From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo.
For political parties to live up to their responsibilities and be reckoned with as responsible, certain rules must be enforced to aid pragmatic governance.
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamiidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, gave the admonition while addressing residents in his palace.
Thousands of elated residents, including members of the Oyo traditional council (Oyo Mesi), leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the four local governments’ caretaker chairmen of Afijio, Atiba, Oyo-East and Oyo-West, traders, artisans, market men and women, professionals and students across the Oyo Federal Constituency besieged the palace to show their solidarity for the monarch’son, Adeniyi, who is contesting the House of Representatives seat.
Oba Adeyemi said political parties should organise debates for both the incumbent and new aspirants to ensure that credible and dedicated candidates, who are really determined to serve the people, are given the mandate
“During the debate, the candidates must tell the public what projects they have executed for the well being of their constituents. While a committee of redoubtable characters should be set up to monitor where those projects are located and if it is otherwise, those serving political office holders have no right to represent the people again. Also, those aspiring to serve must equally tell the public how they intend to impact positively on the lives of their people. This is the reality of modern politics and pragmatic governance’.
“If a young serving political office holder of less than 30 years of age can boast of N300 million mansion in different locations when his total pay package for the whole of four years in office is not up to half of the amount spent to construct the mansion, is that not disturbing and worrisome? How did the serving office holder come about such a whooping amount of money?”
This ill-gotten wealth, without regard and concern for the wellbeing of the constituents, Alaafin asserted, “is being used to blow sirens to intimidate people and insult their sensibilities”.
“These unaccounted wealth is also being used to procure arms and ammunition for youths who are supposed to be economically empowered with the money, to cause mayhem during election so as to perpetuate themselves in power against the wishes of the people’’.
The paramount ruler warned that unless political parties brace up and refocus their operational modes, there may not be an end to brazen impunity, monumental corruption, alarming poverty as well as unemployment rates characterised by irresponsible leadership.
Oba Adeyemi also implored the people to refrain from derogatory utterances and untoward acts during rallies, but exhibit the concept of OMOLUABI (a well brought up individual), which is an integral part of Yoruba culture and traditions.
Alaafin later presented a cash of N2.2 million to his son, and a sum of N500,000 to a member of the House of Assembly representing Atiba State Constituency, Waliu Adekunle Alagbom.
Adeniyi is contesting for House of Representatives seat in Oyo Federal Constituency, while Waliu is seeking a second term ticket.
The tumultuous support Alaafin’s son is receiving from the people of his federal constituency is not a surprise at all.
Freedom Online learnt that it is largely due to the passion Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi has for the downtrodden, especially the teeming impoverished rural populace.
Alhough, Adeniyi is the caretaker chairman of Atiba Local Government, popularly known as the Royal Council, yet his generosity and willingness to assist and uplift the downtrodden across the four council area of the constituency remains unparalleled and a source of inspiration to many.
Atiba is the second largest local government, after Akinyele and has the highest number of villages in Oyo Federal Constituency.
For instance, during Alaafin’s visit to some villages in the council area to assess the state of development, the villagers, in their hundreds, trooped out with pomp and pageantry to give a rousing welcome to the monarch and Prince Adeniyi.
Villages visited included Lagunna, Ote-Efon, Arigidi, Oyatutu, Elewuro/Alagba and Arinkinkin.
Encomiums were showered on Prince Adeniyi for what the villagers described as his sense of commitment in improving their socio-economic well-being, rehabilitation of rural feeder roads, construction of blocks of classrooms for primary schools as well as caring for the indigent pupils, orphans and widows.
Leader of the Hausa Community at Ote-Efon village, Mallam Danladi Abu, openly burst into tears of joy that since he grew up, he had never come across a prince like Adeniyi who not only humbled himself before everyone who comes to him, but always eager to assist the needy, irrespective of party affiliation.
He said: “I am from the North and I know what it means to get close to the Emir’s princes. This son of Alaafin is different, walahi. I have been opportuned to get close to him and I am surprised at his attitude. He listened to me, despite the calibre of those I met with him when I came in. He even gave me money for transport back to the village in spite of the unnoticed visit. In fact, all my requests were instantly endorsed. He is an uncommon politician.’’
