Being the text of a speech by Olatunbosunmomi Oyintiloye, the
General Coordinator of the Movement of Democratic Educators and
Learners (MODEL) at a dinner organised to mark the 15th year
anniversary of Osun state in Accra, Ghana, recently.
INTRODUCTION
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I am highly humbled by
the privilege given to me to address this august gathering as a
speaker in the month of August. I bring you greetings from
Nigeria and from the good people of Osun State. For your
information, our state of the Living Spring is still relishing
the success that attended its recent celebration of the annual
Osun Festival, which drew eminent personalities and
organizations within and outside Nigeria. Our failures as a
state notwithstanding, I make bold to say that Osun State is one
of the few states in Nigeria whose culture and heritage are
celebrated all over the world. The fact that there is a surge of
international scholars carrying out research works on various
aspects of our social and cultural heritage testifies of the
special position that our state occupies on the world map.
I would like to recall that the last Osun state anniversary
celebration I attended was five years ago in Osogbo, Nigeria,
when the state turned ten. I am encouraged by this initiative by
the indigenes of Osun state in Ghana. I want to believe that you
people are more than this. There would be need to extend the
awareness to other indigenes outside Acccra. I want to assure
you that MODEL will always make available to you its published
works and, especially, the results of its research and findings
on Osun State. I was enthused when, in introducing me, the
chairman referred to me as the ‘Lagbaja’ of Osun State
politics’, suggesting that, like that great musician called
Lagbaja in Nigeria, our faces are not usually seen, yet we are
very visible through our works. I must say that this is
deliberate because we strongly desire that our truth, coming
from our various research efforts, speak for us not only in our
state of origin, but in Nigeria as a whole.
Ladies and gentlemen, before I proceed in this address, I want
to commend specially the few Ghanaians I have sighted in this
gathering tonight. I want to believe that they are your trusted
friends who believe that you and your state have something to
offer this generation. I want to assure all you who have
honoured the invitation to be here today that your trust in us
will not be dashed. We may not be there yet, but back home, we
are doing everything possible to fly the state. If we have to
identify with groups or people of like passions or step on some
toes or to achieve this, so be it.. We would need your moral
support and encouragement in this drive to the Promised Land.
Thank you for coming and God bless.
MY TASK, MY TROUBLES
Ladies and gentlemen, on the surface, my task this evening is
very easy: to address this gathering on the occasion of Osun
State’s 15th Anniversary. But the more I reflect on this
assignment, the more I see the need to set the stage for a
turning point in the state. Indeed, the more I see it as an
opportunity to, if you like, wash our dirty linen in the open so
that the state could move forward. Since I received your letter
of invitation, I have had sleepless nights battling with some
‘Whys’ and ‘How’s’ on my mind. For instance,’ Why are we going a
step forward and four steps backward in fifteen years?’, ‘Why
should Osun State attract the whole world to an internationally
acclaimed (Osun) festival annually with no attractive state
capital to show for it? ‘Why should the state remain a civil
service /agrarian state forever, in spite of a mine of untapped
resources, which could turn it to a leading industrial giant?’
Then, ‘How may we enthrone true democracy in the state?’ ‘How
may the force of treachery and deceit be terminated?’ How may
tyranny be unseated?’ ‘How may we move forward?’ You will agree
with me that in between this litany of ‘Whys’ and ‘How’s is the
question, ‘Where?’: ‘Where did we miss it?’
As I approach this task with the greatest sense of
responsibility tonight, I do not pretend to have all the
answers, but I am using this platform to throw up issues that
could set us thinking and searching for solutions. It is in this
light, therefore, that I would plead with you all not to see my
position in this essay as that of a judge, or a politician, or a
fanatic or a blind ‘mobilizer’, but as a realist and a burdened
stakeholder in Osun State who is dead sure that the future of
the state is bleak except there is a U- turn. The next question
that naturally comes to mind now is, ‘Why are we here, if the
existing scenario is not cheering?’ In other words, ‘What are we
celebrating?’ My short answer to that is that we are celebrating
the continuous existence of the state and, perhaps, some strides
of the past, to which nothing new has been added, except
cosmetics.
