Sam Nwaoko captured the atmosphere surrounding the meeting of South-West governors which held in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Monday.
Governors of the South-Western states of the country seem to have a new resolve on how to move together in the quest to develop the region. There appears a new realisation in the horizon to galvanise their different states into a united regional front despite the contending political tendencies reigning in the states. It is looking like the thinking right now is to make the best of the opportunities the region has to offer irrespective of political ideologies.
Development is the target and the governors appeared to be saying it is better to stand together in a quest for development rather than stay isolated.
At the Monday meeting in Ado Ekiti, the reality became almost crystal clear that the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) has now become the new baby they have resolved to nurture. The seriousness attached to the development ideals possibly informed why all the six governors turned out for the Ekiti meeting.
Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State was the first to arrive with his entourage. It was even one of the issues in the side talk among the observers that the governor, whose state is the farthest from Ekiti, was the first to arrive at the venue. To some, it was a pointer to the importance he attaches to time and the meeting as well, though some others pointed out that the Lagos helmsman simply flew from Lagos to Akure before driving the short distance to Ado Ekiti.
Whichever way it was viewed, the commendation for Ambode for his early arrival at the meeting was unanimous and that caught the attention of the waiting crowd.
That was followed by the arrival of Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga; Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Senator Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and Mr Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State. The cultural troupe treated each of the dignitaries to rhythmic drumbeats and dancing but beyond the drumbeats and dance steps were also frank talks with eyes on the future. Many exuded the confidence that the meeting was already a success.
The host, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, was beaming as he regaled in the beauty of a successful parley, especially following the full attendance. He was also doing everything to make himself a good host.
Before the meeting, not a few had expressed doubts that some of the governors might not go to Ekiti for reasons bordering on the political divides to which they belonged as individual governors. It was the thought that Fayose, not being a friend of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the political party to which a majority of the South-West governors belong, as well as his constant negative criticism of the Federal Government, formed by the APC, would be a factor in the nature the gathering would assume.
The full attendance of the governors and other stakeholders as well as their active participation, showcased that the interest of the growth of the homogenous region was of more importance than the political platforms they belong. Besides, it was one of the side talks at the venue that the politics of how to the South-West can reach its goals was not blacked out of the discussions in view of what some insiders described as the current murky political waters of the country.
Fayose could not hide his gratitude to his colleagues as he read his address of welcome at the event. But before he spoke, the Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Ologotun of Ogotun-Ekiti, Oba Samuel Oyebade, had spoken on behalf of the 16-member Pelúpelú traditional ruler in Ekiti, who were all at the meeting. The traditional rulers had welcomed the governors to Ekiti and commended them for their quest, not just for unity of the region, but also its development.
The royal fathers also expressed delight that the governors of the South-West states had not allowed their political differences to stall their vision of the development of the region and charged them not to rest on their laurels or oars.
Fayose’s frank talk
After the traditional ruler’s speech, Fayose took the podium to formally welcome his colleague-governors and what he saw as their magnanimity to grant him and his state the hosting right of the meeting.
He said: “Particularly, I appreciate my brother governors for this visit, which to me and the people of Ekiti, is historic. It is historic because the meeting is holding in my state, not minding that the last meeting was my first attendance. I appreciate you.”
On the need to forge a common front and why he had been cynical of the meeting in the past, Fayose said: “I acknowledge our collective patriotism in fostering unity and development in the South-West states. No doubt, your sincerity at the last meeting held in Ibadan, Oyo State, won me over and I am now, more than ever before, committed to the integration and collaboration of the South-West states.”
Mimiko and Fayose, who are the only members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) among the governors of the South-West, overcame doubts and cynicism to be able to key into the DAWN vision. “I welcome you specially to this very important meeting, which is aimed at fostering unity and development in the South -West states.’’
He observed that fate had brought the region into the same loop, admitting that “it is not our own making that we are brothers from the same zone, and if we are serious about developing this zone, we have no option than to be our brothers’ keeper.”
He leveraged on the growing unity of purpose among the governors of the region but harped on the fact that politics should unite rather than divide the people of the zone.
“To move the South-West zone forward, we must respect the political beliefs and opinions of others and we must not do anything that will undermine one another. To me, national politics should add value to us, and not divide us.
“Americans go about fighting their political battles without undermining the collective interests of their country, and that is the kind of spirit with which we must operate if the Yoruba nation must regain its pride of place in the Nigeria nation. We must constantly ask ourselves: Where is the South- West in the scheme of things in Nigeria?”
Fayose’s speech had held many in the audience including the journalists from the six South-West states spellbound as he surprisingly kept faith with the prepared speech. Those who were used to Fayose in the audience were particularly shocked by an unusual Ayo Fayose, who stuck to his speech and refrained from the usual anti-APC and anti-Federal Government banters.
Yet another talk shop?
But there were dozens on hand who were excited when the governor warned that “this gathering must however not be about talk, talk and talk all the time. There must be affirmative actions; or else, we will lose the confidence reposed in us by our people. We must take decisions on what to do that will make the difference in the lives of our people in the immediate.”
