KOGI WEST MUST MAKE A SMART CHOICE Dr. Bolaji Eletta I do not consider myself a giant in the knowledge game of Ijumu, Okun, Kogi West or Kogi state politics in general. But no matter how little it might be, I do have a voice to contribute my say into how, who leads and who occupy our leadership space. That is the beauty of democracy. Okun land cannot be said to have enjoyed a robust leadership structure. What exist at the moment is a misnomer and an aberration as what can be used to define her leadership structure is a people who deliberately hinge on their seeming privileged advantage over a handful of others to prey over our collective destiny and commonwealth to the detriment of the whole. It is quite easy to define them as they litter our political, academic, socio-cultural and religious spaces. They lord it over the poor, the downtrodden, the vulnerable, the gullible, and the unfortunate loyalists rather than inspire, inform, educate, challenge or motivate them. Okun land has not been fortunate with robust and proactive leadership structure but by a clique who abandon the led after their selfish aspirations have been satiated. Only to resurface when the need that warrant their interests arise. Such leaders are not bothered when the masses or the led are brainwashed to the extent that they are cajoled to take up arms and charms against their neighbours so as to cause mayhem and chaos in the polity just so that the selfish desire of their leader is achieved. It has become common sight for youths to brandish guns, cutlasses and charms during electioneering campaigns just so that their leader can take the upper hand in a power tussle. Where are the selfless leaders of old? Those whose aspirations were people oriented, whose desire is not just politics but oselu? Men whose politicking was still geared to the good of all. Where are the J.O. Folorunshos, The JO Nihis, the Fayomis, the Asajus, the Falekes, the Bello Ijumus, The SB Daniyans, The SB Awoniyis, the Otijotus, the Oshatimehins, The SA Ajayis, just to mention a few. These men have their footprints boldly printed on the sand of time. Oselu to me is politics that breeds community development and the emancipation of the people. Not Osara (Selfish pursuits) as we have where the leaders are merely after personal aggrandizement and individualistic empowerment. Any leadership that esteem self over the good of the community is a failure. This thesis is not aimed at ridiculing other aspirants vying for the Senatorial seat of Kogi West senatorial district, neither is it aimed at placing one political party at a vantage light above the other but it is rather an intellectual foray of the need to sharpen and define Okun leadership structure through the candidature of Senator Smart Adeyemi. A people without a crystal clear leadership structure will always run into crises. Such a structure runs from down up and should narrow up the ladder until the ladder terminates at a tip or point. It is more like the organogram of a business empire which should terminate at the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Imagine an organization with five or ten CEOs. There will be confusion. This is the case also, when a group of people are led by several people of varying ideologies, desires and aspirations. It will be more like what the yorubas call oga meji ti nwako (two drivers of the same vehicle). Considering the dissenting voices in our media spaces and land on the need to push for the return of Smart Adeyemi to the Senate, we need to remind ourselves of the fact that there exist a gulf of difference between the Executive arm of government and the Legislature. This is important as we often hear people pass comments like “what SSA is looking for again in the Senate, isn’t there someone else?” “Let him allow someone else to go and eat too”. “Let there be zoning”. All these and more are what the grouse of people are and they are not misplaced. But the benchmark of such grouse is hinged more on ignorance of the workings of the legislative arm of government. In the legislature, the representative of the people is their voice. If the voice is muffled, the people are not heard. The voice of the people must be clear and loud to be heard. It must be a voice that is worth listening to. You will agree with me that SSA has that voice. As a highly respected member of the red chamber, SSA has a lot to offer for Kogi West. His takes on virtually all issues of discourse is sought for. He is a delight to watch on the floor as he articulate his points and delivery. But much more than all these is his tone. By tone in this sense I am talking about his passion. His voice is filled with concern about the pulse of the masses and the down-trodden. No wonder he is popularly regarded as the Senator of the Masses (SOM). A wrong move at per the choice of the candidature of Senator Smart Adeyemi will be tantamount to robbing the masses of this nation a voice of their own. By the natural workings of the legislative arm of government, seniority takes precedence in virtually all matters. At plenary, even the seating arrangement says it all. It does not matter how much grounds a senator has cleared while he was governor of his state. If he is a first timer at the red chamber, he will be a back bencher close to the gallery. This length of stay in the House of Assembly also affect other latent and obvious issues. Paramount among this is the type of committee such a legislature is made to head and what type of oversight functions they are assigned to. This is where a people actually benefit through their representative. Connections for employments, appointment into federal government boards and MDAs are further enhanced with the calibre of the senator in the red chamber. If someone new goes in to represent us at this time, it’s like shooting ourselves in the foot. No matter the personal pedigree of such individual, he will have to go and work his way up the ladder in the hallowed red chamber. Senator Uche Chukwumerije and Senator David Mark are respected gravely in the chambers because they are veterans whose voices cannot be stifled due to their wealth of experience and these have earned them significant respect in and out of the chambers while at the same time accruing significant benefit for the people they primarily represent. I honestly think that Senator Smart Adeyemi is doing an excellent job at the senate and it won’t augur well to change the winning team. Let us make a Smart Choice Kogi West must vote Smartly Vote for Senator Smart Adeyemi
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 22:04:36 +0000
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