Alao Akala has done it again: he has not only spent N800M ($5.5M) of the state govt.'s money on sending pilgrims to Hajj but also campaigned at the camp at which the pilgrims gathered before commencing their journey to Mecca. He is apparently trying to use state money to woo voters in his next campaign for governor. Now this is what I called foolish use of government money by incompetent officials. This is the same Oyo state that has experienced little to marginal infrastructural advancements in the last 25 years; yet it spends all that money on sending pilgrims to Mecca.


Akala campaigns at Hajj camp
By Jide Jegede
October 19, 2010 01:29PM
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Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State seized the opportunity of a send-off programme for pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in Ibadan, the state capital, to campaign for re-election to office next year.

Over 1,000 of the 1,508 people for the pilgrimage were sponsored by the state government, while the bulk of the rest were sponsored by local government councils in the state. Each pilgrim costs approximately N800, 000 to perform the Hajj this year.

Speaking at the send-off programme held at the Hajj camp, Olodo, Ibadan, Mr. Alao-Akala said if the intending pilgrims could woo 10 voters each to vote for him in the 2011 elections, he would be much closer to victory.

“If these 1,500 and another 1,500 that will be going to Jerusalem bring along 10 each to vote for us, then we will be here again next year to do this kind of programme for another set.

“As you are going to the holy land you will pray. Pray for the peaceful co-existence of the country and that of the state. Pray for us to return to power in the next election and encourage another 10 people to vote for us in the election,” he told the crowd.

He admonished them to be good ambassadors of the state as they perform the hajj, adding that they would not be identified as individuals there, but as members of the state’s contingent.

“Remember the sons of whom you are. When you get there, you are no more on your own. You carry the image of the state. Do not spoil the name of Oyo State. Make sure you don’t engage in any activity that will tarnish the good image of the state,” he counselled.

Stressing the need to delay shopping till few days to departure from Saudi Arabia, the governor reminded them that they would have to visit many places and buying things at the very beginning of the adventure could burden their luggage.

New leader

The governor announced the appointment of the state’s commissioner for commerce and industries, Kola Balogun, as the leader of the contingent.

In his speech, Lukman Busari, the state’s chairman of pilgrim welfare board (muslim wing), praised the governor for trying his best to assist the board in discharging its job effectively.

Mr. Busari said that the first batch of the pilgrims will leave on Tuesday for Lagos, where they would be till the early hour departure to Mecca on Wednesday.

He said the board has arranged for Boeing 747 aircraft to reduce the batches of airlifting the states contingents to three, instead of the usual eight or more, adding that the final batch of the pilgrims, which is the third batch, will leave the country on November 1.

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waste of public funds

MrPrsdent:

waste of public funds

tell me about it

Fúcking waste----

Sometimes, I wonder whether the people of Ibadan are morons!
Are they that daft, that a man should hold them hostage? Maybe, they want to confirm the saying, "that those from South West, are cowards".
This is the height of it.

We still experience modern day slavery in Nigeria