Senator Iyabo Anisulowo is a former Commissioner for Agriculture in Ogun State and Minister of State for Education. She spoke with MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE on the activities of Governor Ibikunle Amosun and his bid for a second term.
Many people are endorsing Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun for a second term. What is your view?
Yes, I have said it many times. He has been doing well, especially with the infrastructure – roads, schools and opening up investment opportunities for people. Workers in the state are being taken care of; the area that I am expecting him to do more is agriculture. If he doesn’t go for the second term, how will he open up the rural roads that would enable investors to plan, invest and move their finished products out of the markets? He is trying and in fact, I never knew he could do the much he has done now. I believe that we should be patient; we should give him support and, no matter what he may have as his shortcomings, at least, we are all human beings. But for me, nothing will make me go against him. If I go against him, it will also mean I don’t have the love of my people in my mind. So, let us give him the chance. Let him go for the second term so that he can actually help us also, in this area (Ogun West Senatorial District) because we are nearer to the Egbas. I mean, Egba and Yewa, we are nearer to one another. And the wind should blow across the land so that we can say that, at least, we have experienced democracy.
But your kinsmen from Yewa land still feel that the governor has not been fair enough to the zone. Do you share that view?
Every human being has his own different strategy. Amosun’s strategy is to combine four local government areas across the pure Yewa land. The road ,which he started from Aiyetoro, through Imeko, Ilara, Ijoun and the rest, is a major breakthrough for us in the border area. And when roads along these routes are put in the proper shape, development will come and radiate across the towns. To me, honestly, he has started well and even if I don’t benefit anything, no problem. If it is for some personal bases, well, I can say he shouldn’t go for the second term. But I don’t have any covenant with him to say he should go for only one term or not. Also, the constitution allows him to go for the second term. Therefore, let him go. To me, as an individual and also, as a leader in this community, as many I can convince, I will.
What is the agitation for power shift to Yewa all about?
I don’t think we are prepared for it because the major stakeholders are looking at this Amosun issue. They are feeling that “ko sa wa seti wa na” (He should come and do our own too). It is the survival of the fittest for now. For most people, that he has been demolishing houses in Egba, Aiyetoro, Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu and others, and you should know that, it is four-legged. He has touched the four zones and I must confess to you. The extent is what we are talking about. Nobody can compete with Abeokuta; it is the state capital. If a Yewa-born person becomes a governor, he will live in Abeokuta because it is the state capital. He can’t shift the state capital to Ilaro, no! He can only, like we have a governor’s lodge here too, beautify or expand it to his own taste so that whenever he comes to his constituency he can have where to pass the night there and his entourage. But the capital will always remain in Abeokutaand that has been established. So, if they are spending 30 percent of the state income in Ijebu and they are also spending 30 percent in Yewa/Awori, definitely, Abeokuta will take the remaining 40 percent. And most people, especially workers live in Abeokuta. So, the economy will be better off than any other place. It is we, ourselves that we should sit down and map out our strategies on how to develop our own area, according to our ability.
What is your position on the local government autonomy?
For me, honestly, it is a difficult thing to do. When I was the Senate Committee Chairperson on State and Local Government Administration and, if not for the third term agenda that we threw out and other things, we would not have been better off. Take for instance, we have changed Yewa name. Sagamu too was badly spelt in the constitution. The local government autonomy then, thank God, the current Senate President, David Mark was part of the review. I could remember we went to Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, to review the constitution in a bid to change certain things and clauses. It was not controversial that time. I mean the issue of the local government autonomy. I am surprised now because, without the local governments having financial muscle, the rural areas can’t develop at all. Invariably, I am in support of local government autonomy. I had been the senate chairperson on state and local government administration and I know the limitation of the state.
The states themselves, according to the constitution, are supposed to add 10 per cent of their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to the local council funds. That is why they have the joint account – state and local government. The reason for the joint account is that the Federal Government puts its own money to the local governments and the state governments are required to add additional 10 per cent of their IGR into it and then, they will now share. So, invariably, the constitution meant well. It is the interpretation and the implementation of the clauses of the constitution that is causing ‘wahala.’ It is to enrich the local governments so that they can execute projects, take care of the environmental sanitation, to pay staff salaries, health and others.
Why is it difficult for the National Assembly to create states?
It is unfortunate that we don’t do our politics right in the south, especially as it concerns the creation of more local governments. And they (north) like joining the Army and you can see balance. The north believes in democracy and militocracy. If they can’t make it democratically they believe they will make it militocratically.
And so, everybody either good or, bad was sent to enlist in the Army. But in our own case here in the South, we were resenting the Army and we didn’t send our children to join the Army except the ones that were stubborn. You can see where it has landed us.
It landed us in an area of succession because we were not able to enlist our people. And because they had killed one nobody would want to take over. But they, if they are still killing 100 persons of their own they would have people stepping into their shoes. In the area of local government or state creation, it is very difficult now because we are in a democratic era, but it is on the military by its fiat that you can just create local governments and states.
But in a democracy like ours, it is difficult because it has to be discussed and debated. Population will be brought into focus. Take for instance, if we are creating local governments the questions of what are the potentials would come in? How buoyant is the local government? In this wise, sustainability will come in. And when this debate starts, interest groups will come in. And there are some people in this country that have money to stop whatever they want to stop or promote whatever what they want to promote.
They have enough funds and that is the problem, but God is supreme. So, it is going to be difficult and when they were saying it, that they would create more local governments and states and I was once in that chamber before. I know what can happen and I know what can’t happen because when they close the doors behind them so many things go on inside. And when that those things are going inside, even with your best ideas you will realise that you can’t speak for your own people alone. You will have to think Nigeria and when you are thinking Nigeria certain things can’t be done.
