Ibarapa As Governor Makinde’s Shit Hole

It was former American President, and current Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, who allegedly referred to some African countries as shit holes.

I recollect that quite a great number of Africans went up in arms against Trump as a result of that statement, even though, those who got angry because of the statement couldn’t influence the electoral process in America directly, they still hoped, wished and prayed that Trump would not win a second term in office.

Those prayers were answered because Trump lost the second term election to Biden of the Democratic Party.

I personally do not see how those who hated Trump because of the shit hole statement have benefitted anything from a Biden presidency because even though Biden didn’t come out to refer to us as shit hole countries but have we not been treated as such even under his presidency?

Even though, Governor Seyi Makinde, unlike Trump has not come out publicly to call Ibarapa Land a shit hole, his treatment of the zone as some piece of rag is a clear testament that he does see Ibarapa as some shit hole.

I will start from the terrible incident of the Fulani herdsmen invasion of Igangan during his first term as Governor of the state.

The people of Igangan in the Ibarapa North Local Government were under constant attacks by a band of notorious Fulani herdsmen.

A particular Fulani man named Seriki was fingered as the kingpin of the Bandits.

This blood thirsty Fulani herdsmen were on rampage for months, robbing, killing and kidnapping innocent citizens of Ibarapa North.

A particular great son of Ibarapa and Igangan in particular, late Dr. Aborode was murdered in cold blood at the time.

The tension in Igangan became alarming at a certain point and it was obvious that calamity was imminent.

The people of Igangan made appeals upon appeals to the Governor to no avail.

A non state actor, Sunday Igboho had to step in when it became apparent that the Governor would not act.

In the absence of Government’s decisive action,. Igangan and ofcourse Ibarapa saw Igboho as a hero.

Unfortunately, after the Seriki Fulani of Igangan had been successfully ejected by Igboho, the Fulanis attacked Igangan sometimes later and the surprise attack was carried out in the dead of night.

How could this happen? Failure of intelligence ofcourse.

However, that is not the main problem here.

Quite a number of lives were lost during the attack and properties were destroyed.

Governor Makinde was abroad on holidays when the Fulanis attacked Igangan but he saw no reason to cut short his holidays to attend to the emergency in Igangan.

After his holidays, he visited Igangan and was received with hostilities by the grieving people of Igangan.

Who would blame them?

Governor Makinde seeing the mood of the people of Igangan accepted responsibilities for the avoidable disaster that happened in Igangan and made some promises about the properties destroyed during the attack.

I am not sure if he kept those promises till today.

Similarly, during the 2021 local Government election, Auxiliary, Governor Makinde’s appointed former Chairman of the Parks Management System at the time and his horde of killers invaded Ibarapa East Local Government with a view to rigging the local Government election in favor of the PDP.

In the process, four people lost their lives.

I, personally brought the attention of the Governor to this ugly development.

In fact, I made efforts to avert the terrible incident by informing him and Isiaka Olaguju SAN, the Chairman of OYSIEC through WhatsApp messages to call off the election because of the influx of thugs to Eruwa and Lanlate on the eve of the election.

While both of them read the messages, none of them acted upon it and even after the four innocent lives were lost on the day of the supposed election, they still went ahead to call the election in favor of the PDP regardless of the ugly sights of the pool of blood and Bodies that littered the streets of Sanngo and New Eruwa.

To make matters worse, Governor Makinde never made a statement acknowledging the deaths of the four innocent citizens, he sent no condolences, no condemnations and no arrests were made.

To add insults to injuries, a few days after the incident, Governor Makinde visited Eruwa and at the Eruwa Town Hall, he lambasted those who went to receive him.

He said throughout Oyo state, his party, the PDP had problems during the local Government election in Ibarapa East alone.

He told the crowd that Ibarapa East ought to have accepted whatever choice of local Government chairman supported by the Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin!

Imagine the insult and indescretions. For Governor Makinde, those who lost their lives deserved to die because they dared to oppose the Speaker and his political party!!

He was reported to have insulted the Chairman of the Eruwa Council of Elders who told him that the Eruwa community would not accept the Governor’s plan to sell the Eruwa Cashew plantation to a foreigner.

Governor Makinde was reported to have told him not to be militant when making such a point.

Do I blame Seyi Makinde on that? Hell no. In his shoes, I wouldn’t have been available to receive or show courtesy to a Governor who would not sympathize with a community I lead when thugs loyal to the Governor just killed four of my people.

Sadly, the same man was the one waxing lyrical, mocking the young men who challenged the PDP for the Chairmanship of the Local Government .

The old man had waxed the ” Ori Okere Koko lawo” lyrics to mock those young men and ladies before Governor Makinde visited. So, if he got served by the Governor, I think he deserved it.

Similarly, the same Mukaila Auxiliary, in company of Governor Seyi Makinde, on a campaign rally in 2023, attacked the people of Igangan and lives were also lost.

What did Governor Makinde do? Nothing. Auxiliary and his boys went away unquestioned and Governor Makinde, just like in Eruwa, didn’t consider condolences.

Now, let us talk infrastructures.

When Governor Seyi Makinde said in one of his recent News Letters that he had connected all the zones with the state capital, I said Ibarapa Land doesn’t exist in his consciousness.

The only road that connects the whole of Ibarapa Land with Ibadan is the same Ido/Eruwa road which the Governor has refused to give due attention to.

I went to Eruwa two days ago and I was shocked that between the two contractors handling the project, not up to two kilometers has been done.

The progression of the job is worse than what you will call a snail speed.

It is almost a dramatic standstill.

Even if a basket of granite is dropped daily and one ” abo imuko” ( a bowl from which hot pap is served) of asphalt is laid daily, that road would have been completed.

It will interest you to note that the Iseyin/ Ogbomoso road and Omo Adio/ Ido road projects were awarded after the Ido/Eruwa road rehabilitation was awarded.

Both projects have been completed.

Governor Seyi Makinde also promised to construct a Mini Stadium in each of the geo political zones of Oyo state.

I think he said the cost of those Mini Stadium was captured in the 5 billion Naira with which Adamasingba was awarded for rehabilitation, if I’m not mistaken.

Igboora was chosen as the beneficial Local Government in Ibarapa zone.

I will urge anyone who is at doubt to go and see the proposed site at Igboora.

The place is one ugly sight to behold.

Governor Makinde equally promised to upgrade the Eruwa Farm Settlement but the music has since changed.

The Eruwa Farm Settlement is now marked for sale.

The Eruwa New Garage/ Oke Ola junction Road, the Alayande junction/ Isaba junction Road and the College of Education, Lanlate road projects which were awarded to the younger brother of the Speaker, Oyo state House of Assembly and are said to be Oyo state projects have been abandoned for years.

I am of the strong view that the Speaker, the Commissioners and those who see themselves as Leaders from Ibarapa Land and who are in Makinde’s Government should be ashamed of themselves.

If the Governor has continued to treat Ibarapa Land as a piece of rags, they are also culpable of standing by, doing nothing to call the attention of the Governor to the injustice.

 

SOLA ABEGUNDE