#OTOGEaYearAfter: It’s No Time For Celebration
Bolaji Aladie is a broadcaster and active youth mobilizer during Otoge struggle. He is a graduate of University of Ilorin and Social Change Crusader. He speaks with FACTUALTIMES crew on our Special Series- #OTOGEaYearAfter. Enjoy the excerpts;
#OTOGEaYearAfter: What comes to your mind a year after political liberation of Kwara state?
We give glory to God for O TO GE victory, it is something one has to thank God for, because not everybody that participated in the struggle are alive today.
It’s no time for celebration, in life you can not start a circle in a day and got to where you are going in a day because it is not a magic. It’s a process and the first process we did is to dislodge the ruling dynasty, the second one is having a government that we believe in, the ruling party of today are just coming into the terrain. After the victory the next thing is that we need to deliver on our campaign promises. What have been destroyed for the past 16years, is not something we can build within a year, it’s a gradual step, but so far, so good we have been seeing the hope of light that this administration is going to perform more than expected. Even having disagreement within the party is good for democracy, because every stakeholder can clamour for their own stake. I call on the electorate, party faithful, and stakeholders to be patient.
Do you think the governor is running an inclusive government that he promised after his emergence as APC Flagbearer ?
Running an inclusive government, I don’t think that is happening today, because all major stakeholders that contributed their resources to this Victory have not been carry along in the scheme of things. We need to keep thanking Hon. Mashood Mustapha and Mallam Soliu Mustapha, these people were unjustly disqualified during the primary election, I really commend both of them, because if they took the path of Zamfara state, we might not be having an APC Governor in kwara today. All the major stakeholders needed to be carry along, but as of today none of them has been carried along.
How would you rate performance of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and other elected public office holders in the state?
On the performance of the Governor and other elected officials, the Governor is trying best of his abilities, and if you study him very well, you will see the passion, you will see the interests he has for common man, he is doing fine, but there is still a room for improvement. The Governor is just coming into the fold of politics, yet he has performed wonderfully well, the cabinet needs to be up and doing to meet the policy of the government, because people are expecting more from us, so they need to be up and doing to the best of their ability.
As for the lawmaker, I think they are doing fine, before we use to have one person that is controlling everything, but now there is separation of power for everybody, so everyone is trying to perform to their best of ability, because their performance will be their judge. We are going to measure them on their on their legislative performance, oversight function, motion sponsored and other duties. Senator Bukola Saraki was a two term Governor of the state before going into the senate, so you can never compare him with Senator Oloriegbe who is just coming in as a private citizen, all in all I think they are all performing wonderfully well.
We are battling with COVID-19 pandemic and it’s affecting our economy. What is your advice for the state government and Kwarans?
Necessity is the mother of invention, it’s a popular maxim! This is the time for the government to ‘think outside the box’. We have been saying government should ‘Think Outside the box’, though many people may not know what ‘the box’ is all about. The box is relative to where you are, what is obtainable now is that we need to manage the little resources. Nigeria is oil dependent nation and now we have to diversify the economy into agriculture, mining and other sectors. Kwara is abundantly blessed with mineral resources, this is the time for government to think how to turn it to money. No that we have them for having sake. We are yet to tap the resources abounded in tourism, this is the time for government to invest moderately in the sector through the collaboration of private organizations. Give private individuals and companies opportunity to invest by giving them tax holiday. Let them be the employers of labour. Then, Kwarans should be less dependant or less expectant on government, especially this period when everything is down. What every you can do to help yourself legitimately, don’t wait for anybody. Manage whatever you have, there is time we are going to live large again and we should avoid wasteful spendings. You know if individuals are unable to meet certain expectations, they are bound to blame government. Government can’t do magic. They are not elected to do magic but manage resources. Like I said earlier, cabinet members should come up with initiatives to help government. They shouldn’t wait for governor to always give them ideas. Their assignment is to see how they can translate opportunities in their individual ministry to wealth for the benefit of the state. We have to invest more in Agriculture and tourism. Immediately after restrictions for curtailment of COVID-19, it’s an opportunity for government to make fund available for tourism sector.