The challenges before Prince Dapo Abiodun

Governor Dapo Abiodun 2

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State

By Wale Adedayo

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has enormous challenges on his hands. And, son of man pity him a lot. He has been very comfortable almost throughout his life with his hands in lovely portions of the good things on this side of the divide.

But not too long ago, he was in what The Holy Bible describes as The Valley, carrying such a pain that no father would ever wish for himself. Losing a child is bad. But a grown up one for that matter was certainly double pain.

Abiodun has also worked long and hard to win elections. But on each occasion, when things pointed to victory, he lost out, also suffering the pain of defeat. Not that he did not work hard. To me, what the Holy Bible also described as The Fullness of Time was in play. It was not his time.

Now that his time is here, he has to be more than careful of counsels from the different Ahitophels around him. Calls to probe the immediate past Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has been loud, especially from my former Oga, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, who we worked together to ensure victory for the APC in the last gubernatorial election in Ogun State.

Abiodun needs to be careful in the matter of probing Amosun’s Administration. He has tasted the good and the bad. Thank God he always listen to advice. And, God knows, he also understand how to manage people. Yes, residents of Ogun State need to know why on earth we lost so many opportunities and frittered away so much financial gains.

But I’ll not call it a probe, which in the Nigerian sense could become a vindictive tool in the hands of political opponents to bring others down, and possibly bury them. Amosun was vindictive from Day One in 2011. And, it was a major reason son of man refused to take up an appointment with him, despite being a friend till date.

A vindictive person, no matter how justified you are in seeking a supposedly pound of flesh, will always come to ruin, according to immutable spiritual laws. Son of man has been there, thus this advice. Ahitophel, despite the gift of the Holy Spirit in his life, came to ruin because of vindictiveness. Abiodun must remain firm, as he is behaving right now and refuse to be pushed into vindictiveness.

The Ogun State Truth Commission set up by Amosun to unravel the political violence, which attended the administration of OGD failed because it was set up as a vindictive mission. Attempts by Amosun to unravel how billions of Ogun State funds developed wings during the same period also failed because it was rooted in vindictiveness. Abiodun MUST NOT start with vindictiveness.

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If the past must be understood, it should be done in a manner similar to what former President Olusegun Obasanjo did shortly after becoming Nigeria’s elected leader in 1999. Without the fanfare of trying to disgrace anyone, Obasanjo gathered quality security officials from almost all our Intelligence services together to understand how Federal Government projects were done between 1976 and 1999. And, the old man got quality results.

President Muhammadu Buhari did not follow that route, when he came on the scene in 2015. And, the result is there for all to see. It was a vindictive mission against the PDP he began as if others are saints. Ogun State MUST NOT follow that path, because Abiodun has told us he stands on the Name of the Living One. And, as He said, ” let him who has no sin cast the first stone.”

Ogun State lost a lot under my friend, Amosun. Ordinary people went through hell, while many of those crucifying Amosun today were merry-making. It was when things went sour among them, they opted out, a fact that Abiodun himself can attest to.

Amosun was vindictive in rejecting good counsel. If not, Apagun Olumide should not have died in questionable circumstances simply because he was an associate of OGD. Amosun’s vindictiveness almost led to the closure of TASUED, as he claimed Ogun State could not afford running two universities. The man practically chased away Dangote from Ogun State and in the process set us back by at least 50 years since the petrochemical plant now in Epe, Lagos State should have ensured socio-economic development all across the Gateway State.

For the first time in Ogun State history, sub-ethnic sentiments reigned supreme to the extent that some sections of the state were considering setting up a group similar to MEND or IPOB. Amosun’s vindictiveness destroyed our cohesiveness in Ogun State. He governed without a vision because his mission was rooted in vindictiveness. His was filial mode governance, and the sycophants were hailing him.

We need to understand where the billions spent on phantom Models schools developed wings to, while all our public schools remained in shambles. We need to know what happened to healthcare services with billions gone down the drain. We need to know why the immediate family of the former Governor became the ruling class of Ogun State overnight, directing affairs in such a gross manner. But it should be done without vindictiveness.

Let the understanding of how we went down begin from 1999, not 2011. There are loads you’ll learn sir. And, if it is the same Abiodun I’ve come to know, Ogun State will be greater for it.

Just my two cents!

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