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Tag: governors

  • Jonathan, governors seek political solution to PDP crisis

    Jonathan, governors seek political solution to PDP crisis

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday met with governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the lingering leadership crisis rocking the party.
    The meeting agreed that the party’s crisis should be resolved through a political solution.
    Governors Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa); Ibrahim Dankwabo (Gombe); Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Dave Umahi (Ebonyi); Ben Ayade (Cross River); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Darius Ishaku (Taraba); Ayo Fayose (Ekiti); and the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Ipalibo Banigo, attended
    The meeting, which was being held in Jonathan’s private office in Maitama, Abuja, started around 6pm. It was still on going as at 8.45pm.

  • Fed Govt, governors, firm meet over $4.5b Chinese agric loan

    The Federal Government has met with some governors and a Chinese company, YTO China-Africa Machinery Corporation (CAMACO), to fine-tune the implementation of the $4.5 billion agriculture infrastructure loan agreement with the Peoples Republic of China.

    The Chinese government had, during President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to China last year, promised to support agriculture in Nigeria with machinery, including tractors and irrigation infrastructure.

    Nigeria Governors’ Forum Chairman Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa) and Chief David Umahi (Ebonyi) and representative of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State attended the meeting.

    The governors harped on the quality of the equipment, adaptability to weather and technical maintenance, among others.

    Umahi warned against low quality equipment and asked for detailed specification of what would be supplied to avoid bringing in machinery that may not be suitable for Nigeria’s hot weather.

    Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Chief Audu Ogbeh said the government would not accept any low quality equipment, urging the Chinese firm to work out how it would assemble in Nigeria and, eventually, manufacture some of components locally.

    Ogbeh  noted that the government would not take loans without designing the means of repayment.

    “We are negotiating the interest rate, telling them to produce here when our steel mill comes on stream. We are harping on specification. We are also discussing how to pay back the loan, through export of agriculture produce,” Ogbeh said.

    The governors agreed to meet with the technical committee to identify agriculture produce in the states that could be exported to China.

  • Governors need more powers – Mimiko

    Governors need more powers – Mimiko

    Out-going Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has sought for more powers for governors to enable them perform better.

    He spoke on Wednesday  evening at a farewell dinner in his honour and former Edo Governor, Adams Oshiomole by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).

    The event which was attended by all governors including past ones, started after the NGF briefly met at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja

    “The situation where state governors have no control of forces. We have to recreate the image of the governor in Nigeria.

    “There is a level of perception between the governor from the people and what they are delivering in the states.

    “I think we need to rethink about the image of the governor. Africa cannot come of age if Nigeria does not come of age,” he added.

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo also attended the dinner during which he commended  the two governors.

    Mallam Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Victor Attah former governor of Akwa Ibom state, Rochas Okorocha of Imo state, Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state were among those who spoke well about the two governors.

    Governor Oshiomole in his remarks thanked the forum and said the gathering must remain to preserve the diverse nature of the country.

    He said the NGF should be seen as an organization that would unite the country and deliver dividends of democracy to the people.

    Oshiomole also commended Acting President Osinbajo for the leadership he has always provided for the National Economic Council (NEC) which he was a member.

  • Igbo youths slam governors

    The World Igbo Youth Congress (WIYC) yesterday described the verbal war between Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano and Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha as “disgraceful and a slap on the entire Igbo land”.

    The President of the WIYC, Pastor Chiubuzor Isiguzoro, told reporters in Enugu that the two governors were bad role models for Igbo youths.

    He said: “At no time had Ndigbo been so disgraced and slapped on the face than what we are seeing today.

    “It is even more painful considering the personalities involved in this mess. These are people who by virtue of their office should have exhibited “excellent” behaviours by virtue of their office as Chief Executive Officers of their respective States.

    “As youths, we also look forward to leaders who will give us a sense of direction; leaders who will mentor the youths; leaders who will sharpen the ýyouths for a better tomorrow.

