By Sola Abegunde
I just finished watching a short video of Governor Seyi Makinde and a former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, holding hands and dancing at the venue of the commissioning of the Iwo Road Bus terminal.
I don’t know how anyone would want me to believe that Governor Seyi Makinde is not under intense stress and pressure these days.
Even the strongest of men would be.
Infact, the speech by the Governor at the event spoke to this belief.
The Governor himself admitted that he is pained by the different negative names he has been called recently.
Governor Makinde is a bit lucky.
At least, he got some opportunity to talk about his pain and frustrations.
Who will Seye Famojuro talk to about his own pain and frustrations beyond Governor Makinde?
I do not pity Governor Seyi Makinde for many reasons but I understand his frustrations.
He values his ego beyond anything.
Since he joined politics, he has never faced the kind of crisis he is currently trying to manage.
Sadly, the Governor is not a team player.
He enjoys being seen as the Capone.
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So, you can imagine how bad he must be feeling right now.
For me, the present pain is self inflicted and avoidable but I will come to that later.
If I am in a position to advise the Governor, I would tell him point blank that this is no time to act stubborn.
It is time to humble himself and bow to the wishes of the people.
Dancing around and pretending like all is well will not solve his problems.
His approval ratings has taken a nosedive beyond his imagination.
I heard him say that the extension at the Circular road ‘ was introduced purely for economic and development purposes, not for private enrichment ‘.
If he is sincere about that statement, then, he ought not to reverse the wicked policy of a 500m corridor.
Do that and the protesters will sign around as they used to do. ( Seyi e da? Seyi e ree).
Dancing around when people are boiling and protesting against the extension depict the Governor as insensitive to the plights of the protesters.
To make matters worse, he claimed that the protesters are politically motivated.
That is reckless to say the least.
How did the Governor profile them and arrived at the conclusion that they were politically motivated?
Should they have joined the Governor and Obasanjo to dance around at Iwo Road?
You put fire in people’s homes and you expect them to clap for you?
If Governor Makinde is frustrated about the systematic disintegration of his political Party, should he visit his anger on those who are protesting to protect their rights?
When Governor Makinde left the comfort of his house some years ago to join protesters who gathered at Challenge to protest the demolishing of a Radio station, was he also politically motivated?
Developmental projects shouldn’t come at the detriment of citizens rights and properties.
When the Governor threw the challenge that anyone who has proof that he is benefitting from the land grabbing at the Circular road should come forward, is he saying the same about the Eng. Lere Adigun GRA and other Government Estates in Oyo state?
Will he provide the public with the lists of Estate Developers and Infrastructures partners who he has appointed to manage all the GRAs and Government Estates in Oyo state?
Will he make public every documents and agreements between Government and the Estate Developers?
Why is it difficult for the Governor to have said ab initio that he was insisting on the 500m corridor?
Why has he kept meeting with the house owners, changing the goal post at every meetings?
In their shoes, would Governor Makinde have taken things lightly?
Is he not fighting rough, tooth and nail to keep control of the PDP, a Party he was nowhere when it was being founded?
As much as he is insisting on depriving them of their properties, those people would keep fighting for their rights and the earlier the Governor admitted that, the better.
This time around, Governor Seyi Makinde has been caught in a web of his double standards and I’m sure the abuses will not stop except he does the right thing.
Sola Abegunde.
