Nevee:

Yes, Osun is developing and those who know what Osun used to be some ten years ago will not agree less.
Last I checked, debt isn’t bad at all. Economists even argue in favour of incurring debts, provided such debts are expended on the right projects. In this case, I dare say if the present Osun government is owing, it has done so on the right projects. Oyinlola incured a lot of debt too with virtually nothing to show for it. It is not surprising that U.S, China, Japan and Germany top the list of countries with the highest debt profile.

P.S: I am not exonerating Aregbesola of any form of mismanagement typical of Nigerian politicians. If he is found wanting in any way, he should ne brought to books. That said, he has brought a new dawn to Osun and arguably, he is the best governor Osun has had yet.

I agree with you to some point, but to say Oyinlola incurred a lot of debt with nothing to show for it is mischievous. His total debt unpaid as at when he left was around 14billion naira, yet he left around 6billion in the coffers of the state. He built a multi campus university with the salary structure 1% better than federal universities. He built the second best NYSC orientation camp in Nigeria. In Osogbo alone, he dualized the Olaiya - Akoda road and the Oke - fia - Omobolanle road (that I know of). He was the one that started the school feeding program (ounje and tea oyin) for which Aregbe has been blowing his own trumpet. His investment into human resources is unprecedented. He never owed salaries and allowances and promotions are always timely. The six mini stadia for which he borrowed the said loan would have been completed if not for his ouster. I am not excusing his many failures but then, he contributed his part without throwing us into debt for another four decades.

Microfels:




I agree with you to some point, but to say Oyinlola incurred a lot of debt with nothing to show for it is mischievous. His total debt unpaid as at when he left was around 14billion naira, yet he left around 6billion in the coffers of the state. He built a multi campus university with the salary structure 1% better than federal universities. He built the second best NYSC orientation camp in Nigeria. In Osogbo alone, he dualized the Olaiya - Akoda road and the Oke - fia - Omobolanle road (that I know of). He was the one that started the school feeding program (ounje and tea oyin) for which Aregbe has been blowing his own trumpet. His investment into human resources is unprecedented. He never owed salaries and allowances and promotions are always timely. The six mini stadia for which he borrowed the said loan would have been completed if not for his ouster. I am not excusing his many failures but then, he contributed his part without throwing us into debt for another four decades.

Brother, you have put forth tenable points. How do you explain Oyinlola’s 18.38 billion naira loan from UBA just few months before the court sacked him? Quite suspicious, isn’t it? He was dragged to an investigative panel where he, to a large extent, agreed to mismanaging some of these funds. Well, we still hailed him for accepting his faults because that is what “responsible leaders” do. Out of this loan, 430 million naira was disbursed to build Radisson Blu hotel without following due process, 1.5 billion naira to an almost non-existent free trade zone. Well, he blamed the court for sacking him as he would have gone after the company (lol). Do you know in just few months prior to Aregbesola’s victory, Oyinlola had spent 10 of the 18 billion naira loan and he agreed to this. And for most of the transactions, there were no legal trails as they did not follow due process. Mind you sir, this was at a time global oil price was at his debt. States were getting monthly allocations at the right amount and as and when due. Asides, the University and orientation camp, of what direct benefits are Oyinlola’s project (like WOCDIF) to the suffering Osun populace? Roads? Pls don’t go there sir! Whenever I come home and I use the bridge around Abere to link Ebunoluwa to Ofatedo, straight down to Lameco and Stadium to continue my journey, my soul blesses God. How about the Osogbo-Ikirun road currently being expanded into 4 lanes? And the Gbongan-Akoda road? And to think, a lot of these projects are still present in almost all local governments in Osun. Roads, schools, name it. Were in the world does a state develop by sharing money to some random persons in the state as Oyinlola used to at “gbagede oro”. Meanwhile, at the time Akande built the Governor’s office at Abere, it was arguably one of the best in West Africa, so we heard. Oyinlola rode on the sentiments of Osun people to become a governor- at a time Akande had sacked some workers.

Osun is predominantly a civil service state with over 40, 000 work force, slightly lower than Lagos’ and this is what Aregbesola is changing. It isn’t surprising that some of them that I call the bad eggs have a poor attitude to work. I have had so many experiences at Abere where the personnel who was supposed to attend to me rudely told me to wait as he wanted to see where the African Magic movie she was watching would end and I was interrupting. How about the teachers that go to class with the beans she sells for the students to help her pick. These are people I know. Yet, you dare not sack them, else they’d be up in arms. These are things you dare not do when Akande was governor. Don’t forget Osun has a monthly wage bill of 3.6 billion naira with a monthly allocation hovering around 1.6 to 2 billion naira. It doesn’t take a prophet to know issues would come up. When the going was good, workers were getting their full salaries at the right time plus 13th month. 100, 000 youths were employed within his first 100 days under the O-YES scheme which Ogun ditto Oyo later used as a template for theirs.

Isn’t it surprising that Peter Power was just a Chief of Staff, Adejare Bello was just the Speaker, Omisore was just a Senator? Yet, the affluence and flamboyance of these thieves would pass for that of an Otedola.

I still strongly believe APC would coast to victory in this next elections. I just hope they get it right with whoever they elect as the flag bearer of the party. Omisore and co have been retired in Osun politics. That they refuse to accept this fate is their headache. Osun is past politics of bitterness and thuggery. Everyone now seems to be interested in governing Osun, Aregbesola has made it attractive that they probably think governing Osun will be a walk in the park. I can count tens of aspirants already (lol). Quite impressive how Aregbesola is still insisting he has no preferred candidate at the next elections.

God bless Osun!
God bless Nigeria!!

I pity the next governor of Osun in advance. So many debt hanging around.