In his address, Prince Adeniyi, who thanked the villagers for their cooperation, announced what he called ‘royal incentives’ for them.
These include establishment of fertilizer and other agro-chemical centres in all the villages for sale at subsidized prices, disbursement of substantial amount of money to farmers free of charge to boost food production and construction of culverts and drainages to prevent erosion surge which has been threatening most of them.
He ventilated his displeasure over the high rate of poverty and neglect in the rural areas by elected representatives and warned politicians against betrayal of trust to the people who elected them into offices.
He said such an ungodly act will naturally incur retribution of justice, adding: “Politicians shirk in their responsibilities because leadership and governance are not regarded as sacred responsibilities for bequeathing good legacies on the populace and future generations. On the contrary, leadership and governance are seen as cheap means of wallowing in unearned wealth and winning future elections so as to perpetuate themselves in office.’’
Similarly, in his determination to complement Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s administration’s concerted efforts in expanding access to clean water and sanitation and basic social amenities to the people, especially communities where water supply is in short supply and the people experience serious water scarcity, Adeniyi prevailed on the Alaafin for donation of boreholes to four communities in Oyo Federal Constituency.
The spirit of brotherliness and the penchant for the less privileged, regardless of his royal background, propelled Adeniyi to prevail on his father the need to assist and back up the transformation agenda of the present administration on infrastructural development.
In an exclusive interview, Adeniyi said Nigeria is the most densely-inhabited country in Africa with a population of more than 160 million people and growing rapidly. As the population increases, remote communities are further cut off and urban facilities become overloaded.
Recent global statistics, he stated, revealed that 63.2 million people in Nigeria don’t have access to safe water.
“Similarly, over 97,000 children die every year from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation. The pertinent question is how would the government implement a uniform drinking water standard in a society where the majority of the population depends on contaminated rainwater, pond water, and water from streams/rivers for domestic use? But because water infrastructures are capital intensive, many of the poor communities do not have the resources to construct durable infrastructure, thus making water availability to the localities unreliable.’’
Consenting to the idea, the paramount ruler established a non-governmental organisation known as Oba Adeyemi /Skimeh Foundation. The foundation, comprising of professionals of various callings, is aimed at compiling authentic inventory of communities, especially core rural areas that are in dire need of assistance in terms of infrastructures and human development. The organisation is wholly funded by the monarch.
The foundation’s first assignment was the borehole projects which were recently commissioned.
Commissioning the boreholes located at Ilora, Araromi, Akeetan Titun and Molaba respectfully at a colourful ceremony, Oba Adeyemi said that in some communities across the country, waste water and human waste are discharged into local rivers and streams and the teeming impoverished citizens depend on these sources for domestic use because they lack the funds to build waste water treatment plants and modern water distribution infrastructures.
He said under this condition, only those with financial wherewithal could afford to buy some few buckets or jerry-cans of water daily from private water vendors that haul water in rusty tanks that contaminate the water.
provide basic services to the citizens?
Alaafin noted that water is an essential input to achieve some desired outcomes, including health and income, adding that water affects sanitation and hygiene because lack of access to water leads to unhygienic behaviour.
“A society will starve without food because of water scarcity for agriculture. However, water for domestic use should be of higher quality. Because of inadequate provision of clean water and sanitation services, many people (mostly the poor) in Nigeria (and other developing nations) are suffering from some form of water-related diseases, including diarrhea, cholera, guinea worm, hookworm, and typhoid fever. To worsen the situation, the poor lack access to good health services to tackle these ailments, while the corrupt and powerful politicians could “jet out” of the country to obtain good medical treatment whenever they need one’’.
To expand access to clean water supply, the paramount ruler advised both state and federal governments to invest copiously on rural and urban water scheme.
This, Alaafin asserted, should be part of poverty alleviation programmes.
While eulogising Governor Abiola Ajimobi for his visionary administration and unprecedented devotion to the well being of the people of the state, Oba Adeyemi pledged to use his resources to complement the present administration’s transformation agenda, especially on rural development.