    “But as it is today, we now have leaders who are taking the youths on a journey to nowhere, leaders who are displaying destructive examples.”

    While lamenting the level of disunity among Ndigbo, Isiguzoro said the long-abandoned South-East governors’ forum was a clear indication that all was not well.

    “We recall that while Chief Peter Obi ýheld sway as governor of Anambra State, we had a vibrant South-East Governors’ Forum, a force to reckon with in Nigeria and he held the position for 8 years, between 2006 and 2014. Incidentally, Obiano succeeded Obi as governor in the same Anambra State.

    “With Obi as chairman of the Forum, there were quarterly meetings of the Forum where the attendance included respected traditional rulers, serving ministers, Ohanaeze Ndigbo leaders and notable members of the Igbo Leaders of Thought and Clergy men.

    “Within the period, there was peace among the governors and the political leaders, and this made it possible to gallvanise support for former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 and 2015 general elections.

    “May we also recall as within the same period, Obi coordinated his colleagues and they gave beffiting burial to the late Igbo leader Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Chinua Achebe, Prof. Chike Obi and Chief C.C Onoh.

    “The same coordination gave birth to the successful marking of the 80th birthday ceremonies of former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, and Chief Emeka Anyaoku, among others”.

    The WIYC regretted that “at this moment of our history, we have the two oldest serving governors in the zone (Okorocha and Obiano) dragging all of us to the mud.

    ”We demand apology from them or we will declare them persona non grata.”

    The group called on the Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by Nnia Nwodo, Chief Emeka Anayoku, Chief Alex Ekwueme, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Ebitu Ukiwe, Anya O Anya, among others, to intervene in the matter.

  • Why governors convened talks with emirs

    Let me place it on record that the decision to invite the royal highnesses and other stakeholders to this crucial meeting was the collective decision of all the 19 governors under our forum and was borne out of the recognition of the fundamental – if not indispensable – position and role the traditional institution occupy in the grand scheme of things in Nigeria, particularly in the Northern region. For us in Northern Nigeria, our royal fathers are, for the most part, custodians of both our cultural and religious values, highly revered and hold their traditional offices in virtual perpetuity.

    Indeed, quite a few instances abound in all parts of our region, like their Highnesses the Emir of Lafiya Dr. Isa Mustapha Agwai, the Emir of Zauzau Dr. Shehu Idris, and the Aku-Uka of Wukari Dr. Shekarau Angyu Masa Ibi Kuvyon ll, where our traditional rulers ascended their thrones long before even the creation of the states where their domains are located, or have so far worked with, and outlasted in office all the governors of their states, military and democratically elected.

    Governors of the 19 northern states do recognize, respect and cherish the fact that while others serve for certain periods, traditional rulers mostly make lifetime commitments to the service of our communities. This naturally makes the royal highnesses very significant stakeholders in the affairs of government across the 19 northern states.

    Even more crucially, it gladdens the heart to note that our traditional rulers have sustained the time tested and noble tradition of championing the causes of their people. To cite one example, only last week, His Royal Highness, Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi ll spearheaded the thought-provoking debate surrounding the significance of the education of the girl-child and how it can positively impact the progress, development, prosperity, peace, security and stability of the North and, by extension, Nigeria.

    This very fundamental debate bordering on the educational backwardness, pervasive poverty and underdevelopment as well as persistent insecurity of Northern Nigeria, should not only form the underlying basis for holding this extraordinary meeting but must continue, in our enlightened self-interest as leaders, to perpetually preoccupy our thoughts, plans, programmes and actions.