If you sounded me out before you sent your letter, I would have
requested that you give me a definite topic to speak on. By
leaving the topic to my discretion, you inadvertently put me in
fear, and that is the fear of stepping on some toes, of even my
beloved ones. But I have no apologies for this as long as doing
so will contribute to similar efforts by all progressives to
move the state out of the woods.
Against the background of my aforementioned thoughts, therefore,
I have come up with the topic, ‘Osun State in 15 years: the
Strides, the Strays and the Saviour’ ‘The Strides’ chronicles
noticeable achievements in the state against the background of
the dreams behind its formation. ‘The Strays’ paints a painful,
but realistic picture of how we have veered off the noble path
of progress and landed in this blind alley. And ‘The Saviour’
elucidates on the imperativeness of a saviour for the state and the
need for a collective effort to realise this.
STATE CREATION IN THE NIGERIAN CONTEXT
Ladies and gentlemen, I have considered it necessary to draw
your attention to the fact that Osun State is an integral part
of Nigeria, which means that it is not immune from the various
cancers plaguing the nation, one of which is the usual aborted
gains of state creation. (But again, this is a lame excuse for a
state like Osun that has all it takes to make a difference, a
state that is destined to be the Living Spring for others to
drink from, a state that promised to be a flag bearer fifteen
years ago).
If creating states were all that we needed to become a developed
country, we would have been one by now. The unflagging clamour
for states has been historically unquenchable. It grew the
number of states from three in 1960 to four in 1963, 12 in 1967,
19 in 1976, 21 in 1987, and 30 in 1987 when Osun State was
created. The Abacha regime later added six more, bringing the
total number of states in Nigeria to 36.
Under normal circumstances, this development was supposed to be
a plus for Nigeria if we had the right people and the right
spirit in place. The essence of state creation was perfectly
captured by the Irikefe Panel for State Creation in 1975 when it
stated that the creation of states “would ensure rapid economic
development among all ethnic groups, increase participatory
democracy as an insurance against political instability, promote
and institutionalise a balanced and stable federation and,
lastly, remove the fears of the domination of the minorities,
which tends to slow down economic and political development of
the country.’’
This was buttressed by the Bureau on States Creation in 1987
when it quoted proponents of state creation as saying that
creation of more states would:
- Enhance greater
stability of the country;
- Strengthen the
federal structure of government;
- Remove a major
source of tension from the national body politics;
- Remove present
disharmonies and imbalance within the federal
system;
- Right the wrongs
against groups whose interest have tended to be
sacrificed within the present status
quo; and
- Serve as a means of strengthening the institutional bases for
the proper development of the country by
establishing more
development centres within easy reach of the major population
concentrations in the country.
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It follows, therefore, that constituent states are ultimately
meant to fast track the development of the country by reason of
their own rapid economic and political growth. It is hard to see
how states created in Nigeria in the last three decades have met
this lofty aim.
Their scorecard is nothing near the reasons for their formation.
Apart from endless intra ethnic wars that have generated heated
tension in many of the states, sometimes threatening the very
existence of the country; the states have been veritable
instruments for looting and impoverishing the populace. It is
unfortunate to observe that the rapid increase in the number of
states in Nigeria has translated into rapid deterioration in the
provision of infrastructures and social services, rapid haemorrhage of the economy and exponential increase
of domestic and
external debt stock. In the final analysis, Nigeria is worse off
than when there were fewer states. A friend of mine in the
Senate jocularly said one time that we would probably have been
better off if we had not gotten independence from Britain.
Though I disagree with this thought, the prostrate state of our
nation is a cause for great concern.
Findings have shown that in the Nigeria context, behind many of
the agitations for micro states are ulterior motives that bother
on selfish intention to draw federal allocation to line private
pockets. Little wonder that in most states today, there is
nothing tangible to prove that democracy yields dividends.
