CRY THY BELOVED STATE !!!
When a black smith repeatedly strikes a spot, it is obvious that he wants to get something out of it .
When a few months ago, I raised the alarm on the scandalous way this government is selling and disposing our common wealth, a few misinformed felt it was a hoax . But alas ,the trend continues unabated to the detriment of our future generations.
When Osun state was created in 1991,we left Oyo state virtually empty handed,since most of our joint properties were sadly appropriated by our sister state.
The only notable property which by accident or design fell into our custody was a choice edifice strategically located at the Victoria Islands/ Ikoyi in Lagos. It is a prized property along Cooper Road in the prime of Lagos.
Successive administrations had left it largely as it was and used it for several purposes. Baba Akande found it too large as a Governor’s Lodge hence the current property at Ikeja was acquired for renovations. Until Prince Oyinlola came on board, who realized its value and thus renovated and modified it for commercial purposes and for several years hundreds of millions accrued to government coffers for its leases.
Today, that property that attracted large revenues to this government on assumption, is now privately owned since this government has sold it . For how much? Nobody knows, and why in the first instance must it be sold?
Not only this valuable 4 or more storey property must be our concern. Let us ask them what has happened to the investments of our people in shares, stocks and other fiduciary issues in blue chip companies over the years.
These are our legacies and the hope of our future generations.
When a governor says I do not constitute a cabinet because no law said so, do the writers of our constitution ever envisaged that criminals and evil people would be elected as governors ? The law is never a perfect document that would envisage all eventualities.
There should be in addition to the spirit and letters of our laws adherence to morality. A governor is supposed to be accountable to the people who elected him. There are public service regulations also that guide the financial conduct of all in government including the governor. It regulates the spending limits of the several levels of governance. For the governor, the spending limits is #50 millions anything in excess should be approved by the Executive Council.
In contravention of the law our own governor had approved and spent several billions illegally.
The House of Assembly that is supposed to be the watch dog is comatose. Remember that the governor is on contract with the people for 4 years and a salary is attached to his job. Anything in excess of that is illegality. There is no legal place for ” governor- in – council ” in our laws .
All the on going projects had been used to borrow huge sums of money. Fellow citizens, where is the money? Must state workers and pensioners be made to pay for the sins of these vagabond in power?
Today, Osun state has not only been stripped naked financially and fiscally but now an empty shell vis- a-vis properties and feasible assets by courtesy of APC looters in government.
The generation unborn will curse those today who are supposed to stand up and challenge this infamy but stay aloof while proverbial Rome is burning.
As far as am concerned I have taken my stand , where are you?
Segun Akunwusi is the immediate past Head of Service of Osun State
