A couple of days back, Oyo state celebrated five years of Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s reign. This is the summation of his initial four years and the first anniversary of his second term tagged “Kosele ri”. The unprecedented reelection of Governor Ajimobi marked the extension of his reign over the Pacesetter state. A fate no other ruler of the state has ever achieved. In view of this, it’s normal to assess, review and rate the performance of the administration.
The universal act of every politician is to make promises through their manifestoes during electoral campaigns. The honorable ones fulfill the promises to the best of their abilities just like Govrs Fashola and Amosun typified while the dishonorable ones neglect and fully forget it. With five years down and three in the wing, it’s pertinent to have a review of the administration of His Excellency, the “oldest” and the “most arrogant governor” in Nigeria. Here are the review of eight out of his several prominent lies, deception and monumental failures.
YES-O PROGRAMME: During the inauguration of His Excellency for the first term on May 29th, 2011, one of the highlights of his promises was the establishment of Oyo State Youth Empowerment programmed tagged “YES-O”. Under the programmed, the governor promised to employed and empower 20,000 youths from the state. The program was a grand failure because it employed less than 10,000 youths. Apart from this, none of the youths was employed for up to 10 months owing to nonpayment of their salaries. As a matter of fact, it became a programme of the 33 local governments of the states who were compelled by the state to pay YES-O salaries. The state that initiated the programmed did not contribute a dime.
OYO STATE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY: Early in 2013, the state governor came up with announcement of a technical University to be established in partnership with an American based University, Texas Technical University. According to the governor, students are to spend two years in the university in Nigeria and spend the remaining two years in the affiliated University in Texas. He stated that the first set of the student will be admitted by September 2013. Up to date, no single student has been admitted and the project is as good as dead. According to the governor, “What makes this university unique is that we are focusing on the courses that are not readily available in other technical universities in Nigeria such as mechatronics, aircraft technology, robotics, cyber space security and others” Money spent on the Adegoke Plaza and the acquisition of land at the Ibadan end of Lagos/Ibadan express way for the project has gone down the drain. The students who applied for admission to the University in 2013 wasted both time and money.
OYO STATE FIVE STAR HOTEL: In May 2012, Governor Ajimobi laid the foundation of a supposed 150 rooms Five Star hotel estimated to cost N6.50 billion at the open space between Premier Hotel Ibadan and the Cultural Center. He promised the whole world that the project will be commissioned before the general election of 2015. Speaking at the foundation laying ceremony of the hotel the governor says “If Chief Obafemi Awolowo constructed Premier Hotel several years ago, a government patterned after his like ours should also seeks to equal if not better this laudable and ever green initiative” The project is now moribund. The N1.0 billion Naira Oyo State fund invested in the project is now a waste.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION: This is a recurring decimal in the administration of Governor Ajimobi. He has promised to conduct the election several times and failed. While answering questions during the 2015 Convocation lecture of University of Ibadan last November 9th, he said “We believe most sincerely in the local government and we are going to conduct Chairmanship election into it early next year”. Again during a radio program anchored by Edmond Obilio of Splash FM of Ibadan in January 2016 he said and I quote “in fact, we are planning to hold the local government election in July this year”
While advising the then inaugurated 33 Caretaker Committee Chairmen in March 7, 2016 Ajimobi stated that “ Please note that nothing will keep you in office beyond four months, as we will be going into elections immediately afterwards”
It is now less than one month from the date the governor promised to conduct election and he is just announcing the names of the Electoral Commission members. The proposed election date is already unrealizable. No wonder, the strong woman of Oke Ogun and the defacto Governor of the state “ has been boasting around that the election is not yet in sight (despite the announcement and screening of OYSIEC members by the House of Assembly) and she would compelled the governor to renew the tenure of the caretaker Chairmen. The conduct of local government election in Oyo state may remain a perpetual dream as long as the iron lady remains in charge.
MODEL SECONDARY SCHOOL: In preparation for the last general election, our governor promised to establish six model schools in each of the political zones of the states, existing school buildings were pulled down in Oyo, Ogbomosho, Mokola, Eruwa, Shaki and Iseyin with a promised that the model schools will take off before the election held in March, 2015. This has remained a failed promise to date.
IBADAN CIRCULAR ROAD: Just like other empty promises, the governor’s promise to construct a 108 kilometer circular road to cover the whole of Ibadan has remained a wild dream since May 2012 when the promise was made. He promised heaven and earth in June 2014 while laying the foundation of the proposed five star hotel that this will be a reality before the end of 2014. No sign of implementation has been seen after almost two years.
STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL: Constitution of State Executive Council is always expected within the first month of any reasonable administration in office. As dictatorial and totalitarian military leaders were, none of them ever delayed the formation of their cabinets for up to a month. Governor Ajimobi has delayed his cabinet for a complete year now. He has no respect for the Federal constitution, state assembly, party leaders, the crying populace and in fact his own words to the people he governs. He openly said on Splash FM in September 5th, 2015 that his cabinet will take off by October 1st of the same year. According to him “I also told myself that after been sworn in for a second term in office, we should settle down and after three months, commissioners and others can come in. we will appoint 10 special advisers and commissioners this month”
The Proposed Industrialization: No governor in Nigeria has travelled more than Governor Ajimobi or made noise about travelling out of the country to Dubai, USA, Lebanon, China, Japan, India Uk and the likes to bring investor to Nigeria . Yet with five years down the state cannot see even a cottage industry as a result of all these waste of the state resources on travelling and estacode. I challenge anybody to mention a single investor the travelling has brought to the state.
The situation of Oyo state under Governor Ishaq Abiola Ajimobi is so horrible and pathetic that it’s a political and economic contrast to compare his administration with that of Chief Obafemi Awolowo as he did in my quotation above. Awo was a visualist, performer, reformer, kind hearted and a political institution that has passed the test of time. He never lied or deceived his people. Awo will never consider privatizing education or embark on a public policy without adequate consultation. Even political failures like Ajimobi often testify to the good works, landmark establishments and institutions built by the great Awo. Ajimobi will be leaving Oyo State without any enviable legacy except the above stated disasters.
Written by Lanre Akangbe.