Worth mentioning though is the difference being made by a few
states, especially Lagos State under the leadership of Asiwaju
Ahmed Tinubu. I have never met this man in person, but I have
met him through his deliverables. In spite of the fact that
Lagos state, of all states, was deliberately starved of funds by
the Federal Government, Lagos, under Tinubu, has performed
better than many banana states that draw almost N20 billion
monthly from the federation account. I have often wondered how Tinubu does it: consider the road networks, schools
rehabilitation, enhanced health care delivery, the waste
disposal mechanism etc. This man is making impact not because he
has resources more than others, but because he has the will, the
political will, and the rugged determination to make a
difference. He had the opportunity of hiding under various
excuses to underperform, including the excuse of how the state
has been stifled of funds, but he chose not to. He may have his
own weaknesses as a human being, but there is an avalanche of
evidences to show that he has delivered in Lagos state. How
would Nigeria look like if we could, at least, duplicate many
administrators like him in other states?
Another governor that I doff my hat for is the Governor of
Kaduna State, Alhaji Makarfi who has elevated the state to an
enviable status from political, religious and physical ruins. I
was in Kaduna two weeks ago; I was startled by what I saw. You
need to compare the Kaduna state of today with the Kaduna state
of 1999/2000 for you to appreciate what I am saying. I am not
saying this to praise, support or spite anybody, but to show
that there are still a few political administrators in Nigeria
who are making some difference, in spite of all odds, and
irrespective of their party affiliations.
OSUN STATE IN THE BEGINNING
How may we do justice to the theme of this lecture without
delving into the genesis of Osun State? Historians tell us that
the best way to reconstruct a defective present and guarantee a
better future is to dig into the past. Since our aim in this
gathering is not to wine and dine alone, but also to dialogue on
how we may reinvent our resourceful, but cocked state, permit me
to rehash some historical foundations upon which we could build
some postulations.
Osun State was officially carved out of the former Oyo State on
August 27, 1991 by the Babangida administration. It was named
among the nine new states announced by General Ibrahim Babangida
in a nationwide broadcast after a heated debate on state
creation. Its contemporaries are Abia, Anambra, Delta, Kogi,
Taraba, Kebbi, Jigawa and Yobe States. Many remote and immediate
factors coalesced to work for the emergence of Osun State. The
very first was that the agitation for a separate entity had been
an issue between Ibadan and the people of Osun extraction about
forty years before the crystallisation of the state. Secondly,
the need to create additional states for a ‘more balanced and
stable Federation’ was increasingly becoming irresistible on
account of widespread complaints about the lopsidedness between
the Northern and Southern part of the country. Thirdly, at the
time Osun state came out of Oyo State, it (Oyo) was obviously
very large and unwieldy. For instance, it had 42 Local
Government Areas, making it the second largest in the country
after Kano State. Besides, its capital city, Ibadan, was reputed
to be the largest indigenous city in Africa, South of Sahara.
So, if only for the purpose of ensuring a ‘more even spread of
major development centres throughout the country’-as advanced by
protagonists of states creation- the then Oyo State was ripe for
a split.
But more important than all these was the tenacity with which
the birth of the state was pursued by its crusaders. In fact,
all traditional rulers, leading business and educated elites and
civil servants travailed day and night to ensure that the state
became a reality. One cannot forget easily the tireless effort
of the present Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Oyewole Matanmi and the
weight of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade who had to take
advantage of his relationship with the Emir of Kano to
facilitate the cause. Among other prominent personalities whose
name would remain indelible for their input in the birth of Osun
state are Oba Williams Ayeni of blessed memory, Chief Obelawo, a
major financier of the cause, Alhaji Ayo Bello, Chief
Odetoyinbo, Mr Diran Fagbongbe, and Chief Ijiwoye Adeyemo. Other
eminent figures include Oba Oladele Olashore, Dr. Wale Baalakin,
Chief Benjamin Adigun, Professor Samuel Ayodele and a host of
others.
One can, indeed, go on and on reeling out names, giving honour
to whom it is due. But I reckon that these founding fathers,
most of whom are still alive, would be better honoured if their
dreams and aspirations have been (or are being) actualised
today. What interest me most today is to identity the reasons
why they invested so much in the birth of Osun State. What were
they hopping to achieve when they pursued this cause
assiduously, as if their lives depended on it? Were they just
looking for a state capital in their narrow individual domains
or they were looking for a captain that will turn the entire
state to capital cities? Were they looking for ex-governors that
would eclipse their dreams and extinct the state from the log
book of progressive state? Did they envisage or hope for a state
that would still be toddling at 15, with wet diapers, weeping
for attention? Of course, not.