    Managing multiculturalism and heterogeneity is a major challenge and indeed a litmus test for leadership, good governance and progress not just in Northern Nigeria but in the entire global society.  However, as leaders of government, traditional rulers and community as well as religious leaders, we must unite to tackle the challenges that stare us in the face. Like all the northern governors acknowledge, development is not just about building roads, bridges, houses or what we refer to as infrastructure and the provision of social services. Yes, these are very important, but then, there are pro-social livelihoods, peace and good life which are the fundamental attributes of meaningful existence. Our core challenges in the North today revolve around intolerance, absence of peaceful coexistence, poverty, illiteracy and lack of unity. How can we address these critical concerns? We, the 19 governors of northern states believe that a gathering of some of the key leaders of the North is more than able to provide solutions to our problems. As governors, we are more determined than ever, to sincerely walk the talks generated from this important meeting.

    There is no gain saying the North is a poor, pathetic shadow of its former self. A well-endowed, promising geographic space which accounts for over 70% of Nigeria’s land mass, up to at least 60% of its population, with huge solid minerals resources, with potentials for hydrocarbon resources, a growing mining industry, rich arable lands, a blossoming agro-industrial economy, Nigeria’s wealthiest region by GDP and the region with the brightest prospects for accelerated economic growth; in short, arguably Nigeria’s most thriving region, has literally conspired against itself to be reduced to the laughing stock of the world. Northern Nigeria today is blighted by a deadly (albeit retreating) insurgency, rural armed banditry, cattle rustling, ethnic and religious conflicts, the underlying causes of which are poverty, illiteracy, social exclusivity and severely limited economic opportunities.

    We all, of course, know these issues. What is of considerable importance to the Northern Governors Forum and I am sure, to our Royal Highnesses, our most respected elders and other stakeholders, is how to urgently and collectively, address these problems starting with our priorities. While we look forward to tapping from your priceless experiences, vast knowledge and eternal wisdom, we have since begun doing some ground work. For instance, the Northern Governors Forum has last year, set up a committee of Attorneys General of the 19 Northern States to review the criminal justice system of Northern Nigeria with a view to amending the penal code to stipulate penalties for criminal offences prevalent in the North today which were not envisaged by the penal code.

    The forum verily recognizes the direct correlation between the collapse of education, industries and agriculture with most of the violence and restiveness in the north. Individual states are deploying different measures to address their peculiarities but as a forum, we have established the Northern Nigeria Global Economic Re-integration Programme under the leadership of Dr Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi, a very resourceful, internationally connected northerner, and Chief Economic Adviser to late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua. Dr Kurfi and his team are already following up with the Islamic Development Bank on areas of science education in northern Nigeria. The platform is also driving our ongoing commitment with General Electric for the construction of solar power plants in five states within the North. Kurfi’s group is also going to drive some funding arrangements with financial institutions and development partners on key areas of agriculture. Thankfully, Kurfi himself is very keen about the north reclaiming it’s lost glory in cotton production and textiles manufacturing which was the predominant industrial activity in Northern Nigeria, as well as the creation of international markets for our farm produce with emphasis on value chain.

    We shall hopefully have Dr Kurfi to give updates on what his group is doing but then, we know for sure,  that we cannot achieve much without Your Royal Highnesses and our other valuable elders who not only have so much experiences but also influence public attitude, mobilization for mass participation and other integrated processes of developments at the grassroots.  Using your highly organized and time tested system of administration, Your Highnesses are strongly present in all streets, wards, villages and districts under your heritage.  We seek to work together in order to deepen the good works majority of our Royal fathers are already doing, so that we can form a stronger front that will strikingly change the narrative of northern Nigeria from being a basket case to that of strength in peace, strength in productive population, strength in economic prosperity and strength in unity.

    Our forum’s secretariat has furnished me with a note that gives details of problems confronting most parts of the North and even suggesting ways of addressing them. However, as my colleagues would say, there will be no point inviting Your Royal Highnesses and distinguished elders if we know the problems and the solutions to them. We look forward to valuable and free minded conversations that should focus on solving our challenges.

