Following the swearing-in of new governors and inauguration of state assemblies across the country, one would have expected the new governments to have promptly set off on the task upon which they were elected. But no, this is Nigeria. We do our own things differently in this clime. The one who nurse contrary expectation is either naive or is alien to our nonconformist culture. In our dear country, elected executive is never in a hurry to put the machinery of governance in place via constitution of cabinet and other strategic appointments. Of course, there is an established process. Cabinet formation is an all-inclusive affair, with inputs from all major stakeholders across the state, local governments and wards levels of the ruling party. But this should not take two or three months. When I say three months, I’m only being charitable because the popular notion is that a government elected on four- year tenure actually have two years for governance. The first year is spent forming the cabinet while the last year is spent campaigning for re-election. When the cabinet is not in place, the wheels of governance will not achieve the expected expedition. But this seems to be of little concern to both the new governors and legislators. They are more preoccupied with opposition witch-hunt, especially the outgone administration. Kwara, Imo and Oyo appear to be most guilty in this regard. This however is not peculiar to these three states. It is actually a national malaise. And it boils down to our brand of politics which is detrimental to good governance. Politics should have a robust impact on a nation’s growth and development, depending on the vision and philosophy. In developed democracies, the focus is more on economic growth, healthcare delivery, infrastructural development, education and security. In Nigeria, a nation suffering economic anemia, population-decimating insecurity, chronic infrastructural decay and rampaging poverty, owning to gross mismanagement and leadership ineptitude, what we have is “politics of the stomach”. We call it “stomach infrastructure”, and it has been adopted as policy in many states in the federation. This is a fall-out of a warped political system which breeds imposition and election of visionless, inept and unprepared people into public office.
It is called “Kakistocracy”. Wikipedia defines it as “a system of government that is run by the worst, least qualified, and/or most unscrupulous citizens”. Presently, no work in the real sense of it is going on in any of the states where election took place between February and March. The new governors have been busy hiding their unpreparedness or incompetence or both from the expectant electorate by dishing out blames and condemnation of their predecessors. You wonder why they were elected in the first place. The one in Lagos even found the time to travel to Egypt to watch the national soccer team participating in the 2019 African cup of nations and splashed over N40million on the team. Don’t be surprised if this governor or his supporters chose to list this wasteful trip as part of his achievements. The electorate has been beguiled, deceived and rendered vacuous and gullible by vicious lies and propaganda. This is why nobody is holding those in public service and the government accountable. The way forward is to reawaken our duties and responsibilities as citizens through non-governmental sensitization. We should demand tirelessly, good governance at all levels of government. This should start, but not ends at the polls. We should muster collective resolution devoid of ethnic-religious bias. Bad government knows no tribe or religion, thus we must shun these divisive factors. As a matter of fact this what has been sustaining bad government in this country.
Oke-Sobi in Florida
Florida, America’s sunshine state shares a similarity with Kwara, Nigeria’s state of Harmony. In Ilorin, Kwara State capital, Oke-Sobi (Sobi hill) is a historic landmark. The hill which is a tourist destination is as old as the ancient town. It provided a refuge for warriors in the days of old while today it offers spiritual relief for Christians and Muslims who troop there for prayers. Florida, on the other hand, has its own Okeechobee.
Like Sobi hill, Okeechobee has a tourist attraction in its annual music and arts festival. And that is where the similarity ends. Okeechobee or Oke-Sobi if you like, is a county with a population of around 6,000. It is very popular for buying and slaughtering of cows, rams, goats and poultry. I have not had the opportunity to visit this Oke-Sobi of Florida, but hopefully will, before departing America.
Rent notice
Here in Miami, apartment managers don’t take chances with their tenants. The rents are usually due at month’s end. And promptly on the last day of the month, a notice would be mounted at all strategic locations in the estate reminding the tenants that it’s time to pay. Failure to pay by the 3rd day attracts a fine of $100(N36000). Who says Nigeria is not the best place to live.
Triumphant welcome
The whole of America was in joyous mood yesterday as the country’s female soccer team went on street parade to celebrate their victory at the France 2019 women’s World Cup. Streets of New York was filled with hundreds of thousands of people singing, dancing and hailing the national heroines.
