One needs to remind the governor of the need for transparency and undivided attention in tackling Ondo's complex and urgent problems.
As we continue to celebrate the shocking victory of "Customer Daada," flashbacks of his ascent to power resurface each time I think to pen an article. Mr. Odunayo Rotimi Akeredolu got his nickname from the November 2016 election where he emerged as APC flag-bearer. "Customer Daada," which means "Regular customer as usual," was expected to place third in last year's election as he did in the 2012 gubernatorial election. However, those who nicknamed him "Customer Daada" were pleasantly surprised when he emerged victorious. I am hoping that his opponents can put the past behind them and support Governor Akeredolu in his quest to tackle Ondo's laundry list of overdue projects. I similarly hope the newly elected governor is ready to forgive all.
That said, one needs to remind the governor of the need for transparency and undivided attention in tackling Ondo's complex and urgent problems. Former Governor Olusegun Mimiko's eight years in service were laden with fake strategies and subterfuges. Returning to the subject of this article, permit me to remind Chief Akeredolu that Ondo State is endowed with the following mineral resources: quart sand, clay, granite, limestone, talc, kaolin, coal, columbine, rock, tin, river mineral deposits, and bitumen. Ondo State is also blessed with rich forest products, such as timber. The economy of Ondo State is also the sixth largest in Nigeria and is dominated by oil and crop production. The state, therefore, has no reason to be poor.
I am glad that Chief Akeredolu, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state, admitted that there is absolute poverty in Ondo State when his campaign team visited Idanre last year at the palace of the Owa of Idanre, Oba (Dr.) Fredrick Aroloye JP. At the palace, Akeredolu said he regretted that despite being blessed with crude oil and large deposits of bitumen and cocoa, the state still stands at in number 21 in the national poverty index as rated by the National Bureau of Statistics. He used the avenue to criticize Mimiko' s government for not resuscitating moribund industries throughout his eight-year tenure. Almost 80% of youth in the state are jobless as a result of the failure of former Governor Mimiko to revive the industries as promised to do when he was campaigning in 2007. Pundits argue that if these abandoned companies - namely, Oluwa Glasses at Igbokoda, Bolorunduro Timbers, Ifon Ceramics, Arigidi Tomato Paste Factory, Okitipupa Oil Palms mill, Olokola project, Cocoa Processing Company, Ile Oluji, Cassava Processing, Ikoya, Fisheries, Akure, Alfa 3D, Ikare Akoko, among others - were to be revived, Ondo State would become one of the wealthiest states in Nigeria.
Former Governor Mimiko inherited the sum of N38 billion from the late Olusegun Agagu's government but never disclosed how he spent the money judiciously. My hope is that such painful history will not repeat itself during the tenure of the present governor, especially since he publicly stated that he would not probe Mimiko's fraudulent government.
Chief Akeredolu's five cardinal programmes - job creation through agriculture, entrepreneurship and industrialisation; massive infrastructural development and maintenance; provision of functional education and technological growth; provision of accessible and qualitative health care and social service delivery; and rural development and community extension services - demonstrate that he has a stronger commitment to transform the state than any of his predecessors.
An American business magazine, Forbes, in its leadership quotes, said, "Your people are your greatest resource; listen to their feedback and encourage their dreams. You never know where your next great idea will come from, so empower everyone up and down the corporate ladder to contribute and innovate."
If a leader wants to begin a political journey, he must first look at where his predecessors failed and where they succeeded to inform his agenda. A leader who fails to fulfill promises gets blamed for his lack of honesty and integrity. What Ondo's constituents are expecting from Akeredolu is to first and foremost declare the state of Ondo's finances before proceeding to find a solution on how to pay the seven months salary arrears and gratuity and pension arrears of retired civil servants the last administration failed to settle. This is a horrible way to start one's tenure and again, we sincerely hope that Governor Akeredolu will not allow such evil to transcend his tenure.
Lastly, the newly and duly elected governor must, as a matter of urgency, deem it fit to commence the process of reviving dead companies in the state. Ondo's future depends on it. May God help the people of Ondo!
