Governor Makinde’s Collaboration With Miyetti Allah And The Bare Knuckles Fight With Mechanics

 

Two issues caught my attention this morning.

I had been thinking about putting something together regarding the outlook of the Oyo state Government House and the Deputy Governor’s Lodge.

I passed in front of the two Government Buildings some days ago and I could not help but to shake my head in disbelief.

I had the privilege of being in those Buildings in the past and I must say that there was never a time I ever imagined that those two Buildings could become what they have presently become.

Things have changed and seriously so. It is well with our state.

I definitely will do a comprehensive piece on the Oyo state Government House but for now, there are two issues that caught my attention and they have taken away my mind from the Government Buildings.

I saw a video some days ago where some individuals could be seen lamenting about the woes about to befall them.

According to those people, officials of Governor Seyi Makinde had served them with eviction notices from their Workshops.

I must be honest here that the conducts of the individuals in the video and the statements made by them in the said video were reckless and crude no doubts about that.

When an elderly brother told me on Wednesday that the individuals in the video have been arrested by the Police, I was not surprised.

 

 

However, I decided that I would watch and see how the Governor treats the issue.

Yes. I said the Governor, not the Police because, I am sure that someone must have reported the matter to the Police before the latter took steps to arrest the accused persons.

Moreover, Governor Seyi Makinde is the Chief Security Officer of Oyo state and both his name and that of another individual who was alleged to be his younger brother were conspicuously mentioned in that video. So, he is an interested party.

I must say that the episode reminds me of how Auxiliary’s ill fate was sealed.

Do you remember the interviews he granted and the names he mentioned?

This morning, I read that the individuals have been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ibadan yesterday and that their pleas could not be taken but their case was adjourned till sometimes in January, 2025 while an advice from the DPP is being awaited.

There was no way the Magistrate Court could have assumed jurisdiction over the case because the allegations against the accused persons contained charges like Treason and attempt to murder.

Only the state High Court has the jurisdiction to entertain such charges and I’m sure those who took them before the Magistrate Court knew very well that the Magistrate Court would not take their pleas.

I suspect that what was intended was a holding charge that would allow the accused persons to remain in custody.

The matter is already before the Court and I could not really delve into the issues as I would have wanted at this point.

However, I would like to make this statements of facts.

At my age and from my little experience, I am saying this at large, with no particular case in mind.

I do not think anyone in his right senses would conspire to kill even a road side mechanic and while planning to accomplish the heinous act, call other accomplices together in a place to deliberate on how to achieve their evil acts , while also filming the proceedings of their meetings and having done that, posted the video for public consumption.

Even, ” Education” would not be that stupid.

There is a mad man in my home Town who we used to call ” Education” because he was always going about in trousers and shirt, speaking some disoriented Grammar.

I am also sure that those who have the capacity to topple a Government anywhere in the world, even, at the Local Government level, would not be stupid to call people together to announce their intentions.

One thing is certain, those accused persons would most likely spend both Christmas and the New year in detention and I’ve just been wondering, whose sadistic egos would that satisfy?

When people are threatened, they tend to behave stupid.

I do not know of anyone whose property is about to be taken over by force who would not react negatively.

Did those fellows overreacted? Yes. They did.

Should they have been arrested? I think yes they should, so as to discourage others who might want to do the same thing in the future but slamming charges like Treason and attempted murder against them and ensuring that they are taken away from circulation during the Christmas and the New year festivities?

Haba! That is too much.

Now, let us ask ourselves. What becomes of the spaces in contention?

The spaces the accused persons alleged were about to be forcefully taken over by the Governor?

Certainly, the Coast is now clear for the seamless taking over of the contentious space but, in all that we do, must we forget that there would always be a day of reckoning before God Almighty?

” Eni to nde Ile okete, Olorun Oba mi nde idi Oun naa” ( may Odolaye Aremu continue to rest in peace).

I was in the studio of a popular Radio station in Ibadan two weeks ago and some representatives of the home owners at the Ibadan Circular Road corridor were also guests on the program.

I also read it that Governor Makinde has commenced another verification exercise at the Circular Road corridor.

I remember how the representatives talked about the threats they received from some officials of the Government when they attended some meetings at the Secretariat.

Hmmm.. how many people will this Government lock up at the circular Road corridor?

Let’s now interrogate the powers of the Governor of a state to acquire Land.

It is settled that the Governor of a state could acquire any piece of Land in the overriding public interest.

Such acquired Land must serve purposes that is seen to be in the interest of the general public.

For example, Jemibewon, as Military Governor of Oyo state acquired the Land where the Adamasingba Stadium now sits.

Only a stupid person would argue that the acquisition does not serve the interests of the public.

Governor Seyi Makinde has gone on a journey of forcefully taking over of some public spaces for the construction of shopping complexes, Housing Estates and GRAs.

How on earth does those acquisitions serve the interests of the public?

When a Governor deploys the powers to acquire Land inappropriately, it becomes arbitrary use of Executive powers and the kind of situations we had in Egbeda can not be avoided.

Like I said, those Mechanics would most likely spend their Christmas and New Year in detention and whoever wishes to collect a Medal for that could go and get the Medals.

The bitter truth however is that it will not stop people with conscience from asking Governor Makinde questions.

I will like to round up for now on this issue by quoting Maximus in the Film, Gladiator.

He had told an erratic Roman Emperor who delighted himself in oppressing the poor that ” the time for honoring himself will soon be over”.

No matter the positions we found ourselves as mortals, the time for honoring ourselves will soon be over.

Now, to the other issue.

I laughed my heart out when I read that Governor Makinde sent representatives to the inauguration of the new state Executives of the Miyetti Allah in Oyo state and was asking for the Associations assistance in respect of peace and food security.

Miyetti Allah, to ensure food security? How?!

When did the Miyetti Allah started planting Maize and Cassava or has the Association established rice mills and Garri processing factories at Fashola or Eruwa Farm Settlements?

I think I understand the mindset of the Governor when asking for the cooperation of the Miyetti Allah in respect of food security but I think the Governor goofed.

Fulanis are nomadic in nature. No matter how you ask for their cooperation as a Government, they will still move their Cattle in search of grass and water and in the process, they will foray into the farms of the locals and ultimately, there will be security issues, most especially, during this dry season.

I thought the Oyo state House of Assembly passed the Anti open grazing Law sometimes ago?

Is it being enforced? Certainly not.

What I think the Governor should be doing, if he is seriously desirous of ensuring peace and food security is to start enforcing the Law on Anti open grazing.

Anything short of that is cosmetic and it will not yield any positive results.

If the Law would not be enforced, why sign it in the first place?

 

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