Distinguished senator, I did not vote for you in the senatorial election neither your opponent, but as an Okun man, I am one of your constituents because what you said or do will affect me, my people, my community and our district as well.
I welcome your promise for change. Certainly our region needs a lot of changes and development.
Congratulations once again, on having been elected. I think you and your team deserve a lot of credit for a landslide
victory in the polls and at the tribunal that surpassed all expectations and gave you an unquestioned mandate. The total vote cast that brought you to power wasn’t even close. In your race against Smart Adeyemi; you ran a careful, well-scripted campaign that minimized your exposure, kept you on message, and insulated you from attacks. In other words, you played the role of the front-runner and never looked back.
Your political skills are considerable, having been a former house of representative member, but now you find yourself in a higher office as senator of Kogi West. A new government needs to be pieced together in less than two months and to see who you are and what you’re going to offer. As Senator, you are leading a region that has been a redder, and you are heading a district wandering for too long. The district is dire in need of leadership that will
transform its natural resources and potentials into reality, utilize and channel it resources to the sectors that will benefit the masses not white elephant projects. Only then can we live with dignity and our young live better than us. Kogi West has waited too long for leaders who know that quid pro quo should not be the status quo. Its graceful decline can be arrested if you can run a clean, focus, accountable and transparent government. With this
we can overturn deficits into surpluses and manage to save billions of public funds into proper use. It’s high
time we moved forward to an international and recognized area – one that educates and nurtures talent; one that practices integrity, justice and people-centric policies. The proverbial dog has caught the car, and now everyone is wondering if you and your team can lead. Or if it even wants to.
Complicating matters for you will be the countless phone calls, lobbying, e-mails and texts from campaign supporters and those looking for that invite or job-appointment or favour. That’s the easy part.
What to do with those who spent the past years but now scramble to cover their tracks. They, too, now want to be “in” with the new administration. But be warned: The short-term rentals, new best friends and sycophants will return to form at some point over the next four years. And never forget that even deep pockets of goodwill are
more short-lived in this era of social media. So deal with these obstacles as required, and always remember that your real friends and supporters will be there regardless of circumstances. This knowledge will keep you going through the roughest of patches. We want to see our land under your leadership and appointed officers who will initiate projects and policies that have direct positive impacts on the masses.We have had enough of elected and appointed officers who have turn our agencies and programs into their own personal piggy bank, granting favours to their family, friends, God-fathers, thugs, ballot-box snatchers, election riggers, mistresses, rewarding donors, and furthering their own interests. The Senator’s job is too important and demanding to be left to incompetent and untrustworthy staff.
When it comes to personnel, it’s my opinion that you must seek, recruit, and empower men and women who are professional, trustworthy, experienced, and loyal to the institution of rulership. In addition to hiring and surrounding yourself with good people, setting priorities is essential. For example, scheduling, administrating,
delegating, lobbying, and governing the affairs of Kogi West require that your staff are taught to run interference you have to balance a lot of things, got to have thick-skin, sense of humour, and be a change agent-all in one. We’ve got to be true to ourselves, our principles, are to be pragmatic.
Public service should be about serving the public, not setting up a future payday. Learn the rules, master the rules and play by the rules. You have to like people and let them know that you remember them and like them. The stunning economic boom of the past few years was not a blessing to the masses as it wasn’t utilized prudently to
help reduce our numerous problems. The boom didn’t solve the long-standing problems with our educational sector; the boom didn’t help our decayed infrastructural sectors; the boom didn’t ease our health care problems; the boom didn’t improve our agricultural sector and the boom didn’t help in creating jobs.
The economy boom of the State from 2007 to 2015 was channelled to white elephants projects that have no positive impact on the people of Kogi West. Mr. Senator Sir, don’t fall into trap and allow you to take a knee-jerk stance on funding. During your campaign you called for an end to diversions, the trick budget writers have used to take money that is supposed to go to one area (School, Hospital renovations and equipments, for example) and redirect it to something else (e.g. Hotels, Water fall and Cable Cars). Let’s be honest, no one favours diversions, and you’re not the first politician to call for their demise. Our territory is powerful enough to invest in the future in a way that is prudent without shirking our responsibility for generations to come. But it will require your leadership and your
steadfastness in the face of predictable criticism. You have the opportunity and know-how to manage government spending especially with your extensive political experience . As the district celebrates your journey to the highest office, there is a thrill of recognition that Kogi West is still alive and working. We want to move ahead when you are working and awake. If the destiny of Kogi West under your leadership remains crafted in such dilapidated Schools, Hospitals, infrastructures and Roads— history will judge you to be a part of that karma as well.
Finally Sir, Your true victory will be when Kogi West is back on its track, don’t forget that you are surrounded by the hawks, professional politicians (looters), cabals and Godfathers that contributed to the failure of the past administration who are on standby to find their way into your administration soon now or later in other to maintained status quo of having their personal and domestic bills been oiled by our treasury. Under your leadership we want motions at the red chamber in favor of Kogi West where there will be a sound, effective, reliable and affordable agricultural, health, education, job creation and infrastructural development policies. Our region has lived through a time of torment and let us feels that your leadership will be the golden opportunity for healing. May God
guide, protect and give you the zeal to lead Kogi West to the expectation of the masses.
– By Balogun Emmanuel Funsho, from University Of Ilorin.
He can be reached on 07034444976 or via irule9ja@gmail.com
