Latest Development in Ondo State

A former British war time Prime Minister late Sir Winston Churchill once said “it’s not enough that we do our best, sometimes we have to do what´s required”.
The above quotation aptly illustrates my thinking on the present administration in Ondo state. Many Nigerians including this writer are often tempted to draw inferences from the performances of the governor of Lagos state Babatunde Fashola as one way to bring governance and real fruits of democracy to the people. Perhaps, the advantage position of Lagos state to the outside world, as first point of contact and that information technology have made many to arrive at this conclusion.
We never bothered to look inward or rather hinterland to see the miracles being performed in other states of the federation. From vintage position, after I have shined my face well, the government of ondo state under Olusegun Mimiko and the achievements recorded so far in the last two years cannot go unnoticed and unmentioned. They are colossal, monumental and memorable to behold when compared with what obtained in the last few years back. I spoke with many residents of the state and they opined that if the last regime had done half of what this regime has done perhaps the state might have turned to a paradise on earth. My basic response to this assertion was that in any type of government, the most important thing is to have policy and direction; these two very important factors are the basic weapons for development and even stability for a nation and its people.
In the past the state had been found wanton in these two fundamental principles of administration that can propel and kick start development. The state was driven like a rudderless ship, stirred by a partially impaired fellow. The only program known to the people of the state was casual roadmap to progress, much touted across the length and breadth of the state as if the document itself was going to become bread and butter on the tables for the people. At the end of the six years which included the stolen two years we are still on the same black spot with tattered umbrella drenched in torrential rain of uncertainty. The tropical scorching sun met us at the spot and did take vengeance on our body chemistry. The people and the state paid for what they didn’t buy.
And Mimiko came to the rescue. If you see someone who possess the reputation to make things happen and who make sure that certain things don’t happen, clearly you will know. The present governor has that reputation premised on the facts alluded to by his achievements in office. He has surely being making things to happen in ondo state and the people can boldly say without tongues in cheeks that we now have a government that is people oriented and ready to bring development right to their door steps.
This write-up will just mention few of out of those achievements recorded by the Mimiko’s administration in the state; however readers are at liberty to compare them.
First the state becomes the first in Africa to start a residence card for all inhabitants of the state. This according to the governor would assist the state to map out some planning which either immediate or long term for the purpose of development. For instance, if the state is planning to initiate a project to care for the elderly ones it’s proper to know how many they are, where the project would start, whether at USO or Ilara, the equipment required for the purpose etc. This is for administrative conveniences. This submission goes for other planning as well. Management is therefore very necessary in whatever one wants to do, in other word Mimiko is saying that bad management shouldn’t be seen as a destiny in Ondo state, hence he resolves to show the way to new technique in governance through management, objectivity and planning.
In the area of employment generation, the governor is not found wanting. Apart from the normal employment into the administrative cadre of the state ministries when he assumed the mantle of leadership in the state, his volunteer project is one thing to behold. Previous year the project employed about 1,500 unemployed school leavers of various levels. Last year the employment scheme was increased by another 500 school leavers while information has it that another 800 might be added to the figure this fiscal year. The focus of the project is to train these unemployed youths in various vocational skills, paying them N10, 000 while in training monthly and at the end provide the enabling financial succor that can make them to be self employed. The state cannot afford to allow its young and able citizens to roam about the streets with the disposition of crimes in their breasts. And idle mind is devil’s workshop as the say goes would make any responsible government to sit up to combat the social worms. Instead of pulling every available limited resource to combat crimes it’s quite appropriate to provide an avenue to engage those that can turn to crime in order to survive.
Late Sunny Okosun of blessed memory was so fascinated by the need to have both mother and child catered for that he turned it into a household song “mother and child”. The Ondo state governor took this inspirational song into reality as he established a unique MOTHER and CHILD hospital in the state capital. The first of its’ kind in the country. A visit to the hospital made me to remember the lurch environment and the readiness of staff-to-work at the old Trafford hospital in Manchester. We also neither deserve good things in Nigeria with the level of money accruing to the government, no reason to wallow in abject poverty nor in health related problems. Health is wealth. Investing so much in the health of the people will always have a pay- back time when the government can sit down to count its blessings. Seeing patients attached with a case worker is amazing and a step further into great lifting of the public and the state. Who say democracy can’t be rosy when due attention is given to it?
Where the federal government goofed Ondo state government took the gauntlet. Few months ago the federal minister of works announced to the dismay of Nigerians that only 20% of the federal roads are considered good. It shows that the rest 80% were death traps. It scattered across the country. No wonder therefore the rates of accident keep increasing notwithstanding the figure released by the FRSC recently. The famous Benin-Ore roads most especially the ondo state axis, Akure-Owo road are few bad examples that kill commuters like plague. At times you hip the blames on the drivers who ply these roads without considering the bad shapes of the roads. In order not to allow these roads to assume a butcher’s slab, the attention of the government was focused on them most especially the Akure- Owo road where the governor pulled resources together to fix the affected portions. However, he asked the federal government to cede these roads to the state government if it can’t be maintained any longer. This could mean another way of asking for new revenue sharing formula which Abuja might not be well dispose to, though a wise suggestion for concerned Nigerians to ponder on. The task of road fixing and maintenance isn’t limited to the highways alone; the township roads are not left out in the development and beautification exercise the major towns in the state have their roads maintained adequately while the usual floods taking over the landscape in the state capital got tackled. We can now see relieve on the faces of the residents of such places as Oba Adesida road as they can now move freely even when it rains.
In every part of the state visited recently, one can see the hands of Mimiko in operation to turn round the infrastructure misfortune bestowed on the state by the past regime. If government can thus far be responsible, accountable and proactive in its functions to the people that elected it, then one can hope for a better future within the ambit of peace and stability. The era to be counted as our party is at the centre is over with its bandwagon effects as political development in Nigerian is moving towards a dynamic era where value and judgment would inter play to determine who gets what, when and how. The achievement of governor Mimiko shall speak volume for him as done for the late Pa Michael Adekunle Ajasin in the state.
I know the constitutional requirement of service for a governor is four years and if the people are satisfied with his performances they may decide to give him another four more years. The culture of maintenance must be the bed rock of continuity in administration, so if Mr. Mimiko decides to put himself forward after the expiration of his first term so be it, if otherwise no crime in that as well.
Leadership is all about vision. Great world leaders at one time or the other showed their greatness through the vision they had for their countries. The visions of policy, planning, development and relationship are the qualities of Mimiko which enables him to make things happen in Ondo state.
Dr Mimiko led Labour Party government in the state has turned around the standard of living of the people through the provision of infrastructure, enhancing the qualities of healthcare and education, transforming the rural communities by embarking on massive quick-win projects that have now turn around the landscape of these hitherto neglected communities by successive administrations in the State.
Theodore Hesburgh said “the very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision, you can’t blow an uncertain trumpet”. The various development projects in Ondo state are certain trumpet being blown by the governor to the ears of the people. The is another example of political success in the country.