I have read a lot of comments about the Mercedes – Benz G 500 which Governor Makinde presented to the Chairman of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, CCII, Barr. Niyi Ajewole.
Ordinarily, no one should have a problem with the Governor for choosing to celebrate a prominent Ibadan son, by presenting him a gift of car on his birthday, provided, the Governor could provide information about the source of the funds used to purchase the very expensive gift.
I have read some comments about the fact that the Mercedes – Benz G 500 was actually one of the three acquired by the State Government for the purpose of presenting them as official cars to the Olubadan of Ibadan Land, the Alaafin of Oyo and the Soun of Ogbomoso.
Those who made this claim could well be correct, but, for me, Governor Makinde is very free to continue to cut his nose so as to spite his face all he wants.
His days as the Governor of Oyo state are numbered and he will be the one to carry the scars of his personally inflicted injuries all about.
Good enough, these Monarchs are not only men of means before they became Kings of their respective Towns and Cities, I believe also that they are so loved by their subjects to the extent that they can afford to own any brand of automobile they so desire or, which their subjects see as desirable for their status. So, shame on whosoever thinks he could make them suffer by refusing to accord them the respect they deserve.
Like Yorubas would say, if the ant sees you as a log of wood, you remove it from your body and throw it away. ( Bi eera ba fi ni pe igi, a won danu ni).
Like I said, I have no problem with Governor Seyi Makinde for presenting Barr. Ajewole with an expensive car on his birthday.
However, I am worried and I want to know the source of the funds used to purchase the car that was gifted to the Chairman of the CCII and I challenge Governor Makinde to provide verifiable information to this effect.
This is not the first time that Governor Makinde would be traveling this route.
In the past, he had presented gifs of cars to all manner of people within and outside Oyo state.
I remember the particular case of a Radio presenter who covered several kilometers to present a birthday cake to Governor Makinde in the Government House.
The funny individual returned with a gift of SUV and he has not remained the same up till today. He became a soulless praise singer of the Governor.
Governor Makinde had also presented car gifts to musicians and several other individuals in the state.
While you will agree that some of the beneficiaries actually deserved the gifts, yet, you will stil query the rational behind the qualification of many of the recipients. People like the birthday boy and the musicians.
The price of a Mercedes – Benz G 500, the type that was presented to Barr. Ajewole is very scary.
According to sources, the price of the type given to Barr. Ajewole is put at, between 350mn to 600mn.
That amount is about the average statutory monthly allocation for a Local Government in Oyo state as at today.
So, with whose resources was that car given to Barr. Ajewole acquired? Government or personal resources of the Governor?
This is a Governor Seyi Makinde who has been jumping all over the country, saying, he wants to reset the country.
Since he became Governor of Oyo state in 2019, there has been no meaningful developments in the 33 Local Governments, most especially, in the rural communities.
Now, he has gifted a car which price is put at around 600mn to the Chairman of just one association within Ibadan.
You may now ask, when will Governor Makinde extend such gifts to the heads of similar associations in Ogbomoso, Oyo, Saki, Iseyin, Okeho, Igboho, Igbeti, Eruwa, Igboora, Igangan and numerous other towns within Oyo state?
At least, what is good for a goose should also be good for another goose.
I have been saying it, Governor Makinde is a slave to his ego. If not, what exactly does he think will be the benefit of his action regarding the presentation of this Greek gift to the Chairman of the CCII?
How could you be blowing hot and cold at the same time and you expect people to take you serious?
You are the one shouting around that the multiplied monthly allocations for the States and the 33 Local Governments is not enough to take care of the responsibilities of Oyo state and the 33 Local Governments.
You kept shouting, ” inflation”, ” inflation” all over the place as if inflation is stranded in Oyo state and could not reach other states.
How do you now explain the common sense behind gifting a car, worth almost a billion Naira to an individual on his birthday?
More so, as Governor of a state that you claim is being ravaged by inflation?
When you are fighting inflation and high costs of living, as a Government, ain’t you supposed to be blocking loopholes and cutting costs?
Are you supposed to be so reckless, gifting individuals, gifts, worth hundreds of millions of Naira on their birthdays?
I think I should say this. No amount of car gifts will save the APM from imminent defeat in the coming elections.
The husband of the local liquor seller is wiser. He has decipher the motive behind his wife’s incessant excuses. ( Oko oloti ti gbon. Oni, mo nlo gba agbe, ola, mo nlo gba agbe).
Sola Abegunde.
