Less than three weeks ago, November 27, 2020, Osun State Governor, Isiaq Adegboyega Oyetola marked his second anniversary in office, having been sworn in as the Executive Governor of the state on November 27, 2018. The anniversary was highly celebrated by citizens and residents of the state.
As learnt, public celebration of Oyetola's second anniversary was a reciprocation and in appreciation of his unprecedented performance as evidenced in his socioeconomic and infrastructural transformation of the state within 24 months of assumption of office.
But there is one thing Oyetola might not know, as that could never be his intention, and that's the fact that his achievements within twenty four months, despite parlous economic status of Osun, indicted and exposed the ineptitude and or insincerity of some other political power-holders, especially those with buoyant state economic profile without corresponding performance.
It's a paradox that Osun, the state with lowest federal allocation in Nigeria, has experienced exponential growths within twenty four months of Oyetola's administration. With its weak fiscal profile and paucity of funds, if Osun can perform and deliver on her lofty promises, no state in the federation has an excuse, a justification or alibi for non-performance.
Fiscal statistical evidence from National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), and Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) suffices as supportive of the claim that Osun is one of the lowest (if not the lowest) federal allocation receiving states. According to these official sources, it would take Osun state about 13 months (more than a year), for instance, to receive what oil-rich states like Bayelsa and Rivers receive in a single month!
The paradoxical low economic status of Osun but high state performance shows that it's not how much is allocated to a state but how much the machinery of the state is dedicated to efficient utilization of the allocation. Appraisal of the giant strides recorded by Osun state in the last couple of years is a denial of any claim of paucity of funds in the state. This is as a result of efficient utilization of meager allocated and available resources by dedicated machineries of the state.
It is impressive to note, as observed, that Osun governor, by his nature, does more than he talks about; he is not a propagandist and he doesn't hire any. According to the Office of the Accountant General of the state, Oyetola's administration has spent more than fifty billion naira on payment of salaries of workers alone within twenty four months, as it pays full salaries as promptly as at when due. This has never happened in the history of the twenty-nine year old state.
Like I once said in one of my previous articles as a keen observer of Oyetola's performance being an informed indigene of the state, "Oyetola would have adversaries in politics". I also said in another article that went viral and well-published by Nigerian dailies that "Oyetola is not a typical politician".
If any political power-holder in this country tolls the path of patriotism, truth, transparency and accountability, there's tendency that he would have adversaries in our polity. This is because a typical Nigerian politician does not toll these paths; he only pretends to. A discernible mind would relate the remote cause of Saturday, October 17, 2020 assassination attempt on Oyetola to his adversaries in politics and the immediate cause to the manipulative engagement of political thugs also by his enemies in politics.
Restoration of the supposedly lost peace and order in the state via a mere official pronouncement of amnesty by the governor, who in his large heart, pardoned his failed assassins, is a vindication, as well as confirmation of Oyetola's godliness as someonestatebelieves in God and in the importance of living a moral life, popularity and true mandate of a government consent of the governed.
If not for manipulative conspiratorial machinations masterminded by Oyetola's adversaries and haters in politics to to get him killed, how could the governed attempt to assassinate a performing governor, whose governance in two years has recorded many unprecedented achievements for the state?
If not for sinister conspiracy of Oyetola's haters in politics, how, for instance, could any member of the 15,562 and another 21,000 households who benefited from the State Cash Transfer and Osun Economic Stimulus respectively attempt to kill the governor of the state whose administration has also paid over two hundred million naira to 223 families of deceased public servants?
If not by Oyetola's haters who might have been offended by his indicting performance, who in the state would want a government with ongoing recruitment of over 2,500 teachers, pardoned 962 demoted workers, paid over #1 billion outstanding contributory pensions of the workforce, and trained over 2,000 women for engagement on elementary school feeding, toppled by way of assassination?
Even if the youths were indifferent to more than 483 kilometers of roads constructed across the state within two years, and treated revitalization of 332 Primary Healthcare Centres equipped with drugs and necessary facilities with disdains, they would not to Oyetola's benevolence whose administration has spent #1.2 billion naira for empowerment of youths under YESSO, and another 19,000 youths empowered through N-Power coupled with registration of over 10,000 artisanal miners in the state.
Oyetola's self-conviction and assurance of good governance motivated him to address #EndSARS protesters on Saturday October 17, when he would have been assassinated by political thugs supposedly hired by his adversaries in politics who felt and are still feeling ashamed, exposed and indicted by Oyetola's impressive performance. Yes, it's obvious by their creation that all lizards lie prostrate, but the fact that many of them suffer from bellyache is obscure! This is my message for Mr. Governor, as I pray he continues to savour God's protection on him, his family and the entire state.
*Olorede* is a media practitioner, scholar, researcher and lecturer. You can reach him via [email protected], or tell: 08111841887.
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