Sanwoolu's Lagos: REACTING or GOVERNING Part1

 

I am Babatunde, born, bred and brought up in Mushin. Just one person do always call me Algebra. I am a bonafide and loyal member of APC and a patriotic citizen of Nigeria. 08038193742, babsozone@gmail.com,  

SANWOOLU’s LAGOS: REACTING or GOVERNING

 

“Won o nife ara ilu, apo ara won nikan ni won ja fun”. (They don’t have the interest of the masses at heart, they are just there to enrich their pockets). The lines above are what you hear when people discussed Lagos, I mean whenever there are talks about Government in Lagos, even Nigeria as a whole, those words are common, regardless of age, gender and ethnicity, it is everywhere, ‘they’ are there for their pockets. This time around, Lagos! Who are ‘they’?  People in Government, the Governor, Advisers and other Cabinet Members, POLITICIANS.

Before I proceed, I will try to be mature and not to be rude or vulgar. If the expression of truth is seems to be rude to all that are involved, let me put across my apologies upfront and I added here now “With due Respect” to every word that may seems vulgar here. Nonetheless, if we considered been open-minded to this write up and focus on the message, the concept, the idea and look beyond personalities involved, I think it will be of advantage to all. I am a loyal member of All Progressive Congress (APC) based in Mushin and at the same time a Patriotic Lagosian and Nigerian. There’s deep meaning to being loyal and patriotic, sometimes, it is always a challenge when situation arose as to who we have to put our loyalty to, to the Government (“Party”) or being Patriotic. There’s wisdom that throw to us a balance whenever we are plunge into such a situation, that wisdom is what prompt these below lines;  Aint criticize destructively rather constructively, the intention is to straighten up the bends, no string attached and kindly accept my apologies…

Now, “They don’t have the interest of the masses at heart……..” when masses say this, which means the integrity of the Government is questioned. The question is why, what do we miss and where do we get it wrong, there are many whys and wheres that we are yet to get the right answers for? May be I can hint us with an Answer that probably mitigated our questioning problems, Moral Leadership!

Moral Leadership is the rock on which ultimate success and satisfaction resides while Immoral or unethical Leadership is sure path to Failure. Morality is the set of rules for good conduct (Though this varies based on Tradition, Foundation and sometimes Religion). Moral behaviour recognizes the obligation in the society to treat others as we would be treated; there exist in people the desire for Peace, Security and Freedom in their lives. That’s people in Lagos, that’s why everyone is out there to provide for their family legitimately. People want to avoid the fear that Bad or Evil things happen to them or their family. So when people are not treated ethically and morally, negative things happen in the society, sorrow comes to their lives. Virtue and Vice are choices, People and Government are responsible for what they eventually choose. When Vices or unethical act which violates the lives of others are chosen,  regardless from which part it emanate from, People or Government, Stable and Productive environment are damaged and environment becomes Destructive rather than Constructive. The assumption I am here to make is that overwhelming majority of Humanity will prefer an environment where their live proceeds in a constructive way to improve their quality of life and by extension to others (This is Lagos People Responsibility). Another counter assumption is that accelerating brain power to prevent failure to achieve that environment is critical for the well-being and survival of Humanity (This is Lagos Government Responsibility).

The above Paragraph summarise it all, we can define and acknowledge our responsibilities in the society, right? Simply, what do we lack? A True education is training of both the head and the heart, intellectual education influences the Head while Value based Education influences the Heart, which is known to be foundation of ethical and moral literacy. That is exactly what we are lacking! I know some may not agree with me on this but that is the bitter truth we cannot run away from.  I believe only the  time can confirm that fact. Let us come down to some understanding of the fundamentals about our behavioural attitude and personalities; Knowledge is piling up facts, wisdom is what we needed to simplify its uses. Intelligence is quickness to leam. Ability is the skill to apply what is learned. Competence is the ability and the desire to apply what is learned. Desire is the attitude that makes a skilful person competent. Many skilful people are incompetent. Ability without the right attitude is wasted. Above everything, the most important thing one can learn is to "learn to learn”.  In a nutshell, educated persons are those who can choose wisely and courageously under any circumstances. If they have the ability to choose between wisdom and foolishness, between good and bad, between virtuousness and vulgarities, regardless of the academic degrees they have, then they are educated.

Kindly allow me to plunge into the main body of this paper, Sanwolu’s Lagos: Reacting or Governing, we might not understand fully what we meant by Reacting and Governing because there’s a thin line between the two. When Government roll out policy or quickly attend to issue that concerned the masses positively (Euphoria) or negatively (Tragic), at different time of any event or routine day to day activities, we say they (Government) responds well or otherwise, depending on individual perspectives to the situation. Sometimes we say they are passive, proactive, indifferent etc. Overall, it all meant to Govern or React to external stimulus. Govern means you are doing your thing, what you believe and your value to fulfil your obligation to the masses while Reacting means external influence is determining what you are doing. Unfortunately, external influence could be a kind of pressure from the masses you are ruling, even at that, if you chose to Govern, it won’t change who you are, Individually/Governmental/Policy wise. Hope this helps us with the understanding… It is thin line of course but you’ll understand in a moment.

