Mr Masquerade Companion has made attacking Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State his raison d’être. He gets his kicks by kicking the Governor. He seeks escape from his personal struggles by tarring the Governor, who did so well in his first term that he got an overwhelming and unprecedented support across the length and breadth of the state to win a second term, with a tainted brush.
There is nothing Governor Makinde does or says that is not subjected to attack by Masquerade Companion. Insulting Makinde gives him endless joy. Dragging Makinde makes him high. His day is not made until he insults Makinde. A few examples will suffice.
Governor Makinde is currently on vacation. As required by the constitution, he transmitted power to his deputy, Barrister Bayo Lawal, who is currently the Acting Governor. Barrister Lawal moved into the role of Acting Governor seamlessly because all along he had been working in concert with Governor Makinde.
But this adherence to the constitutional provision has been criticized by Masquerade Companion. He dared the Acting Governor to approve the N70,000 minimum wage even when the Federal Government and the NLC said they were still working on the consequential adjustments before the minimum wage could become effective. Now, what manner of man would just attack for its sake?
Governor Makinde’s claim that he has connected the zones in the state has also come under the attack of Masquerade Companion. But unlike this our friend, Oyo State people acknowledge that the Makinde administration has positively impacted their lives with good roads. Those who were spending three hours between Moniya and Iseyin just a few years back now applaud Governor Makinde for reconstructing the Moniya-Iseyin Road and making traveling on that road a pleasure. In the same vein those who were spending more than two hours between Oyo and Iseyin before Governor Makinde reconstructed Oyo-Iseyin Road will be the first to tell the world that it was the Makinde administration that rescued them from the nightmare that commuting between Oyo and Oke-Ogun zone was.
Residents along the Iseyin-Fapote-Ogbomoso road will be eternally grateful to Makinde for opening up their areas and linking the two zones. Those who ply the rehabilitated Igboora-Igangan-Iganna Road continue to thank Governor Makinde for connecting Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa zones. Rehabilitation of the 48-kilometre Ido-Eruwa Road which connects Ibadan and Ibarapa zones is ongoing. So, one wonders what the issue is for Mr Masquerade Companion. What manner of person would attack an obvious truth?
Masquerade Companion also said that the Governor had neglected access roads in Ibadan. But nothing can be farther from the truth than that. This year alone, the Makinde administration awarded contracts for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of 106.41 kilometres of roads in Ibadan, with eight feeder roads totalling 38.48 kilometres already completed. The Governor has assured that similar efforts will be extended to the remaining four zones.
For the avoidance of doubts, the Makinde administration has successfully completed a total of 335.77 kilometres of roads, with another 273.31 kilometres currently under construction. There is no administration since 2019 that achieved 50 per cent of that. I dare Mr Masquerade Companion to dispute this.
Another grouse Masquerade Companion has with the Governor is Fasola Industrial Hub and the efforts devoted to its development. It is obvious that our friend does not understand how societies grow. A short story will be of help.
When the Obafemi Awolowo administration in Western Nigeria was developing Cocoa House, many people in the society as well as farmers were not happy because the money used to build that structure came from cocoa proceeds. But because of the vision that he had, Awolowo stuck to his gun. When completed, Cocoa House became the first skyscraper in sub-Sahara Africa and the pride of the Yoruba race.
That edifice is a source of revenue for the six states of the South West. Cocoa House has also provided employment opportunities for several thousands of people. Just for a moment, imagine that Awolowo had listened to the naysayers. What would have become of Cocoa House?
Fasola is emerging as a business cluster. With about 10 national and multinational companies such as FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Milkin Barn Agro Services Ltd, E4 Farms, Brownhill Farms, Zigma Ltd and GOSEED Vegetative Ltd in the hub, Fasola will provide employment opportunities for thousands of our people in addition to generating revenue for the state. But only the deep can connect with this. What manner of man would kick against preparing the state for a prosperous future?
As he is wont to do, Masquerade Companion has prophesied that those who are in Makinde’s government at the moment would turn against him when it is election time. But apparently our friend does not know that the key to relevance is value. For as long as a leader keeps creating value, he cannot become irrelevant.
Take away the trappings of office, Makinde will still be relevant because he keeps creating value.
Mr Masquerade Companion is even angry that the Governor chose to play a game with his children and their friends during his annual leave. As far as he is concerned, it is a waste of valuable time. How low can this person descend?
We understand the endgame of Mr Masquerade Companion and his puppeteers’ attacks, it is to make the Governor shift focus. But Governor Makinde will not shift his focus. He has a mandate to provide great leadership and deliver quality service to the people of Oyo State. On that, no masquerade or its companion or even its puppeteers can move him.
And we are not angry with Masquerade Companion. If anything, what we feel for him is compassion because it is obvious that he needs help. A man who keeps kicking against the pricks is in obvious need of help. A man who allows hatred to colour his reasoning needs help. A person who is goaded by the determination to pull down another with the hope of ascendancy needs help. A person who does not see anything good in what his governor does needs help. And all manner of help is available in the state from Igboora to Eruwa, Iseyin, Oyo, Fasola, Ogbomoso and Ibadan.
But will Mr Masquerade Companion seek help? Will his ego allow him? Does he even realize that he is in dire need of help? It is only when a malady is realized that remedy can begin.
Dr Olanrewaju is the Chief Press Secretary to Oyo State Governor.
