BASHORUN BERNARD ‘KUMAPAYI
“A man cannot give what he does not possess”
It is a common cliché that no one gives what they do not have or possess. This perfectly describes the personage of the ‘Ashiyan’ the ‘Fountain of Knowledge’ state has as its governor. Contrary to what is being bandied around on the cyber space, Ekiti has not been fortunate with the current leadership running its affairs. The state has been on autopilot governance – an administration that has largely run on propaganda. It has always been one propaganda at a time. A look at governance across board reeks of absence of meaningful development. From infrastructure to social welfare, from education sector to health sector, and from agriculture potential to even human capital development, Ekiti is crying for help!
What Ekiti people have witnessed in over 3 years of Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji in the saddle has been nothing short of abysmal performance, colossal failure and obvious leadership catastrophe by all standards. The state government under Mr. Oyebanji has been a complete fiasco of gargantuan proportion. And allowing the person of Mr. Governor a day extra outside his constitutional 4-year term is analogous to taking the state – Ekiti to the Golgotha for its obsequies. Many analysts have continued to question the intellectual capacity of the man – Oyebanji. Rightly so, it is within their allowed opinion. The reason for this is not far-fetched. What is on ground in Ekiti today is what can simply be referred to as carcass of a governance.
As of today, the total inflow into the state’s coffers is over N400billion since Governor Oyebanji came on board. However, when the public juxtaposes what has come into the state in terms of finances with the infrastructure on ground, one cannot but shed tears of sorrow – a painful and excruciating experience occasioned by vacuous governance deliverables. The State Government continues in its propaganda of working round the clock to deliver good governance. Meanwhile statistics is not in tandem with government’s claim. Only recently, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released data of its Consumer Price Index (CPI) of August where Ekiti State ranked 1st among states of the Federation in inflation rate at 28.17%
The question every concerned stakeholder keeps asking is where is the N30billion Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio told the public that President Tinubu released to states of the Federation to address the issue of food insecurity. Ekiti was meant to be the food hub of the entire South West region. Sadly, the state is plagued by a leadership with kwashiorkor-ed (sic) vision. Its much-touted agriculture revamp is more of another propaganda. The public is still waiting to see the cassava-processing factory meant to revolutionize the value chain. Not even a basket of the cassava has been harvested in more than 2 years down the line. What the public is fed with is, ‘We will’ and ‘We plan’ rhetoric, not result of what has been achieved.
As if the main campaign had started in earnest, the state governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji rather than showcase what his government has achieved in 3 years with verifiable facts, he is busy hiring All Progressives Congress (APC) social media influencers to promote his government. Even if that must be the case, should there not be ‘products’ the so-called influencers would sell? Or how does somebody market a product that is non-extant? Can the state government produce any documentary on the milestones of its government in over 3 years of being in charge that is commensurate with funds that had so far accrued to it? If none, can the state government take journalists, not APC social media influencers, on a tour of its achievement across the 3 senatorial districts of the state?
Barely two weeks ago, the state government played host to APC influencers at the Oke-Ayoba Government House where the governor personally welcomed these folks who were there for the money anyway – not for public interest. As of today, the state government is set to host the same APC social media influencers. Then we cannot but ask Mr. Governor, ‘Of what importance is their coming to the state?’ What are these people coming to ‘influence’ in the state? Are they coming to lie to the public that the statistics from the NBS on Ekiti having the highest inflation in the country was wrong? Are they coming to say that the statistics of Ekiti ranking 29th across the country was wrong? Or are they coming to say that the statement from the Ekiti State branch of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners is a lie?
The public will recall that only last week, Ekiti State pensioners came out to debunk the falsehood propagated by Governor Oyebanji that his government had settled the pensioners. The state government in its continuous attempt, albeit shamelessly, to market its poor performance, has continued to, so-to-say, ‘commandeer’ federal government’s projects and claim ownership all in an attempt to show the public that it is working. Unbeknownst to these so-called influencers. Ekiti is unique with chequered political history. No amount of propaganda can reinforce failure once the people are determined. Let them read through history. If the party – APC wants to retain the state, then, the incumbent clueless, tactless, and no less visionless governor, Mr. Oyebanji MUST be shown the exit door!
Ekiti needs a rescuer!
– Bashorun Bernard ‘Kumapayi
Global President,
Ekiti Patriots.