“I have always believed that the road to prosperity is productivity. If the people are productive, the economy will change. One day money will stop coming from Abuja. This is the truth and every discerning state must start to prepare for it. As a government, we will create enabling environment for Agribusiness investments. We will put our weight behind it because it is in our interest as a state and as a people to get this done.” – Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, Governor, Ekiti State, 5th December 2022.
There was an episode during the military intrusion and interregnum during which General Yakubu Gowon was the military Head of State of Nigeria. It occurred in 1974. The then Minister of Communication and Transportation, the influential Mr. Joseph Tarka, a political heavyweight from the Tiv tribe of Benue-Plateau State was heard saying the citizens should be outspoken against corruption ravaging the country. A fellow citizen from the same state, Mr. Godwin Daboh, was attentive. It was like a lurking lion ready to latch on a lackadaisical lamb as Daboh already possessed damning and weighty evidence of corruption against Tarka. Daring Daboh was targeting Tarka’s downfall from the high political pedestal in which the latter perched. The seemingly diabolical Daboh went public with the accusation of corruption against Joseph Tarka. Initially, the government of the day looked askance. However, with more daring evidence of corruption especially a secret tape recording of the conversation in which the minister was demanding for a kickback of 6% from a contractor was unbecoming of a statesman of the status of Tarka. Moreover, the last straw that broke the camel’s back was the allegation of allocation of a dedicated telephone line to a mistress of the minister which was a clear and convincing token of breach of trust on the part of a public servant.
The then vibrant National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS) picked up the gauntlet against the government if Tarka was not probed. At the forefront was the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Students’ Union. In a release by the Secretary General of UNILAG Students’ Union, Mr. Wole Olanipekun (now SAN), there was a demand for the sacking of the minister, failure of which the students of the institution would embark on street protests. Then, Mr. Joseph Tarka could no longer contain the flurry of fiasco as he threw in the towel. He resigned from the government. Why go this route as an introduction to this week’s article? Tribute should be paid to the celebrated columnist, though late, Mr. Gbolabo Ogunsanwo, the erstwhile Editor of the defunct Sunday Times who coined the phrase: “If you Tarka me, I will Daboh you.” This clique is pertinent to the recent brickbat between the Federal Government and the influential Governors’ Forum on who is really responsible for the pervading poverty among the populace within Nigeria’s context. There has been accusation and counter-accusation from one party to the other.
Federal Fisticuffs
The usual Federal Executive Council Meeting held last Wednesday did not go down as usual with reeling out of contracts awards as the norm. Aftermath of the meeting was a press briefing that sparked a raging row between the Federal Government and the State Governors. Throwing the first punch was the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, who was delegated to brief the press. He chastised the helmsmen at the state level as squarely responsible for the hapless poverty index recorded for the country. He poignantly posited that the Governors were inexcusable. According to the Daily Post of 30th November 2022:
“UNIDO report shows us in terms of employment, the MSMEs employ 70% of our people. So, you can imagine how much progress we will make when you find that there are roads, there is power in these rural areas.
“In terms of agriculture, you find out that the federal government doesn’t have land that they would plant, the government has pushed for the Anchor Borrowers programme and that is going on very well but the state control lands … They are the ones to provide land for agriculture. They are not investing in that.
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“They would rather build skyscrapers in a city where people will see and clap but the skyscrapers does not put food on the table (sic).”
Before throwing away the baby with the bathwater, it is good to analyze the points raised by the minister objectively. He seemingly accused the Governors of more of grandstanding governance. He came out with statistics which should be addressed by the latter rather than lampooning the Federal Government which the minister spoke on behalf. There are three salient and succinct points raised in his briefing that I will pinpoint here in this column for followers to ponder and reflect upon if Nigeria must witness real development, and not just media hype or ‘paper tiger’ development that is more of a propagandist parochial approach that followers cannot feel, see, touch or embrace! More of such abound in the pages of newspapers and apparently non-visible as one commute the nooks and crannies of Nigeria. However, it may be unfair to lump all the states together in one haphazard perspective. Perhaps, the minister goofed here! However, there is the issue of access to rural areas where 70% of the populace reside and from which 90% of what we feed upon come from. Without gainsaying it, how many states have access roads in good condition to the rural areas to aid farmers and traders to link the semi-urban and urban areas to promote socio-economic activities that would engender growth?
Two, and very significant, how, in concrete and measurable terms, have our Governors demonstrated proactive and practical interests in impacting the numerous Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). This is the sector that should stem unemployment rate in greater proportion than all the sectors put together. If our Governors do the needful here with proper application of monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) tools, it is possible for mass engagement of our teeming youths that will result in enhanced productivity thus shoring up the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) whilst simultaneously increasing income of these youths. Ultimately, it will progressively and positively impact the poverty index as many citizens will exit the poverty net.
Three, the minister complained of low interest and investment in agriculture by the men in the saddle in the states. It is worth mentioning that no state government should blame the federal government for low productivity in farm produce as the state governments have access to land within the states rather than the federal government. It is unfortunate that many of our states still pay lip service to agribusiness whereas this ought to be the fulcrum of our industrial revolution when harnessed with modern technology laced with digital skill acquisition and impartation, especially targeting our restless youths. It is sickening and saddening seeing many of our hapless youths; some of them graduates of our higher institutions, riding motorbikes (‘okada’), operating tricycle (‘maruwa’) transport business, pitifully engaged in debasing cultism or internet fraud operations, etc. Proper governance, at the state level, would have redirected their energies to worthwhile and productive ventures that would have resulted in a win-win for them and the states where these teeming youths reside. Largely, perusing many states of the country, this has not happened!
Will Ekiti Make the Difference?
There is a new sheriff in town in Ekiti. So, it seems. He posited of recent:
“I have always believed that the road to prosperity is productivity. If the people are productive, the economy will change One day money will stop coming from Abuja. This is the truth and every discerning state must start to prepare for it. As a government, we will create enabling environment for Agribusiness investments. We will put our weight behind it because it is in our interest as a state and as a people to get this done.”
Prosperity will always be through productivity, and in Oyebanji’s perspective, vis a vis, the context of an agrarian state such as Ekiti, agribusiness is the way to go. This columnist was a resident of Malaysia for upwards of 3 years. In that country, it was exploitation of oil palm that jump started that country’s economy. Malaysia inculcated technology into it laced with modern research techniques. Presently, there is a species of oil palm that produces fruits within 2 years. In addition, Malaysia had since initiated production of biodiesel from oil palm! Recalling these words of Oyebanji succinctly stated on 5th December 2022, will it be like someone once opined: ‘talk is cheap?’ Two years from now, will the statement of Oyebanji produce tangible outcomes in measurable and discernible terms that Ekitikete can see, feel, touch and embrace? To this columnist, as a development strategist and analyst, this is the hallmark of real governance, any other one is mere grandstanding! In the second part, the other side of the coin will be viewed: are the Governors justified in their counter accusations against the federal government? Looking forward to your perspectives on this issue of governance knowing that both the state and federal governments have distinct roles to play rather than subjecting the citizens to exchange of diatribes from one another as a form of defense. Thank you for keeping the interest in the column.
- Ekundayo, Ph.D. – can be reached via 08155262360 (SMS only) and drjmoekundayo@hotmail.com