THE STRIDES
At the root of the dreams of the founding fathers of Osun State
was the resolve to sever their people from the long year’s of
servitude from the imperial Ibadan. Though it was evident that
Osun State indigenes within the confines of the old Oyo State
were in the forefront of resource contribution and service,
their immense contribution was hardly appreciated. The dimension
of ‘Omo wa ni, e ji o se’ that brazenly robbed the UPN of
political victory in 1983 testified of a people who were not
only bent on replacing merit with mediocrity, but also prepared
to go to any extent to supplant people’s wish for selfish ‘Son
of the Soil’ gains. So, it was apparent that a clinical
separation was imminent. That this was achieved was a plus for
Osun state.
It is also a no mean achievement for the state that since
inception, there has been increase in business activities, as
local organisations extend their branch network to major cities
in the state. Of course, the attendant influx of more people
into the state has brought with it the usual sharp increase in
house rents, goods and services. Presently, the existing
infrastructures have been stretched beyond limit, with no
visible planning for 10-20 years to come.
Again, the fathers of Osun State were convinced of an Osun state
that will change the landscape of the region, promote the lots
of the people and bring development down to the grassroots. It
was envisaged that going by its abundant resources, Osun State
will evolve a leading industrial ‘Mecca’ for Nigeria. Indeed,
the father dreamt of a state where poverty, misery and gross
unemployment are tackled through articulate programme that are
systematically implemented from one administration to the other.
But what do we see today? We have on our hands a state that is
pauperised with weak economy that is dancing in circles.
Essentially, the state is still an undeveloped agrarian one with
a mass of its literate class looking unto government for monthly
pay. It is as though there is a deliberate policy to make people
dependent and not independent. Apart from superficial strides
like the installation of Radio and TV stations, the state
secretariat and a few government houses, development in the
state is lackluster. This is evident in all sectors. Schools are
bereft of standard structure and equipments, hospitals are
glorified dispensaries with frustrated doctors threatening
strikes from time to time etc.
It is important to admit this in a very frank and sincere manner
so that we can collectively chart a way forward. A situation
where the present Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola chose to
use tax payers money to launder his image in paid adverts,
showcasing cosmetic tinkering with state development, is
unfortunate. We belief it is more honourable to present a total
picture of the state to people than to give them the false
impression that you are fulfilling dreams. In what way? Have
people not judged rightly by what is on ground?
Of all the governors of the nine states that were created at the
same time Osun state came into being, the Anambra State Governor
was more honourable in that he was honest, frank and sincere
with his people and the nation when he said, on the occasion of
the 15th anniversary, that: “We do not deserve to celebrate. I
say this because I am one person who believe that only
achievements should be celebrated and not failure. Anambra State
can be likened to a failed state. At 15, Anambra is still like
infant. We are politically backward, economically lame and
spiritually atrophied”
Nothing best describes Osun State if we should stand on the
pillar of truth. But we have consistently seen that many of our
leaders are afraid of this pillar, hence the resort to playing
upon people’s intelligence and the use of violence against
opposition when confronted with the truth.
THE STRAYS
What all this communicates to me is a poignant fact that in Osun
State, we have strayed. The earlier we found our ways back to
the original path, the better for us. History bears witness to
the fact that the South West people are progressives. They are
people of high integrity and very discerning. They are a people
that would stop at nothing following visionary leaders who match
words with actions. Thanks to Chief Obafemi Awolowo of blessed
memory. It is also a truism that each time people stray to the
side of lies, they enter into deep waters. Remember the first
republic crisis in the West, the spurious victory of Chief
Omololu Olunloyo in Oyo State in 1983, and the hijacking of
power by the PDP in AD controlled states in the South West in
2003. The only state that still has strong testimony today
amongst the South West states is Lagos, and this is because it
is still on track.
