Kayode Odunaro
Soon enough, we will hit another milestone in our ‘nascent’ democracy as governments at state and federal level will roll out the drums to celebrate yet another year of democratic government. In Ogun State it will be 13 years of democratic rule under three administrations.
One is privileged to be part of the pioneer administration of the 13 years under Chief Olusegun Osoba for a part of his 4 year tenure. The newest “kid on the block”, Senator Ibikunle Amosun will by May 29, 2012 clock one year in office as governor and it would be time to keep scores by the incumbent, the opposition and yes the good people of Ogun State that are not into partisan politics.
Let me say here that the intent of this piece is not to keep scores or undertake appraisal per se. On a normal day I see such an exercise as tainted with credibility lacuna as well as fraught with accusation of subjectivity. That can only be so, far as any development expert would freely tell you, all governmental policies, no matter how good and well intentioned, have unintended, usually negative consequences particularly in the short run for some persons in the society. And it is a timid and impotent administration that will shy away from executing its policies due to its possible unintended consequences on some of its people. For any action oriented government, it rings true that eggs have to be broken to serve omelets now and in the future.
So in this wise one will like to X-ray the philosophical underpinnings of Amosun’s administration in implementation of certain policies in the last one year. One such underpinning that is in the public domain is the concept of ‘rebuilding’ of Ogun State. Being mostly in Abuja during the electioneering campaign that brought in Amosun, one is not sure whether this concept assumed the status of a mantra but suffice to say that it was writ large on some billboards as a “Mission to Re-Build Ogun State”. And in the last one year, one has heard government functionaries mouth this slogan in the few public events of the state government that I have personally attended.
It would not be out of place then to posit that Amosun got his mandate in whole or in part on his agenda “rebuilding Ogun state” in the five cardinal areas of focus for his administration namely: affordable qualitative education, efficient healthcare delivery, agricultural production and industrialization, affordable housing and urban renewal and rural and infrastructural development and employment generation.
Without doubt, the Amosun administration can point to tangible results in some or all of these cardinal areas and one can at least swear by the road he constructed in my estate, Sam Ewang Housing Estate in Abeokuta as well as the reticulation of pipe borne water that has remained dry for upward of six years. But as aforesaid this piece is not about project execution or appraisal. It is about policy analysis and future developmental scenarios in Ogun state.
The concept of re-building in policy terms assume that there are structures on ground to be rebuild. That assumption is fundamental to the concept for without it the concept falls flat on its face. Without doubt Ogun State since its creation has structures and infrastructure that even dates back beyond its creation in 1976 courtesy of the Awolowo government in then Western Region. Successive governments in their own way had ensured that certain social amenities like road, water, healthcare etc are in place in one form or another in most part of the state. So Amosun certainly have structures to ‘re-build’ in virtually all sectors of the society.
Another assumption for the ‘re-building’ concept is that structures on ground are in a state of despair, disuse or outdated as not to serve present and modern realities or incapable of serving projected future needs. Certainly many existing structures in all sectors suffer from these shortcomings in areas like provisions of water, roads and educational facilities that this writer experienced firsthand. This situation was further compounded by an almost paralysis of governance in the last year or so of the last administration following a protracted face-off between the executive and legislative arms of government.
Apparently based on the above Amosun was on point in his “re-building” strategy and the mandate he got from the people. But apparently, the people were not prepared for the unintended consequences of the “re-building” agenda of Amosun. This understandably have fueled emotional outburst of even persons who are enlighten enough to appreciate that “birth pains” are not “death throes” in this rebuilding strategy.
In construction terms to re-build, you have to destroy -read demolish- some or all of existing structure to give way for a larger or more befitting edifices. It is in this light that one can situate the road dualisation projects at Abeokuta and the proposed Ilaro-Papalanto and Ijebu Ode-Ilese Road. There is no way rebuilding these roads will not involve destruction/demolition of existing structure of private citizens in public interest. Apparently public interest has to override private interest in this matter of developing the society. But due process and adequate compensation must be applied in this “re-building” strategy. The same is applicable to urban renewal, which it must be noted is visible in Abeokuta, the State Capital. Except the Rock City as Abeokuta is known want to maintain its old and rustic look with ancient family houses and compounds, then some structure have to give way for modern structures and facilities to spring up.
It must be pointed out however that in the provision of new infrastructure and amenities, the people has to be carried along to minimize the negative impact of unintended consequences. One is talking about sensitization and mobilization. An 8- lane road, flyover and foot bridges are certainly novel thing for many motorists and pedestrians alike. Enlightenment is needed for the people to appreciate that these facilities requires new attitudes and modification of behavior.
But beyond re-building physical infrastructure in all sectors, there is a more urgent and pressing one of ‘re-building’ political culture that have gone awry in recent times. One is privilege to have been in government/observe governance under military and democratic administrations in Ogun State. Part of the political culture prevalent in Ogun State as I know even during military era was political tolerance. Friends and business associates belong to different political parties and will stand their ground based on their political affiliations. This hitherto does not stop them attending social functions etc of their opponents. This has changed in recent time to a situation where some have been known to lose offices or other advantages for associating with “wrong persons”. People now mind what they say and who they say it to in order not to incur the wrath of power that be. Such political culture needs ‘re-building’ to reposition Ogun State to its first position in most things in Nigeria.
In all one accept the need to ‘re-build’ in Ogun State with all its unintended consequences. Let the government do more within its resources and forget about opprobrium from some quarters on its priorities. As Amosun himself poignantly puts it at a public forum, when Ikorodu multiple lanes road was built decades ago, some people would have thought it a misplaced priority. Today the road is even inadequate at some points. Such may be the case of some of the current ‘rebuilding’. Looking forward to “Rebuilding Ogun State in Four Years”.
Odunaro, a Public Affairs Analyst, writes from 125, Olusegun Osoba Way, Oke Ilewo, Abeokuta, Ogun State.