     

    • Shettima, Governor of Borno State and chairman of Northern States Governors’ Forum, delivered this address at the opening of an extraordinary meeting with Chairmen of councils of traditional rulers in the 19 Northern States and the FCT held on Monday, January 23, at the Government House in Kaduna.
  • Insecurity: North responsible for own woes, says governors

    Insecurity: North responsible for own woes, says governors

    Governors of the 19 Northern States and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council on Monday met in Kaduna telling themselves what can be regarded as the ‘bitter truth’ that the region was responsible for its own woes.

    The Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima said, north which is ‘Nigeria’s most thriving region’, has literally conspired against itself to be reduced to the laughing stock of the world.

    The Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III said hatred among northerners and the attendant violence are preached from places of religious worship, which he described as sad and worrisome to the traditional institution.

    Governor Shettima in his welcome address to the first ever joint meeting of the Northern elites under the auspices of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Northern Traditional Rulers Council, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Northern Elders Forum and others, said, Northern Nigeria today is blighted by a deadly (albeit retreating) insurgency, rural armed banditry, cattle rustling, ethnic and religious conflicts, the underlying causes of which are poverty, illiteracy, social exclusivity and severely limited economic opportunities.

    The Governors’ Forum leader said the core challenges in the region revolve around intolerance, absence of peaceful coexistence, poverty, illiteracy and lack of unity.

    According to him, “Governors of the 19 Northern States do recognize, respect and cherish the fact that while others serve for certain periods, traditional rulers mostly make lifetime commitments to the service of our communities. This naturally make Your Royal Highnesses very significant stakeholders in the affairs of Government across the 19 Northern States.

    “Even more crucially, it gladdens the heart to note that our traditional rulers have sustained the time tested and noble tradition of championing the causes of their people. To cite one example, only last week, His Royal Highness, the erudite Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi ll spearheaded the thought provoking debate surrounding the significance of the education of the girl-child and how it can positively impact the progress, development, prosperity, peace, security and stability of the North and, by extension, Nigeria.

    “This very fundamental debate bordering on the educational backwardness, pervasive poverty and underdevelopment as well as persistent insecurity of Northern Nigeria should not only form the underlying basis for holding this extraordinary meeting but must continue, in our enlightened self-interest as leaders, to perpetually preoccupy our our thoughts, plans, programmes and actions.

    “Managing multiculturalism and heterogeneity is a major challenge and indeed a litmus test for leadership, good governance and progress not just in Northern Nigeria but in the entire global society. However, as leaders of government, traditional rulers and community as well as religious leaders we must to unite to tackle the challenges that stare us in the face.

    “Like all the Northern Governors acknowledge, development is not just about building roads, bridges, houses or what we refer to as infrastructure and the provision of social services. Yes, these are very important, but then, there are pro-social livelihoods, peace and good life which are the fundamental attributes of meaningful existence.

    “Our core challenges in the North today revolve around intolerance, absence of peaceful coexistence, poverty, illiteracy and lack of unity. How can we address these critical concerns? We, the 19 Governors of Northern States believe that a gathering of some of the key leaders of the North, is more than able to provide solutions to our problems. As Governors, we are more determined than ever, to sincerely walk the talks generated from this important meeting.

    “There is no gain saying the North is a poor, pathetic shadow of its former self. A well endowed, promising geographic space which accounts for 70% of Nigeria’s land mass, up to at least 60% of its population, with huge solid minerals resources, with potentials for hydrocarbon resources, a growing mining industry, rich arable lands, a blossoming agro-industrial economy, Nigeria’s wealthiest region by GDP and the region with the brightest prospects for accelerated economic growth; in short, arguably Nigeria’s most thriving region, has literally conspired against itself to be reduced to the laughing stock of the world. Northern Nigeria today is blighted by a deadly (albeit retreating) insurgency, rural armed banditry, cattle rustling, ethnic and religious conflicts, the underlying causes of which are poverty, illiteracy, social exclusivity and severely limited economic opportunities.

