of our towns was changed from archaic nature to semi-modernity. This is courtesy of expanded roads that transverse the major towns and the state capital with street lightings, the durability of the roads and workability of the street lights, notwithstanding. Besides, there was reorganisation of civil service through which ghost workers syndrome was eliminated but not without gnashing of teeth among the workforce.
Also, in the field of education, Ajimobi administration reorganised the secondary school structure in the state. New classrooms were built, millennium schools were also established, and governing councils were established to see to the running of the affairs of our secondary schools.
In addition, school fees were introduced to secondary schools. These fees were spent by the governing councils to run the affairs of the school. His achievement also include revival of township bus service, building of flyover at Mokola junction to ensure free flowing of traffic, amongst others. We can go on to state many other lofty achievements of Ajimobi government in the eight years it lasted.
However, despite the feats mentioned above, Oyo witnessed an era of maximum rulership never experienced in the state before. The government can be said to be the elite in nature; this is because children of elites, political, monarchical and business world formed the majority in the state executive council.
Execution of the developmental projects of the government was also elitist in that major towns witnessed face-lift, while rural areas were neglected for the eight years. It can be said that the state was ruled by one man that is, the governor.
All being said, the place of Senator Ajimobi in the annals of Oyo will be determined by posterity and nothing else.
The incoming administration headed by Seyi Makinde should be mindful of history. The new governor was the least expected to emerge the governor. He lacks political experience and track records in public administration, yet “the Creator who maketh those things that be not as though they were (Romans 4:17), smiled on him and made his emergence to confound the mighty.
However, the posture or comportment of Governor Seyi Makinde in government, how he will resolve the logjam in our tertiary institutions, pay backlog of salaries owed teachers, pensioners, how he sees to delivery of justice in our courts (which is slow and time-consuming), how he resolves Ibadan traditional institution debacle, neglect of rural areas and so on will determine his place in history either as a hero or villain.
Adewuyi Adegbite
ayekooto05@gmail.com.
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