Ali Mazuri while writing on Obama at the onset of his presidency opined, Obama was a great man but not yet a great President. Will emergence of MAKINDE as Oyo State governor be equated with greatness, will he become a great governor like Mazuri wanted Obama to be a great President ?
The Pace Setter State needs re-engineering and new thinking to help restore it’s dwindling glory it has lost. Despite the presence of the Premier University and the first teaching hospital in the State. Oyo State has one of the highest number of out of school children and high number of infant mortality in the country. The Pace Setter State also ranked among the least in exam performance in both WAEC and NECO.
If Governor Seyi Makinde (GSM) will be a great Governor, he must be prepared to set the state on a new pedestal of greatness as the greatness of the state will eventually be his greatness.
Franklin D. Roosevelt became America President when America was in great depression. FDR during his inauguration on March 4,1933, he projected a calm energy and optimism like MAKINDE also projected during his inauguration too.
FDR during his first 100 days in office,his administration passed legislation that aimed to stabilize industrial and agricultural production,create jobs and stimulate recovery. For GSM to attain greatness, he must give Oyo State it’s new deal as FDR famously gave America it’s greatest deal that led to a great recovery for America.
Xi Jinping, Chinese President is gradually becoming one of the greatest Chinese leader with his touch to make China a superpower and the number one economy in the world. Oyo State with a population of less than ten million is bigger than Gambia, Libya,Togo etc as a country in terms of population. Oyo State with it’s natural resources is richer than Japan in term of mineral resources. Oyo State with conducive agro climate is better than Dubai which is in the desert.
Oke-Ogun in Oyo State with 60% of arable land in Southern Nigeria is bigger than all the cultivated land in Botswana, Namibia and Mauritius. But despite all these positive potentials in the state, the state is insolvent and is never ranked among the most viable economy in Nigeria and in Africa.
California, a State in US is now the 5th largest economy in the world, bigger than the economy of France, UK, most African countries if not all, Russia. The California example like Japan is premised on human resources and not natural resources compare to Texas State and Nigeria respectively with abundant oil. Lagos State in Nigeria is the 6th largest economy in Africa.
Can MAKINDE begin to put in motion greater plans to make Oyo State an economy example in Africa?
If Lagos with it’s population cannot compete with Japan, Oyo state should aim to benefit from Lagos.
Will GSM begin to see himself as the President of a nation in Africa?
A nation with enormous potentials of both human and natural resources endowed more than many African Countries.
Prior 2011, Oyo State revenue to the federal government ranked sixth, but the situation has changed and within just a decade, Ogun State has equalled and surpassed Oyo State in revenue generation and contribution, conducive environment for business, infrastructural development.
Will GSM build a viable economy for the citizens where they can be prosperous?
An economy that will be labeled Oyo state economy model. Though, within his 100 days as governor, the people have seen positive signs in prompt payment of workers and pensioners salaries, cancellation of levies in schools which is addressing the low enrollment of children in schools. Also, the distribution of exercise books cum textbooks to students is an icing on the cake for parents and students as these was last experienced 39 years ago during Bola Ige tenure and MAKINDE strongly concur with the 36th US President, Lyndon Johnson when he said ” the classroom is where children’s lives, indeed the future of the nation ,will be shaped”. If GSM will be a great governor, he must be prepare to better the performances of the past thirty two governors that have governed the state . In the past 100 days as governor, GSM has not done what we have never seen, but the people need him to do more great and innovating things, and he should make it consistent by not going where his path may lead, but go where there is no path and leave a trail. Lastly, the best Governor Oyo State desires is not a governor of the past but rather a governor of the present.
Having had the privilege of noble birth is not as important as giving oneself a nobler rebirth.
By – Sunday Oyelekan
Olalekan Ajimoti – Blogger, Content Writer, and Digital Marketer helping brands and retailers build 8-figure e-commerce since 2016.
As a corporate trainer, brand communications expert, and brand consultant, I help people start, stay and grow in business leveraging digital skills and traditional expertise.