    “The platform is also driving our ongoing commitment with General Electric for the construction of Solar power plants in five States within the North. Kurfi’s group is also going to drive some funding arrangements with financial institutions and development partners on key areas of Agriculture. Thankfully, Dr Kurfi himself is very keen about the north reclaiming it’s lost glory in cotton production and textiles manufacturing which was the predominant industrial activity in Northern Nigeria, as well as the creation of international markets for our farm produce with emphasis on value chain.

    “Our forum’s secretariat has furnished me with a note that gives details of problems confronting most parts of the North and even suggesting ways of addressing them. However, as my colleagues would say, there will be no point inviting Your Royal Highnesses and distinguished elders if we know the problems and the solutions to them. We will rather prefer to hear from you as we go into a closed door session. We look forward to valuable and free minded conversations that should focus on solving our challenges”, Governor Shettima stated.

  • Fayose unfit to be PDP Governors’ Forum chair, says Kashamu

    Fayose unfit to be PDP Governors’ Forum chair, says Kashamu

    The senator representing Ogun East, Prince Buruji Kashamu, has faulted the choice of Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, as the chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum.

    In a statement in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State yesterday, Kashamu said: “It was a misnormer that the governors of an opposition party that is in need of rebranding and repositioning could choose a liability, a loud mouth and an immature politician like Fayose as the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum.

    “It is not that his emergence as the Chairman of the Forum means anything to me. But as a committed and loyal party man, it gives me great concern that instead of taking steps that will foster peace and unity, we are doing things that will widen the gap and cause more unity. Those who chose him should have a rethink in the interest of the party that is striving hard to return to power. His brother-governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, whose tenure he purportedly continued as Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, is a cool-headed and balanced character. Even then, some of us pointed out that Governor Mimiko was slippery and sly, and a traitor who could not be relied upon. What happened at the end of the day? The party broke on his head when he overreached himself in the South West as the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum at the behest of Governor Fayose. Instead of being a strong leader who would be fair to all, and do good to all manner of people, without fear or favour, he became more of a weather-beaten fowl, sullen and uninspiring. But, we thank God that we held our grounds and fought for our rights.

    “Fayose had always wanted to be the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum. That was why he had some resentment towards Mimiko upon his emergence as the Chairman of the Forum in 2015. While I concede to our governors the right to choose whoever they want to lead them, my point is that they should have settled for a balanced, more experienced and mature person to lead the Forum, not a cantankerous, divisive and unstable character like Governor Fayose who snaps at the slightest provocation. I know that the Forum boasts of governors who are true leaders, not pretenders. There are those who are better educated, well-cultured and better exposed who are not working against the interest of their people and country.  We have governors who have held public offices since the return to democracy in 1999 but who are untainted. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) does not have any case against them. Those are the kind of people that could have been chosen to lead the Forum, not one with a goodwill deficit whose hands have been found in the public till.”

    Kashamu said the choice of Fayose as chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum will further polarise the party and destroy it.

    The senator recalled that Governor Fayose brought Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and sold him to other stakeholders.

    “But when he saw that Senator Sheriff would not be pliable in his inordinate ambition to arbitrarily hand him the critical structures of the party from the South West zone to the national level, he cooked up a lot of lies and sold them to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and others in order to discredit Sheriff.

    “Even now, his utterances about the lingering national leadership are a pointer to the fact that he will exacerbate the crisis.

    “Anyone who thinks that Sheriff is not needed in the efforts to restore peace to the party must be joking. I wager that Fayose’s conduct and utterances will widen the division in the party and more people will use it as an alibi to continue to defect to other parties.

    “I am aware that more PDP Senators and members of the House of Representatives, including the three Senators from Ekiti State are consulting among themselves with a view to dumping the PDP very soon, all because of Fayose’s deception, divisive tendencies and arrogance.

