Get Ekiti Politics Right

GETTING OUR POLITICS RIGHT IN EKITI

By

Seye Adetunmbi

To make the desired progress in all fronts in Ekiti-State, there must be an effective platform through which well meaning Ekiti people can rise above intrigues of party politics, to discuss matters of common interest dispassionately without fear of favor or patronage. In effect this is the paramount advocacy of Ekitipanupo advocates, and it is attainable with sincerity of purpose by all the parties concerned.

It may seem that in Ekitipanupo deliberations, people blow grammar day-in-day-out like the published news and articles in the newspapers every day and every week through columns, one-off features. Yet, all the mediums have their impact, otherwise all the reporters and columnists would have abandoned their posts while the newspapers should have gone under by now. Besides, those under fire in the media, they have their story to tell that's why some of them will do anything to kill stories.

No doubt, Ekitipanupo deliberation continues to make impact in its own modest way. The 1st term of Fayose and the tulasi era can never forget in a hurry the place of Ekitipanupo in the two notorious administrations. Likewise, the administration of Fayemi benefited from the intellectual input and moral support of the forum that delivered a timeless well thought out blue print to the government in December 2010.

The forum might have not been able to do more in terms of influencing election direction, yet those in government know that there is a "watch force"/strategic forum that you cannot wish away because the patriotic members of the forum are monitoring the affairs of the state and would blow whistle anytime they miss it. That's one indisputable unique substance of Ekitipanupo initiative. Yes, effective feedback mechanism of the intellectual roundtable is an inalienable credit of the forum. Victory at the polls is a matter of time, God being our helper.

In as much as individuals are expected to be partisan in a manner not binding on the forum we should not expect a Ekitipanupo to be indifferent to what happens in Ekiti State politically and socioeconomically. Otherwise there is no point wasting our time coming together. The allegiance of the forum is to "ure" (good) of Ekiti irrespective of the political party or governor occupying the seat for as long the vision allies with the tenets of Ekitipanupo initiative.

One's humble understanding of the essence of why the best of Ekiti indigenes in all areas of human endeavours constituted the intellectual roundtable, is not about any governor respecting Ekitipanupo; but for whoever elects to govern us or is governing the state, to consciously respect the wish of Ekiti people generally through good, purposeful and fruitful governance.

One is convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that anyone who governs or aspires to govern Ekiti State that won't reckon with Ekitipanupo forum is not likely to rule or govern with probity. Also, if anyone disregards the forum, such fellow does not deserve the collective or individual respect of the group and its members.

I have since come to the conclusion that until Ekiti State produces a true/devout Ekitipanupo Governor, the forum may not be able to go beyond what it is doing for now. This is not talking of opportunists or those who ride on the goodwill of the forum to get endorsement of the elite for easy passage to government, and when they get to the position of authority they pursue personal agenda. It is the person who believes that power belongs to the masses and not the clique and ajeles that see the fellow to the office.

Unhealthy political intrigue will continue to hunt progress in Ekiti. I recall being contacted to be part of Economic Council during the tenure of Brigadier-General Olurin after the state of emergency was declared. By the time the body was constituted, I was not included. The Administrator was to be at the 1st public lecture of Ekitipanupo held on April 7, 2007 which was delivered by Dr Ayo Ajayi, onetime managing director of UAC PLC. It was last minute that the man and some other top government officials kept off because they told Olurin that it is was a gathering of politicians. It was only Oloye of Oye-Ekiti that attended the event, meanwhile all Ekiti Obas were invited.

Likewise, it was only Ewi who sent representatives to the 2nd public lecture of Ekitipanupo held in 2015 to mark 10th anniversary. The epoch making event was hosted by ABUAD, Prof Michael Omolewa delivered the lecture, the first elected governor of Ekiti-State, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo was the chairman of the occasion. It is amusing when people say Ekitipanupo should take the message to the grassroots to change the mindset or educate the electorate. How do you embark on such project if the incumbent governor doesn't buy into it or his political constituency feels threatened? It may amount to effort in futility!

Any society or state that cannot hold a congress or an all encompassing gathering of its people such that the stakeholders will be duly represented irrespective of creed and their political leanings, is not likely to have a generally acceptable socio-economic development master plan that successive administrations would buy into for continuity of lasting policies. It is a shame to the so called homogeneous characteristic of Ekiti State for not being able to accomplish this. The insecure politicians in our midst are the bane of progress in Ekiti.

What Ekitipanupo is going through is not different from what Afenifere and similar groups of repute suffered in the hands of overtly ambitious politicians that had political power and don't wish to be accountable to anyone except to themselves. The hawks won't willingly allow a forum like Ekitipanupo with huge goodwill and can't be compromised nor bribed to have political power added to it because that means the end of business for the insecure commercial politicians, the unemployed party members and jobbers who live on the warped system and party politics in Ekiti-State.

The right attitude to political aspiration for 2018 governorship race is for all the aspirants to imbibe the culture of fair play and reasonableness, while all ranks of supporters should should follow suit.

Whoever is going about jostling for political office based on personal trip and not about larger interest would be desperate which underscores the fact that such aspiration is not about the people to be governed but the camp of the aspirant, after all.

The supporters and promoters of aspirants also need to be mindful of the way they go about their campaign and project such that they don't complicate matter for the chances of their principal at the primary election. If you will need the support of a strategic group within the same political party, you don't allow or encourage your supporters to publicly disparage the equally qualified principal of the formidable camp with strong party structure on the ground.

When supporters within the same political party campaign against the contenders of their principal in the manner of an opposition party, then it is no longer a healthy competition. It is either our group or no deal is not the right attitude for a political party that genuinely wants to go for an important election as one compact entity and come out victorious. Don't blame some of us that have lost confidence in the contraption called front-line political parties that we have in Nigeria today.

Before the elite can live meaningfully and well, they must help enrich the lives of others around them. The value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. Thus, leaders that desire to be happy must help others find happiness. The welfare of each citizen is bound up with the welfare of all. None of us truly wins until we all win. To become the best requires helping people around you to be good. That's the charge to the political leadership in Nigeria.

We can only keep hope alive that the majority shall have their way before the situation goes beyond redemption in our beloved nation. "Olorun lo ma gba wa l'owo awon to fe ma danikan sanra, ki ilu ma ru". May Ekiti people get it right at the next opportunity to elect a new governor.