The election is around the corner with its whirlwind of hopes and fears, of certainty and doubts, of truth and lies, of facts and fallacies, and of success and failure. It is a time to make crucial and prompt decisions of which I justly and considerably taken can reflect the bearing of this noble and great state. This to my mind is a goal which is not attainable by mere bombastic, rhetorical and empty blabbing or malicious fabrication but by tactical, diplomatic and purposeful approach.
Governor Olusegun Mimiko has raised the profile of governance and set a standard below which no government can afford to fall in Ondo state as he had in the last six and a half years been able to articulate clearly, and forcefully too, his vision to take Ondo state to the next level, thereby making his administration a flagship and reference point for development, transformation and good governance in Nigeria.
All these progressive developments must continue. We can't afford to go back to Egypt since we are presently in our modern-day Israel. There must be continuity in all the areas of human endeavors that pertain to governance. We must not fold our hands to elect bad leaders to pilot the affairs of this state. As the ship approaches the shore, an anchoreman prepares his hook. As the electioneering comes, the voter nurtures his franchise. Let's direct our voting power to a right cause.
I hold the belief that the Ondo State students and youths should carefully sit down to compare and contrast the development achieved so far in Ondo State to the present so as to understand the next line of action and our decisions come 2016. The teeming students' populace should know that inexperienced, corrupt-minded fellows and men without integrity will not have our votes in the coming gubernatorial race.
Let's put sentiment apart, ethnicity among others aside and check for an individual who is always ready to serve humanity. It is sad that Nigerians still based their support for a candidate mostly on ethnic and religious sentiments. I thought support should be based on issues that has to do with good and effective governance. No people that display such religious bigotry and tribalism ever progress. We need massive reorientation as a people. We must eschew ethnic chauvinism and tribal bigotry for us to progress in this state. Nigeria is currently battling with series of developmental challenges because
professionals in various sectors of the
economy have failed to rise up to the
challenge and do the right thing at the right
time. Ethnic and religious sentiments, which have characterised Nigeria's polity and national life, have also not done any good to the nation's quest to rise above its challenges. Ondo citizens must vote credibility and personality not religion or ethnicity.
The task of Ondo state building is a collective responsibility that must be executed with the recognition that we all stand accountable for our actions and inactions.
A time will come in the life of a people, when they will either voluntarily or otherwise, sit up soberly and deliberately choose the path they want to follow. For Ondo state, the time is NOW!
I must say with respect, that today, it is laid down before us success and failure, joy and woe. In the world of the Holy Book- "Man, we have shown you what is good, choose one". The ball is now in our court to discern from what is good and bad which I know vividly that God has imbued us with intellectual acumen and political sagacity to do so.
I pray we make the right decision come 2016.
Obrigado! Gracias! Salud!
Ayenuro Timileyin Gbenga [SAFETY]
Writes from Ilaje Local Government, Ondo state. 07063011276