    “We must reject Governor Fayose now or strictly restrict him to running the affairs of the Governors’ Forum while well-meaning leaders and elders of the party who are not part of the crisis bedeviling the party are allowed to take charge of the affairs of the party and run it properly and legitimately,” he said.

  • Osinbajo, Saraki, Tinubu, governors grace Buhari’s daughter’s wedding

    Osinbajo, Saraki, Tinubu, governors grace Buhari’s daughter’s wedding

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Bukola Saraki and the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, were among dignitaries that attended the wedding reception of President Muhammadu Buhari’s daughter, Zahra, yesterday.

    Others at the reception, which took place at the State House Banquet Hall, included the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and many cabinet members.

    Governors on the occasion were Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna,  Godwin Obaseki of Edo,  Yahaya Bello of Kogi and Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos.

    Others were Ibikunle Amosu of Ogun, Simon Lalong of Plateau,  Rochas Okorocha of Imo,  Abdullahi Badaru of Jigawa,  Ben Ayade of Cross River, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Aminu Masari of Katsina and Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the reception,Tinubu congratulated President Buhari on his daughter’s wedding.

    He also wished the couple a happy married life.

    Vice President Osinbajo thanked the guests for coming.

  • How Yoruba governors mortgaged our tomorrow

    First, an ode to politicians. Being a politician itself is a major nightmare. Because politics accommodates the cheat, the egoist and the unscrupulous, even those driven by noble objective are often tarred with the same brush. But politics is not all about intrigue. It is also about service and without the versatility and brinkmanship of those driven by noble objective to meet rising expectations of those without hope, society will descend to in to chaos. Those who chose to spend their time, talent and resources to serve society therefore deserve our gratitude. It must also be added that politics is even a more hazardous profession especially in our own multi-ethnic society where as Governor Ajimobi put it during the governors’ parley initiated by the Development Agenda For Western Nigeria, (DAWN), ‘We were coerced by the British overlords in the evergreen magical marriage of inconvenience called amalgamation of 1914 with nationalities and their different worldviews, different ideologies, different cultures, different political beliefs, soldered into one component by the British colonial masters’.

    This heterogeneity fortunately was acknowledged by the majority of our founding fathers except Zik who said our ‘cultural differences had been exaggerated by accident of colonial rule’.  That was why they settled for federalism with each group mapping out a socio-economic blueprint informed by the innate ingenuity of their forebears. To build on the ‘cultural welfarism’ which defines the world-view of the Yoruba, the starting point for Awo and his group was the result of a commissioned survey of Eastern Region which showed that the East had between 1934 when Zik returned to Nigeria and 1951, caught up and outstripped the Yoruba that was once ahead in area of education, with more secondary schools, more hospital bed spaces per thousand and more mileage of tarred roads. This informed the AG manifesto ‘of free education, free health and full employment’.

    Sadly, 64 years and 17 years into the fourth republic, after a group of Yoruba youths first exploited our uniqueness to build a secured future for their people, Ajimobi and his current governors of the Yoruba states are just coming to the realization that “the key to leveraging our uniqueness is the regional approach to dealing with our afflictions, overcoming our difficulties, as well as creating sustainable pathway to progress together”. Unfortunately this belated acknowledgement is coming after so much harm has been done that not a few including Dr. Olapade Agoro, the chairman, National Action Council (NAC), who says ‘the parley portrayed ambient culture of self-deceit, and insincerity   for deviating from western region self- sufficiency’, have much faith in the governors’ new initiative.

    The reason for cynicism is obvious. Our governors with exception of few since the fourth republic have behaved like locusts eating and sharing the proceeds of efforts of a more visionary generation.  Many believe the poor quality of leadership they give is but a reflection of lack of preparation for leadership. Unlike those Obasanjo (he once boasted of achieving what his better educated Yoruba compatriots could not achieve) picked from the streets and made governors, Awolowo paid his dues before becoming the Premier of the West. He was surrounded by men with quality education and of solid character such as Adekunle Ajasin, Ladoke Akintola, Remi Fani-Kayode, Bode Thomas, Rotimi Williams, Olaniwun Ajayi, Ayo Adebanjo, Abraham Adesanya, Oduola Osuntokun, etc. They were assisted by a think-tank consisted equally of men of solid character and of excellent academic achievements such Professors Hezekiah Oluwasanmi, Samuel Aluko, Banji Akintoye, Oluwole Awokoya etc.