It was obvious that something went wrong when in 2003, people
who do not have any political pedigree and whose antecedents in
governance are riddled with errors succeeded in convincing the
people of Osun State to abandon Adebisi Akande. But today, the
people know better. They know quite well that they erred. They
strayed. My first reaction when Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola was
gored into running for Governorship in 2003 was to ask my
politician friends in PDP that ‘When do we start toying with the
destiny of Osun State?’ None could give me any credible or
logical answer. They were just fumbling. I immediately saw in
them a people who had strayed, having yielded to pressures from
a cabal that has lost integrity on account of their unabashed
betrayal of trusts. For God’s sake, if somebody, knowing his own
ability, capability and stuff he is made of, felt he would do
better as a senator at a time, why do we have to dash him a
governorship ticket because of Omisore’s slim chances? Today,
even those who conspired to put on him the toga he did not ask
for are regretting, as their gentleman agreement has been
bungled by the incumbent.
It wouldn’t have really bothered me much if it was only his
benefactors that were biting their fingers, but to see the
innocent people on whom he was cleverly imposed crying for help
is, to say the least, mind boggling. Who shall save these
helpless people from the loss of four years of golden
opportunities to turn the state around?
To post
impressive achievements in this dispensation should really have
been a work-over given:
- The state’s
enormous resources;
- Its regular federal allocations (including the staggering share of extra petrol dollars);
- Improved locally generated revenue on account of the sharp increase in the influx of people and organisations that are extending their branches to Osogbo and other major cities in the state;
- The readiness of the rich indigenes of the state inside and outside Nigeria to support government development programmes;
- The more friendly international image of Nigeria, which some states have tapped into to attract foreign investment; and, of course,
- The advantage of having the ruling party, PDP, at the federal level, which should have been leveraged upon to attract significant Federal Government presence to the state.
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The incumbent left all this undone, picked up guns and started
chasing political rivals. This is saddening. It doesn’t show
that he is busy; neither does it show that he knows why he was
put there. If anything, it clearly shows that the incumbent has
no solid agenda or direction. This is not surprising because he
did not intend to be a governor in the first place, and his
party, painfully, failed to put a selling manifesto in place.
So, what do we see after four years of inadequacies? We see a
governor who has strayed- strayed from his initial political
interest and target, strayed from offering deliverables to
chasing opponents. I think the people of the state deserve an
apology from him for lost opportunities, not his second term.
Having strayed, he should gracefully offer to be benched and
learn while watching others applying political dexterity and
ingenuity in turning opportunities to great dividends.
You may probably not appreciate the extent to which we have
strayed in Osun State until you consider the fact that some of
the leading figures in the state, whom people used to look up to
as men of vision and direction, like the Ebino Topsy of this
world, suddenly went blind and veered off the course pursuing
reactionary and retrogressive cause. Many of them having lost
their integrity and popularity for a temporal pot of porridge,
have come together to champion treachery under the aegis of
Ijesha Elders Caucus, and other miniature caucuses that the
people of the state should treat with caution. But the situation
is not hopeless because according to the first military governor
of Osun State, Col. Leo Aborishade, the people of the state
cannot be deceived for long.
IN SEARCH OF A SAVIOUR
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, you will agree with me that
what the state needs today is a saviour. It is in need of a
strong and visionary leader that knows where to go and how to
get there. As important as political party is in a democratic
setting, the problem of the state is not that of a party, but
that of a committed leader that would not undermine the people’s
mandate or fritter the state’s resources on frivolities. Going
by the mood of our people today, a party that is incapable of
producing such a candidate is defeated even before the election
takes off.
It is in this light that we should x-ray the present party in
power and their governorship candidates. To start with, it is
common knowledge that the credibility of the party is at its
lowest ebb. It seems as though many members of the party have
undergone special training in the arts of eliminating political
rivals. The gory news of their escapades in this field is too
frequent and too disturbing to make their aspirants worthy of
power. That they unleash this terror on themselves within PDP
makes a non-party opponent an automatic victim. But like the
United States would say, ‘In God we trust’ In Osun State, in God
we trust that they will not succeed in eliminating all the
beautiful ones before the people vote the odd ones out in 2007.
