Unfortunately for Governor Seyi Makinde, he started the battles for 2027 earlier than it’s necessary. Not only that, he failed in choosing his battle carefully and where to fight them.
I love epic stories. Much more, I love to watch epic battle movies, not because of the blood letting, but because of the strategies that defined ancient wars.
In Medieval periods, most of the great Generals we read about in present days didn’t usually ride to battles. They mostly stay at the rear where they could study the flow of battles, give orders and adjust their battle plans when necessary.
On very few occasions, I have read about great Generals like Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great who had to ride to the thick of battles, but, on those occasions, it was either the battle was almost won, or morales were low and they had to appear to fight side by side with their Armies to boost morale.
Governor Makinde is an extremely lucky person. Unfortunately, he could not bring himself to accept the wisdom in Chinua Achebe’s proverbs.
ALSO READ: Oyo 2027: Folarin Backs Sharafadeen Alli, Calls for Improved Reward System in APC
Chinua Achebe once said that some people got their palm kernels cracked for them by benevolent spirits.
Governor Makinde got his palm kernels cracked for him by benevolent spirits on two occasions. 2019 and 2023.
Sadly, it does appear like he thought that he got the palm kernels cracked through his ingenuity.
Chinua Achebe also said in one of his books that, no man, no matter how powerful, can win judgment against his clan.
It does also appear like the wisdom behind that statement is lost on Governor Seyi Makinde.
If it does, he won’t be fighting everyone at the same time. He has spent the better part of his seven years plus as Governor of Oyo state, making more enemies than friends.
He is fighting the rich, the poor, the high and the mighty.
Like I said sometimes ago, someone who used to be very close to him told me not long ago, that Governor Seyi Makinde would always go away with anything, once he can still connect with the power of the rain.
There is no time I remember such silly talk that I wouldn’t laugh.
Incidentally, a video is currently trending online where a Prophet also alluded to such sentiments, but he said the rain would lose its potency in 2027. Rain or no rain, I also believe that Governor Makinde has bitten more than he could chew this time around.
I do not doubt the existence of black powers, but I also know that you can not rely on it every time. Asides, how could someone who depends on a charm that attracts good fortune be quarrelling with everyone who are expected to do him favors and he will still expect his charms to produce magic?
Governor Makinde is a serial betrayal. Not only that, his ego and self opinionated character will never allow him to sustain friendships and relationships.
When you possess such characters, it’s just a matter of time before you kiss the dust.
I started by taking about strategies for winning wars and I said that Governor Seyi Makinde is a neophyte in this regard.
Let me break it down.
I have kept wondering, what could have driven Governor Seyi Makinde to settle for the choice of Bimbo Adekanmbi as his anointed successor?
The choice of Bimbo Adekanmbi was definitely going to ignite a civil war within Governor Makinde’s political empire, yet, he went ahead. That is poor strategy and it has backfired, even though, the Governor would not publicly admit it.
Once the first mistake was made, a chain of mistakes was bound to follow.
Governor Makinde, who should have been the General, directing the battle from the rear, had to join the battle from the beginning.
He had to explain and try to convince those who had been with him for years, but who he jettisoned for Adekanmbi to accept his choice as the anointed Gubernatorial candidate.
Secondly, he had to begin to explain and also try to convince the Muslim Community in Oyo state about why Bimbo Adekanmbi, a Christian, must be accepted by them, as a successor to a Christian Governor, who served two tenure.
In trying to appeal to the two important categories of people, Governor Makinde started committing errors upon errors.
He once said that, he settled for Bimbo Adekanmbi because he is competent and has the love of the state at heart and some of us asked him, does it mean that none of the Professors, PhD holders and professionals who served him for almost eight years are competent?
We also asked, does it follow, that there is no Muslim in the whole of Oyo state, who is as competent as Adekanmbi?
The next phase of the unnecessary battle Governor Makinde got involved in is the candidature of Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli.
Immediately it was rumored that the Oyo South Senatorial District Senator would emerge as the Gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governor Makinde lost the appetite for a good sleep.
He immediately arranged for the promotion of Senator Sharafadeen Alli to the status of a crown wearing Oba despite protests.
He did this, thinking that the Oyo state Gazette would be used against him and he did try, but he failed.
After that, he started attacking Senator Alli verbally.
First, he called him a lapper. Thereafter, he said the Senator is not a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN.
You now begin to wonder, who exactly between Bimbo Adekambi and Seyi Makinde is contesting against Sarafa Alli?
You could easily see that Governor Makinde is mortally afraid of Sharafadeen Alli.
He would not limit his unprovoked attacks to Senator Alli, he extended the bitterness to the Olubadan of Ibadan Land and even began to sponsor verbal attacks against the person of Dr. Zach Adedeji.
When mother cow eats grass, its calf watches its mouth.
Bimbo Adekanmbi also joined in the spurious but unwarranted attacks on the APC Gubernatorial candidate and those he considered to be his sponsors.
On Saturday, a show was staged for him at a particular Radio station in Ibadan.
Everyone thought the fellow, having missed a big opportunity at Arise Television, would use the opportunity of the planned show to speak to his manifesto, but, alas, the APM Gubernatorial candidate spent the better part of a hundred and twenty minutes to tell all manner of lies against Senator Alli and an unnamed APC Chieftain.
In fact, he kept referring to Senator Sharafadeen Alli as ” Egbon mi, Oba”, ” Egbon mi, Oba” and at a point, I told someone who was listening to the interview with me that Bimbo is having a big problem with Sharafadeen Alli.
What is the reason behind the regular cry of ” Oba”, ” Oba”?
If you saw the way he was repeating the word ” Oba”, ” Oba”, you would think that he applied to be a town crier, ( alaago Oba), in the Palace of his ” Egbon” and he was not employed.
Interestingly, this is a fellow who, a Chieftain of his party, Alhaji Ismaila Ashipa once accused of being Seye Famojuro’s puppet.
He couldn’t seize the opportunity of the arranged interview to say something about that very disturbing information.
Bimbo Adekanmbi raised a lot of spurious allegations against Senator Sharafadeen Alli on Saturday, to the extent that I eventually lost counts of his trash talks. He became so boring.
I think Bimbo would have done better than he did, but he fell into a trap. The funny fellow who interviewed him, just like the proverbial Gbadamosi, kept beating a drum of hypocrisy.
Sadly, Bimbo spent the better part of a hundred and twenty minutes, dancing azonto to the rhythm of a drum of hypocrisy.
The election is about three months away.
I wonder, what new lies Governor Seyi Makinde and Bimbo Adekanmbi will manufacture against Senator Alli again?
The arsenal of lies, cheap propaganda and blackmail have been exhausted and I asked, is this all these losers have got?
They have insulted and threatened our revered Royal Fathers. They have threatened to abuse them and indeed, they have made good their threats.
Has it availed them?
It can’t and it will not.
The good thing in all these is that, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, like the experienced politician that he is, has refused to be distracted.
While the babies were crying all over the place, he and his Deputy have continued to engage with critical stakeholders across the length and breath of Oyo state.
In his shoes, I would be enjoying my trips, listening to the music of Abass Akande Obesere. ” Ojojumo lekun alabosi…..”.
Bimbo Adekanmbi and Governor Seyi Makinde also remind me of the blacksmith of Idanre.
The deceitful fellow was handed two hundred blunt cutlasses and he said he was only able reproduce two hundred needles from the two hundred blunt cutlasses. ( Alagbede Idanre, ta ko igba ada fun, to ni igba abere lo ka, yoo pada fi igba abere ro igba ada).
Sola Abegunde.