    These young visionaries  set up the Western Regional Marketing Board in 1954 which  developed the cash crop industry in the west and together with other regional boards “became the dominant economic system in the Nigerian economy controlling 63% of the foreign exchange earned by the country in 1961”.

    They established the National Bank. They later bought Nabani Estates, a fully owned subsidiary of the bank and turned it to WEMABOD which became the biggest property builders and estate managers in the country. They went on to set up the National Investment and Properties Company Limited (NIPC). They also set up the Odu’a Investment Company Limited, which became Nigeria’s biggest conglomerate in the post-independent years with Ikeja Hotels Ltd, Vegetable Oil Nig. Ltd. and the Great Nigeria Insurance Company as some of its subsidiaries.  They did not only establish industries, they empowered entrepreneurs irrespective of political leanings.

    Tragically between 1985 when Babangida started his liberalization programme and 1987 when Obasanjo completed the sharing of Nigeria’s $100b worth of investment at a giveaway price of about $1.6b, many of the investments built through the blood and sweat of Western Region cocoa farmers and taxpayers were sold. Between 1999 and 2007, under Obasanjo’s new privatization policy similar to his “Commodity Boards Decree 1977” which destroyed the Western Region’s economy, Yoruba governors presided over the sale of some of the companies.  Equally taking the advantage of the Obasanjo’s government monetisation policy with which the political class confiscated our national patrimony at the federal level, some of the Yoruba governors descended on choice properties built by their predecessors. In the dying days of Adebayo Alao-Akala as governor of Oyo State, the Alaafin of Oyo reminded him that such malady was unacceptable within the Yoruba culture.

    In total disregard for the entrenched Yoruba culture of check and balance which had existed long before the advent of participatory democratic system, there emerged a new generation of Yoruba  governors who behave like sole administrators or sometimes as outlaws, locking up Houses of Assembly and chasing lawmakers out of town, governors who publicly fought over who was to buy government banks they did not establish, entangled in the Ikoyi choice government property sale scandals or hunted by EFCC for acquiring choice properties with stolen funds. Yet this is a region where neither Oduola Osuntokun (later died a school teacher) who  as a minister, supervised the building of the Bodija Estate , nor Awo, Akintola or Rotimi Williams have mansions  within the estate or within the Ikeja GRA also built by their government .

    Bola Tinubu, in spite of his personal political travails remains our political leader. As our revered Pa Adeyinka Adebayo reminded him not too long ago, “fate has put him in a prime position to determine to a large extent the direction the Yoruba people will go”. He must now deploy his political genius to mobilise those who have quietly and selflessly served the cause of the Yoruba race such as Wale Oshun, General Alani Akinrinade without leaving out ex-President Obasanjo (the “ebora of Owu) since in Yoruba cosmology, we can achieve nothing without first pouring libation to Esu the god of confusion. Tinubu was able to manage Obasanjo before the last election; he can do this again for the peace and progress of our people.

    And the time for action is now. The Yoruba, of the three dominant groups in the country, as Pa Adebayo reminded Tinubu, remains the weakest link. While our governors groom area boys and political thugs, the West’s economy has been taken over by the north and the east through Dangote and the Igbos; while our governors build airports, governor’s mansions and flyovers, industries are springing up in the East. While we once harnessed the energy of our youths through farm settlements and became self -sufficient in food production, we today depend on the north to feed ourselves. It is time to implement the DAWN agenda painstakingly put together by Yoruba professionals and intellectuals.