For argument sake, we have Lagos in the past that was Governed, our then Governor, made policies that benefit masses (not all masses of course, no perfection), construct roads and expand more roads, handle security matters with no fear infringed to the masses, set up security fund, rebranded Oshodi regardless of masses respond to such action, Restrict and Regulate Okada on Roads for their Safety,  tighten their Safety Rules,  Light up our main roads, His excellence managed Ebola infiltration to Nigeria through our Airport and contained it, that even the Federal Government, an opposition, gave recognition to  that singular achievement and many more. (May God Forgives all our Heroes and Heroine that lost their life during Ebola virus period) etc. That is Governor  Babatunde Raji Fashola.

Governor Ambode, built on rebranded Oshodi  World Class bus Terminals that Lagosian are using today and new age bus-stops, Road Construction, discovered potentials in making use of Lagos Resources and Northern Vast land Potential in Kebbi State and give birth to LAKE Rice  that was sold cheap to the masses. There’s a lot of wisdom from that LAKE rice alone, considering harnessing potential to bring about Nigeria UNITY. That is GREAT Achievement for Lagos. Even the so called Vision-Scope Project that was failed, is part of innovation from a Government that thinks for the masses. Failing innocently doesn’t mean a Government is not responsible, the intention to test that experiment is what matters and the details of the project itself.

 The idea is, from brief analysis above, Lagos Masses benefited from those highlighted achievement of Lagos that was governed by the two Governors, They are APC Governors and the masses supported them till date, because of their LEGACIES.

In Borno State, our dear Governor, Prof Zulum is identifies with his people in crisis, it was known all over that he inherited a crisis laden state of Terrorist, he was attacked, lost securities to the Terrorist, he never for any reason project fear to his people, they were in it together, he do not add to their already known complain or hardship, he understand the role he’s playing, he knows that the role is from his Higher SELF which is Bigger than himself, a value based and Moral Leadership. He is GOVERNING, despite having a very good reason to REACTING. Thank you Governor Zulum (Prof), I Appreciate you Sir.

Governor Sawoolu has a yardstick already, a kind of threshold that will guide his Governorship feat in Lagos but unfortunately the variables couldn’t align. To the best of my knowledge, Sawoolu’s Lagos has been in exposure to her weakness since during “End SARS protest days” I knew since then that he’s not managing any crisis but REACTING. It is written all over then, faces, walls and utterances.

At that time, you will hear our Governor saying one thing today, only to discredit the statement the next day. At the heat of the protest, Governor Sanwoolu was proactive to quickly go to Abuja to lay out the Protest demand to the President of which the President swiftly approved all, no promises. After then, every other Reaction from Mr. Governor to the protest was a flop. Many questions arose; How many people died? Who call the Army? How many are injured? Any Bullet wound etc? We all know the response from Mr Governor in Reacting to those questions. Lot of inconsistences in utterance. I even heard from Mr. Governor that, those that are injured with bullet wound were treated and discharged same night, he said he was there at the Hospital that night. I laughed! How a bullet wound person, treated and discharged that same night? We are talking about Dead of the night.

Fast Forward, Mr Governor continuous reaction led to imposing a curfew, unfortunately, the during the curfew where only Military Personnel are supposed to be on our roads, Multi Million Naira parked BRT buses were razed at the main road, Lagos-Ibadan express for that matter, carefully burnt. TVC and our Senator GOS centre at Vono, Mushin was also torched. The question is by Who? What are Government doing in finding those who burnt Lagos Asset, who torched TVC and Senator GOS hall?

Fast forward again, Panel of Enquiry was set up, though that was not a Reaction from Mr. Governor but part of Federal Government instruction to implement the protest Demand. Lot of controversy ploughed the Panel too, we all knew what happened, a member of panel who was shouting out loud about threat to his life for saying the truth. As if by remote control, the reaction to the panel of enquiry sitting was to produce a White Paper. I needed someone to ask me what was the Reaction of Mr. Sanwoolu’s White paper is? No need of guessing, his Excellence’s reaction was to WALK. The WALK of distraction, the WALK of ruse and what I termed as Dedicated WALK for REACTING. For some reason that Dedicated WALK was aborted.

At this junction let me pause to sip water. Meanwhile I will implore all readers to go back and refresh their memories of the paragraphs that discussed, Education, Competency, Skills, Knowledge and Moral Leadership. May be we can understand what we lack, in our system. We will regroup for concluding part, where we will see another reaction of His Excellency that lead to Okada Ban in Lagos. See you soon!