Comedian Aregbesola And His Osun State Audience

By Enenim Ubon

I always thought the last I would see of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola comedy skills is his appearing in various school uniforms with matching knee-length socks and long-faced shoes; alas I was wrong. Here is a governor who constantly makes a mockery of not only his office but also his 'blind' and sentimental followers. The worst hit by his latest actions are the workers of Osun state, whom I feel no pity for.

Theirs is a classic case of “the people getting a government they deserve”. The people of Osun state(civil servants inclusive) reelected this man and even celebrated his victory(even when it was obvious he didn't wish them well); I hope by the time the show is offer, they won't be tales of workers dying of starvation.

Prior to his reelection in August 2014, the government of Osun state was unable to pay salaries(but spent billions on campaigns and financing of thugs for 'election duties'). The excuse then was that the Jonathan led government was deliberately withholding funds meant for opposition states - the truth is gradually coming to fore. How he pulled one over the Osun state workforce remains a mystery(when one considers how the PDP has been rejected by the workforce in Benue and Kogi states over the same issue); most surprising is that the people of Osun never considered that any government which cannot pay salaries in an election year is most likely to owe many more months after election. The fruits of their naivety is what they are reaping.

In 2013, Ogbeni came up with Opon Imo. Whoever sold the idea to him is a 'genius' and deserves commendation for not only conning his excellency but for also exposing the mental capacity of our social media intellectuals who hyped the scam and could not see the project was a channel to embezzle funds and (as time has revealed) was 'dead on arrival' - largely due to approach,implementation and MOTIVE. N8,300,000,000 was spent on the first 50,000 pieces.

This amount spent on each 50,000 pieces of the Opon Imo(if there ever was another set) would have taken the abandoned projects in Osun state to a reasonable level of completion but baba was much more interested in 'cornering' money for his reelection. So obvious was the Opon Imo scam that the Late Senator Uche Chukwumerije withdrew his earlier endorsement of the project. The questions then are: How many of this device have been delivered after 2 years? Where is the money budgeted for it? Wouldn't the money be useful in this of starvation(for the Osun workers).

Recently it has been widely reported that the Osun state government intends to stop the feeding program(Omeal). Reports have it that “the state government is also planning a review of the state's free health program for children and the elderly and may recommend that parents be made to pay a little levy for each child in school”.

The questions that arise from the above are: a) Where these projects not well thought-out and planned for before implementation? b) Where the projects meant to be mere political projects to deceive the osun electorates into re-electing ogbeni? If it was, it worked perfectly. I read a comment from someone which suggested that the reason governor Aregbesola intends to stop the free meals because the incoming federal government of his party intends to replicate same across the country - how laughable.

Despite the many troubles at home,governor Aregbesola is still fingered in the Ekiti impeachment debacle knowing his antecedents this is easily believable. The man is an entertainer indeed! With uncompleted projects like roads and the much hyped ultra modern school building etc all abandoned, that ogbeni still has money to spend on frivolities is to say the least befuddling. What a man!

While the workers of Osun state mourn and look to the heavens, I hope the comedian listens to their pleas and saves them from starvation soon. In the event he does not, at least the lesson would be learnt all that glitters is not gold”. If this continues for another 4 months, the number of workers that will survive I know not but one thing I know, the people(workers) will be a lot wiser(even more) than their colleagues in Benue,Kogi,Rivers etc. Till then I wish the Osun people well. May these 6 months of penury be over soonest and may Osun state not experience this kind of dry jokes ever again!

Enenim Ubon tweets from @EnenimUbon
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

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