Just a few days ago, a short video of a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party PDP in Oyo State popularly known as Alhaji Olopoenia was viral on the internet, his words and demonstration as he speaks show he is visibly angry at the governor not only because of himself but his action represent the silence of many others who worked for Engineer Seyi Makinde but have not been duly compensated for the electoral victory they all worked for.
Olopoenia have reasons to be angry, he still loves Seyi Makinde if not he would have remain silent, he believes the Seyi Makinde he knew is not Governor Seyi Makinde that is governing Oyo state now. He was not only disappointed but surprised how someone that he backed and used his energy, connection, and everything he had to work for could easily allow power to block his sense of reasoning and caring responsibility as a team leader.
From Olopoenia’s vituperation and reports from other corner, it is obvious that the PDP is in crisis in the state, theirs may not be as pronounced as that of the main opposition which is the All Progressives Congress, APC but if care is not taken that may be the beginning of an end for the party which managed to stage a comeback to the government after 8 years in political exile
As a keen observer of political development in Oyo state, especially from 1999, the inability to manage the part and overwhelming influence of the Governor destroyed the party, ditto APC, for instance when Ladoja came in as governor He did not only consider Baba Adedibu as irrelevant in governance he relegated him and his core loyalist to the background and Baba being a smart politician did not only disturb Ladoja from achieving his political goals and vision of transforming Oyo state into a state of his dream, he ended his career in politics.
Otunba Adebayo Alao AKala took over and started well, people love him, there was a free flow of cash in circulation during his tenure but he was hated by some people who did not support his action against Senator Ladoja, and his adversaries in the party succeeded in sending him out of government house through the party machinery, Senator Gbenga Babalola in Oke Ogun was denied second term ticket to represent Oyo North so he joined hands with others to work against Akala in Oke Ogun which was considered as his political stronghold. Senator Teslim Folarin and a host of others from the PDP formed a synergy in Ibadan against him, his friend Senator Ayoade Adeseun and some of his political allies in the PDP did the same in Ogbomoso axis and they all worked to unseat him.
The immediate past governor of the state, Late Senator Abiola Ajimobi was a master of the game, he diplomatically managed some party members like Senator Olufemi Lanlelin, Alhaji Sarafadeen Alli, Ariba, Lowo Obisesan, and others in the first term, he builds a team of loyalist around him and he won the second term and some months to the end of his term the crisis started again and he was not only affected the party in its entirety was affected because they lost the state to the PDP, Sen Ajimobi himself was rejected by the people at the poll by the people of Oyo South Senatorial District, though he started a peace movement but death stopped him, May his soul rest in peace.
History is an important aspect of life, everybody especially those aspiring to lead must learn from history so as not to fall into the same trap George Santayana a philosopher, poet, literary and cultural critic, Says” Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Seyi Makinde is no doubt a cool nice and responsible dude, his passion to change the narratives in the system and torch lives in every nooks and cranny of the state is no doubt yielding results but he should learn from history, he should complement the efforts by managing the people around him especially those who worked for him, he should learn from history so as not to repeat it.
I don’t want to go into details but a lot of people who worked day and night to ensure his electoral victory are seriously angry, they are happy with the good work he is doing but angry that they are not been involved, angry because they are not enjoying having him in government the way they should, maybe in term of appointments and patronage for contracts and others benefits, from ward to the state level, the story is the same and they are waiting for an election year to pay the governor back in his own coins just like some of those who formed coalition team to worked for his electoral victory.
If we ask Governor Makinde, he will surely have his reasons, and he may feel he is not doing anything wrong because most of the aggrieved people monetized their contributions during the election and he still have plans to compensate them only that the time is not ripe but he should also think of another day and situation where money will not work, he should remember that won’t be everywhere during the election and it won’t be nice seeing people that once promoted him going back to destroy him or worked against him.
Governor Seyi Makinde needs to restructure and remodeled his political strategy to accommodate people that really deserved to be accommodated and compensated, the reconciliation committee are doing a very good job and the Governor should listen to the heartbeat of the silent voice who are angry but refuses to speak, he should always give less attention to the sweet voice of the praise singers and sycophants whose intention is to destroy others just to have their way, it’s not too late to make peace with people the time is now.
Adewole Olufemi Writes from Ibadan