There is this talk about the jinx of political office holders in
Osun state not being able to succeed in their second term
attempts. Perhaps, the incumbent believe in this, hence his
desperate move to either silence or eliminate rivals within and
outside his party. I, personally, do not read this historical
trend as a jinx, but as a clear manifestation of a politically
active people who are not ready to tolerate anti-people stance
or accept mere activities as results. The beauty of democracy
and the advantage it presents are fully being tapped by the
people of the state and the trend is not going to change as we
look forward to a change in the government house in 2007.
Osun state is particularly fortunate in their search this time
around for two reasons. One is that the incumbent has
demonstrated clearly his skill in delivering dividends in paid
adverts and on the pages of newspapers, as there is nothing
tangible on ground to show that his four years in government has
moved the state forward. So, there is no difficulty doing away
with him. Secondly, of all other able aspirants on ground, there
is one whose credentials stand tall, who has been recognised by
many for his ability to right the wrongs if voted into power in
2007. This person is Engr. Rauf Aregbesola, the present
Commissioner Works and Infrastructure in Lagos state. His depth
and experience in good governance and developmental issues- as
demonstrated by his monumental achievements in a state like
Lagos- remain incontestable. An Osun state that is blessed with
many illustrious and industrious sons like this has no reason
going about in circles as it has been doing for years. It is no
secret today that the ‘battle’ for the state house in 2007 is
between Prince Oyinlola (who has refused to allow his
benefactors to take their turn) and Engr. Aregbesola (whose life
is being threatened by the day). If this is the present scenario
in the state, then it is clear where sane people should pitch
their tents. It makes the choice easier.
YOUR ROLE
You may ask, “What role can I play in all these?” I belief the
first role is to be bold. The state is in dire need of bold
people who are not afraid of being vilified for standing on the
truth. Another role you can play is to come home with your
families to vote for change during the elections next year. It
is interesting to announce to you that the people back home
already know the truth, but you need to complement their efforts
to use their voting power to effect a change.
May I seize this opportunity to appeal to our traditional rulers
and opinion leaders not to let down the state, but rather join
the emerging coalition aimed at saving the state from stagnancy.
Perhaps, the last but not the least, of the role you could play
in actualising the dreams of our founding fathers is to support
the vision and activities of MODEL not only in Osun state, but
in Nigeria as a whole. MODELS, an acronym for Movement of
Democratic Educators and Learners is an association of scholars,
tested professionals in various disciplines and students from
tertiary institutions who share the vision of installing true
and full fledge democracy in our farther land. We are persuaded
that without political education of our gullible populace, there
cannot be true democracy. Yet we still believe that we do not
know it all, neither do we have all the answers to the deluge of
questions we receive daily. Thus, necessity is laid upon us to
continue to learn for ‘he that stops learning starts dying’
We have strong confidence in Nigeria, just as we are optimistic
of a bright future for Osun State. We have preached this on a
number of occasions in and out of Nigeria. We are open to more
ideas and partnership with people or organisations of like
minds. Presently, we are carefully studying five offers for
partnership in Nigeria and three from outside the country. We
would take a decision on two of these offers before the end of
September.
Ladies and gentlemen, our meeting tonight is a partnership of
some sorts. Because we seem to have agreed that our state needs
to chart a better way forward, and to realise this, all things
must be new, including the government, the governance and the
governor. As we collaborate more to redefine our future, Osun
State will be better for it.
CONCLUSION
I would like to conclude this speech by
sensitizing your mind to
a big picture of Osun State of tomorrow. What type of Osun State
would you like to see in the next 10-15 years? I believe we
should envisage an Osun State where the provision of
electricity, water, good roads, housing, health facilities, etc.
would not be a campaign issue, as all these would have been
addressed. We should look forward to a giant Osun State that is
driving industrialisation in Nigeria, contributing eminently to
the nation’s GDP. We should plan to have a state that lives up
to its Living Spring appellation by parading a robust economy
that is flowing with milk and honey not only for its citizens,
but also for people of other states.
To realise these and more is possible, but all hands must be on
deck. We have to start NOW. Our destiny is really in our hands.
For long, our strides are being subsumed by our strays. This
ought no to be. The time to change the equation is now. Let us
do it together.
Thank you for the attention given to me.
Olatunbosunmomi Oyintiloye (Model2004life@yahoo.com)
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