Osun 2018: Mastery Of People And Economy Remains Sacrosanct

In the evergreen postulation of the Greek political philosopher,  Socrates, “Poverty is the mother of crime and violent revolution,  when the middle class is destroyed,  and the number of the poor continues to surpass that of the rich,  problem arises,  and the state quickly comes to an end”.

Of course,  Socrates was critically speaking on the integral place of economic condition of the people in the quest  for egalitarian and just society, as he  enunciated  economy and political stability.

It is on that note that the conscious evaluation of the state of humanity in Osun  State became paramount and inevitable; it is indisputably correct to say that maladministration and policy summersalt in the state has pathetically created an environment akin to Thomas Hobes’s description of state without government,  where life was brutish, nasty,  short,  and poor.

It is in view of this sorry state of Osun State that individual who combines capability of people and economy management is urgently needed for rescue purpose and mission. The state is earnestly yawning for  policies that are designed to kick start sustainable economic development.

As an entrenched and viable political platform in the state, we are of the opinion that the newly conceived approach to governance within our folds offers everyone the opportunity to acknowledge logical  views on the core challenges facing the State and what it is considered to be the appropriate solutions to the challenges, taking into cognizance the prevalent economic circumstances of the State and the social conditions of the people.

The importance of consultation in politics is in tandem with the tenets of participatory democracy and good governance and we profoundly hope that this approach will also lay the foundation that can strengthen our political and economic enlightenment.

We envisioned that with the right incentives and policies that are good for creating jobs, quality public service delivery and improved economic performance, we can successfully overcome the contemporary difficulties that have engulfed the State.  There is  need for collective  supports  of all people in our communities with courage,  which will invariably  prompt bold actions that could lead to a more rewarding economic and political era for the benefits of all in the State.

It is crystal clear that a suitable man for the plump job in the state must possess diverse qualities of substance,  including the  desire and commitment to make positive changes that could benefit every resident of the state, verifiable  academic and professional training, administrative and public management competencies, relevant political experience, proven global networks in addition to  enviable professional and ethical antecedents, which is clearly the appropriate description of a man in our midst,  Otunba Yemisi Oladeji.

It is indeed in the commentaries of most of our people that political language is often designed to make lies sound truthful and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.  We have all been victims of this conundrum.  Most politicians seem not to know their place which had impacted negatively on what conduces to order and stability.  The existing structure of governance is faulty cumulating in failed processes.

The on-going frustration among our people make political idealism to be envisioned as a castle in the air because arguably the contemporary ideological pretenses are not based on a solid foundation of social and political realism. Part of the lessons we have learned from the anomaly is the realization that political process ought not to end on election days. People need to get involved in the process by paying more attention to the credibility of the candidates policies so, as to be able to decide how to vote and hold those entrusted with political power accountable for the decisions and indecisions made while in government.

The contemporary trends in Osun State show that a great deal of time is usually wasted on party politicking rather than governance. Often times, we often glue our eyes to personality showmanship rather than to pay attention to people with proven integrity, commitment to the cause of the people including individuals who genuinely planned to serve and make positive changes in the life of the people with evidence based policies and strategies.

Now that our society have been marked with economic depression cumulating in social dislocations, increased unemployment and the rise in poverty levels to mention a few, there can be no cause for pride in what is generally happening politically and economically in the State or self-satisfaction in the long denial of proffering appropriate solutions to the challenges that could better the circumstances of the people.

It is equally fitting and proper that we should do positive things to reduce or totally ameliorate human sufferings.  At times, history and fate meet at a single time to shape a turning point in man’s unending search for liberation from poverty.

We firmly believe that a government by consent of the governed, where every citizen shall share in the dignity of man-a government,  founded with a purpose to right the wrong where it exists is possible.

Government with human face and unshakable commitment to justice and service,  the one that is visibly predicated on  the principles of social equity.

The man who will rescue  Osun must as a matter of importance be versed in public finance to understand the economic storm which Osun State is engulfed.  The truth is that we can only survive the current challenges if only we have a servant leader who has the capacity to expand the economy of the State.  Our diagnostic study of the micro economy of the State has enabled us to identify the growth sectors in the economy.  There is cause for hope and we shall not fail.

Without mincing words, any serious aspirant who wants to become the Governor of Osun State must be able to proof his or her capacity to manage both the people and the economy, giving the prevalent social and economic circumstances of the State. Our considered approach to public governance is not only  what an individual  is capable of doing,  but the  realistic and effective way of policy implementation.

In the contemporary era of profound political dishonesty and messianic delusions, it is imperative that the members of the public are inundated with the challenges of governance in the State and what needs to be done to ameliorate them.

Having systematically studied array of pertinent issues  bordering on the State, we are convinced that  the election of the next Governor should not be based on the usual sentiments, but on the integrity, capability, proven competencies and total commitment of the candidate to the course of the people.

To this end,   the era of political rhetoric, trusting naivety or primitive loyalty are gone.  The challenges facing the State are enormous. Conversely, the task before any individual aspiring to rule the State successfully will depend largely on how to expand the State’s economy base to generate surpluses in the face of the declining national economy and mounting public debts.

He must also have the propensity to deploy organic policies that are best suited to the challenges facing Osun State rather than blindly copying policies and programmes from elsewhere without considering the disparities in the socio-economic circumstances.

It is a common knowledge that  most of the people in the State depend largely on wage jobs created mostly by the State, the Local Governments and a pocket of private entrepreneurs.  As a consequence, the State relies largely on taxes from PAYEE as her primary source of revenue generation.  It then follows that if the State is to accumulate significant revenue from such tax, it must devise effective means to ensure that worker’s salaries are paid fully and as at when due so as to be able to provide efficient public services and enhance the quality of life of the people.

The inability of the Government to address many of these very important challenges has continued to undermine good governance with devastating consequences that has continued to breed devalued and degraded citizenry of the State, the situation that compelled many citizens in the state to settle for the Arole  of Iresi Kingdom. Courtesy : Imole Osun Group.