He also suggested that “with the present economic realities, it has become pertinent that the necessary political will is put behind agriculture, education, security and physical infrastructure on the long run. For Instance, in the area of education, it is time for us to have a common curriculum. This task may appear enormous,” he noted, but added that “if we are determined and speak with one voice, as a people, it is achievable.”
He also bared his mind on some of the issues he felt could hinder the progress the governors were out to pursue.
He said: “In promoting agriculture, we must take into consideration the menace of herdsmen, which has become major impediment. The question is, how do we continue to encourage our people to embrace farming when their investments are being lost daily? We must therefore adopt a common strategy to curb this menace before we are consumed by hunger.”
Fayose in his speech also drew attention to sundry needs of the region, which he felt the governors should collectively table before the Federal Government.
“Apart from the herdsmen, there is also need for us to use our influence to secure assistance from the Federal Government in the area of construction of dams for irrigation as well as storage facilities.
“No doubt, if we must make agriculture the mainstay of our economy, as in the time of old, it must be mechanized and we must use our reach and influence to get the Federal Government to do the needful in the South-West, as being done in other zones.”
He stated that history would forever remain kind to the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, for his leadership role and developmental strides, noting that “he was the rallying point for the Yoruba nation because of his selflessness and sense of patriotism.”
He added: “We must take a cue from him. We must be reminded that even though the then Yoruba nation was split into states, which we are privileged to lead at this time, we still remain one entity, with common language, tradition and culture. I therefore want to appeal that for this regional integration to achieve the desired objectives, politics must play the back role while we collectively determine our place, benefits and status as Yoruba nation in the Nigerian nation.”
He also told his colleagues that the Yoruba nation as represented by the South-West was one of the least beneficiaries from the 2017 budget of the Federal Government. “The Federal Government’s 2017 budget is about N7 trillion and the only capital project allocated to Ekiti State is the Akure – Ado Ekiti road to which N250 million was earmarked. What can N250 million do on Akure – Ado road that is begging for reconstruction? There is even no guarantee that the N250 million budgetary provisions will be made available at the end of the day. I am sure this is applicable to other states too compared to other zones,” he stated.
“We must therefore ask pertinent questions. How much did the Federal Government allocate to irrigation, construction of dams and storage facilities to boast agriculture in the South-West? We must equally take collective interest in the annual national budget to ensure that states in the South-West are adequately catered for. This we must do by using our technical people to study the budget and make inputs on our behalf,” he also suggested.
One of the issues Fayose also raised for consideration was the $1 billion Eurobond he said the Federal Government was planning and angling to collect. “I will want us to look into the Federal Government $1 billion Eurobond, repayment of which is to be made from source (before accruing to the federation account) and expected to last till 2032.
“As representatives of the people of the South-West, whose future will be affected by this $1 billion Eurobond, I expect that we look beyond party politics and ask questions as to the beneficiaries of the bond, its repayment and what the South-West will benefit from it. We must therefore constantly engage our representatives in the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the National Assembly and impress it upon them that they must use their positions positively for the zone.”
After Fayose set, having obviously set the tone for the meeting, the governors went into a technical session which didn’t require the eyes of newsmen.
The communique
The communique suggested that some of the decisions at the earlier meetings had reached advanced stages of implementation.
For instance, the governors agreed that a convergence of the Commissioners of Police of the state of Western Nigeria and intelligence institutions would meet regularly to compare notes and work together in the region to manage in a concerted way, the air, land and waterways security architecture of the region with the state governments supporting with critical resources.
The governors also agreed to set up a regional working group on South West Integrated Infrastructural Development plan to midwife the multi-modal transportation systems – highways, rail, water and air; energy and power; digital and telecoms; leisure and entertainment; as well as water infrastructure.
The governors also approved the report of a roundtable on education development and advancement in the South-West, hosted by the Osun State government in June 2016. They also said they were unanimous in “addressing the declining moral standards and put in place structures to manage the loss of values and virtues in the society,” saying “a first step is a quality assurance and morality framework as a critical part of the regional education.”
Part of the decision at the meeting was also that they would “set up committee on Federal Government allocations in agriculture to be accessed for regional benefit.”
The governors said “the DAWN Commission is to set up a dedicated desk for accessing Abuja Situation Office.”
They also approved a report of Sports Development Strategic Plan of Action for South-West and announced that “Lagos is to host the next edition of DAWN inter-collegiate games to strengthen the binds and competitiveness among the youth in the region.”
They had also set their sights on achieving “integrated, advanced and well-managed transportation infrastructure for enhanced socioeconomic development and well-being of the people of the region.” States were to develop modalities to key into the ongoing and proposed rail projects as a primary driver of inter-modal transportation system for the whole region.
Governor Ayo Fayose, who read the 17-point communique, explained that the points therein were to be further broken down when the details had been worked out by the various groups that were saddled with the respective responsibilities.