Between Fayose of Ekiti and Oshiomole of Edo

By Dan Osa-Ogbegie

Ordinarily, a comparison of Fayose-Governor of Ekiti, and Oshiomhole of Edo would be a no brainer as people would think Oshiomhole was heads and shoulders beyond the level of Fayose on all indices. Oshiomhole was President of Labour and had a pro-people mien. He was an orator. Fayose on the other hand was perceived as a thug by many people.

Governor Oshiomhole

Let’s examine the decisions of both Governors in recent times as a guide to their character and personality, competence and incompetence.

Ayo Fayose wanted to provide chairs and desks for Government schools in Ekiti; in his avowed commitment to empower Ekiti people, he called Carpenters in Ekiti to a meeting, where he told them of his intentions and specifications for chairs and desks in Government Schools in Ekiti. He also gave them a deadline for completion and delivery, and asked if they could handle the task. The Carpenters answered in the affirmative.

Governor Fayose then told the carpenters to bid to supply the Chairs and Desks to the schools close to their various workshops, which the carpenters did; so it was easy to move the chairs and Desks to the schools as the workshops were close to the schools in question and Ekiti Government money remained in Ekiti: the carpenters were happy, their wives, children and other dependants were happy, the carpenters also paid their taxes to the Ekiti Government happily, the Ekiti Governor was happy for the jobs well done, and happy that he was able to put smiles on the faces of Ekiti people.

LET US NOW READ FURTHER TO SEE WHAT THE EDO GOVERNOR DID IN SAME SITUATION.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State wanted to provide Chairs and Desks for schools in Edo State. Some people advised him to engage carpenters in Edo State, but Oshiomhole refused.He said Carpenters in Edo State could not produce the kind of chairs and desks he wanted. Mind you, Edo is the hub of Carpentary and wood works in Africa, exporting their products to even Europe and America.

Oshiomhole went to Abuja to engage a Company there, and the contract was entered for billions of Naira. They did the chairs and desks in Abuja but had to transport them to Benin City. So the Edo Government engaged the services of a haulage company for a couple of millions, to transport the chairs to Benin City. When the trucks got to Benin, another problem arose: where to offload the chairs and desks. Quickly, some people in Government suggested the now moribund Edo phamarceutical Warehouse along Sapele Road and another warehouse around there. So promptly, the chairs and desks from Abuja were offloaded in these places.

After sometime, Edo Government officials went to the warehouses, ostensibly to distribute the chairs and desks to the schools, to their bewilderment, most of the chairs and desks were destroyed. They didn’t know that the roofs of the Warehouses were leaking, and the rains destroyed the chairs and desks produced for Edo Schools for billions of Naira. Sad.

While in the case of Fayose and Ekiti,Ekiti Government money remained in Ekiti: the carpenters were happy, their wives, children and other dependants were happy, the carpenters also paid their taxes to the Ekiti Government happily, the Ekiti Governor was happy for the jobs well done, and happy that he was able to put smiles on the faces of Ekiti people, in Edo, it was capital flight as has been the case for the most part, since the inception of this Government, it is anguish and excruciating pains for the people as they get taxed for everything, almost including the air they breath, for non existent businesses and lack of Government patronage; it is anguish for Edo Government as billions of Naira is lost: all because of the indiscretion of taking Edo money outside Edo economy. All because of the disrespect this Government have for Edo people, Edo entrepreneurs and professionals.

Democratic governance is about the people. Any Government that does not deliberately set out to empower the people economically and socially does not have a place in a Constitutional democracy such as ours.

You all can see how governance is about simple decisions and little things. Now, between an Ayo Fayose and an Adams Oshiomhole, who would you rather have as your Governor?

Please forget about sentiments and previous percept please forget about sentiments and previous perception. -DAN Osa-Ogbegie

Between Fayose of Ekiti and Oshiomole of Edo