By: Abdulyekeen Mohd Bashir
The above popular Yoruba Proverb was not just coined to talk down at the earliest farmers who found it difficult to prepare their livestock feeds at the appropriate time but to right the wrongs of other lazy-minded fellows from other fields such as bureaucracy, administration, military, business, sports, etc.
In a couple of months from now, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq will be completing his tenure as the governor of Kwara State with little to show for what is expected of his administration as someone who rode on the back of promises to perform better than his predecessor(s).
Well, people like myself knew long before now that no meaningful feat will be achieved by this administration because it is always easier to spot from the outside, the faults of those playing on the pitch. Although governance is no rocket science but AA and his intellectually lazy team made it seem so by using an entire 4 years tenure to point blaming fingers, witchhunt, vendetta and settle political scores against his imaginary adversaries and the erstwhile occupants of the political base in the State.
After wasting time on frivolities and numerous resources on unnecessary political tussle, it is now when handing-over beckons that Gov AA found it necessary to commence his projects, who does that? Who begins the reconstruction of a road as strategic as Al-Hikmah – Alfa Yahyah road when it is just months away from leaving office? As we all know, it is a normal phenomenon for every development to come with a form of sacrifice, but of what significance is the sacrifice when the said development was not done at the expected time?
The construction of that road ordinarily should not take years like it is currently being done, the said construction has crippled economic activities in that area same as it is everywhere else that AA wants to hypocritically prove that he is working. He who wants to introduce something better would ordinarily provide alternatives that can ease the discomfort but such isn’t the case with the Kwara state governor.
Around Zone J and C in the Apalara area towards the construction site, two cars have been stolen because the owners couldn’t find ways how to manoeuvre the construction activities and drive home their cars, they have to park metres away leaving their properties at risk and at the mercy of God. For how long would the innocents who should be the main beneficiaries of development suffer from said developments?
The Tanke flyover is another mess that has thrown young Kwarans, transporters, students, staff and dwellers of the community into disarray, days ago thousands of students of the University of Ilorin missed lectures, tutorials and even test all in the name of being stranded in traffic created by an administrator who doesn’t understand the difference between people’s needs and his ego.
As strategic as Adeta Roundabout is, the untimely construction of feeder roads connected to that area has been causing standstill for days now, in fact, some people’s case can be akin to being stuck between the red sea and Pharaoh because taking out their cars for their daily business has become a risk they can’t afford to take or ignore. Also, jumping into commercial taxis and buses isn’t an option courtesy of the outrageous charges all in the name of fuel scarcity and unnecessary “ticket cutting” by state agents.
We are in no way against development, but should development come at the expense of our survival? This injury time construction of this administration has claimed the life of an innocent woman around Pakata some months ago, who knows how many have been killed emotionally and mentally due to the unnecessary stress created by their anti-people disguised as pro-people projects executions? When this administration started the charade of interlocking the “family houses” around the Ilorin metropolis, we warned them that those are a distraction and not a necessity but our humble and patriotic opinions fell on deaf ears, binned like trash and tagged oppositional wailing. Of what economic importance is Ode Alfa nda, Ile magaji at surulere, Ile Apo to Eleyinla lane interlocking and many of their kinds in Ilorin to the State government or the people? If AA has done the appropriate thing he won’t be rushing to finish up the half-baked projects just to showcase himself as a performer and defraud the people emotionally to reelect him. But Kwarans won’t be deceived twice and would show him the way out of the Government House through the ballot come next election.
When one refuses to make hays while the sun shines, he lives to regret the actions. Dear Kwarans “E sope Ramoni o ti loor.”
Abdulyekeen Mohd Bashir writes from Oluyole Estate, Ibadan, Nigeria.
