Customarily, an Iroko tree is reputed in the African culture as enjoying a pride of place amongst the trees in the jungle. Akin to the uniqueness of an apple tree, an Iroko tree is cherished and it is well treasured by Africans for several reasons.
An Iroko is reputed and symbolized for its selflessness, uniqueness, leadership prowess and ability, wisdom, knowledge and intellectual sagacity and erudition. To depict its uniqueness, in several discourses, it is said that when an Iroko tree talks, all other trees bow.
Dejectedly, in Ondo State, we have a Governor who has nick-named himself an Iroko but negatively, he is an opposite of all the virtues ascribed to the tree. Personally, he lacks the essential ingredients and qualities that characterize an Iroko.
Rahaman Olusegun Mimiko, the man who God has entrusted the sovereignty of Ondo people into his hands needs no much introduction in the political space. Sadly and most unfortunately, Mimiko has been mocking God by distributing the fruits of democratic governance with reckless abandonment.
A recap of his political journey will suffice, on 24th February 2009, Mimiko became the Governor of Ondo State via the efforts of the coalition of all progressives and it didn’t take more than 3 months before he dispensed with all those God used to enthrone him despite the efforts of the Abuja based Esau and Jacobs that schemed to scuttle his victory.
True to his character make up, today, Mimiko dine and wine with the same Abuja at the detriment of most of his helpers, thus leaving all the necessary indicators for growth in the SUNSHINE STATE in the negative direction.
Educationally, Ondo State has lost its place under Mimiko’s watch. He has succeeded in building only three mega primary and secondary schools in the past six years while within 3 years, former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi renovated 112 Secondary Schools.
In Lagos State, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola has marvelously built about 20 mega schools across the state. Though Mimiko established a University of Medical Sciences in his native Ondo town despite the fact that the existing state owned Universities, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba (AAUA) and Ondo State University of Technology, Okitipupa (OSUTECH) are both yearning for financial resources to function optimally.
Seven years after its establishment, OSUTECH has not produced a graduate but under the supervision of Mimiko, AAUA retrogressed from being the 1st best state university in Nigeria to 7th best (NUC, 2015).
In the area of infrastructure, Ondo State has the worst road network in South Western part of the country. Excluding the federal highways, majority of the state owned roads are presently in a state of disrepair.
Five years after the dualization of Ondo township roads were flagged off, the projects is still begging for completion. Without being immodest, let me expressly say that Mimiko has not completed 50kilometers worth of roads ever since he was inaugurated as Governor.
When Mimiko was sworn in as the 5th Executive Governor of Ondo State, he gave his people hope, the people of the state including myself thought their Messiah has arrived from Mecca. On that historical day, Mimiko made promises. He vowed to abolish hunger, poverty and starvation in Ondo State.
In the words of Mimiko, nobody would go to bed with empty stomach as far as he still held the insignia of power. He pledged to make poverty history but today, the people of the state wallows in a never-seen-before squalor.
Furthermore, the number of abandoned projects in the state calls for concern. Till date, the construction of the Akure township stadium started by Agagu government is far from being completed. The multi-billion naira Akure Dome project flagged off by the governor himself four years ago has been abandoned.
The dualization of the 2.1 kilometer Arakale road has not been duly completed. Mimiko’s much publicized Fountain Water at Alagbaka has stopped dispensing water. The glorified maternity centers built and packaged by Mimiko as Abiye Motherhood Hospitals are now yearning for drugs and personnel. Majority of the market stores Mimiko claimed to have constructed across the 16 local government areas have been taken over by weed and rodents.
I can also affirm that as at today, none of the legacy and moribund companies and factories inherited by Mimiko is functional. Arigidi Tomato Company has not produced tomato paste despite having sunk N1billion from Ondo treasury.
Oluwa Glasses at Igbokoda is daily rusting with no help rendered by Mimiko to resuscitate it. Okeluse Cement Factory has gone haywire. Okitipupa Oil Mill resuscitated by Agagu government has closed down. Our State, despite earning the highest allocation from the federation account in South West, unfortunately, is boasting of the highest number of youth unemployment in South West (National Directorate of Employment, 2015).
Civil Servants that vigorously campaigned for Mimiko’s second term in 2012 are now wallowing in the euphoria of regret. Their salaries are no longer being paid as at when due. For having the effrontery to confront the deceitful hegemony of Mimiko, 28 workers of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo were sacked on November 2012.
In 2012, eleven academic Staff of AAUA were also shown the way out for demanding for a better condition of service.
More also, apart from Mimiko’s younger brother, Dr. Abbas Mimiko, the state does not have a known contractor. Nepotism has been adopted as a state policy in Ondo State. Two out of the 3 slots allocated to the state for the 2014 National Conference were filled by the Mimiko’s cronies and family members.
Politically, Mimiko’s ideology remains inconsistent as he has moved from the Alliance for Democracy, AD, to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to the Action Congress, AC, to the Labour Party, LP, and now back to the PDP.
Mimiko has betrayed all his Political mentors since the advent of 4th republic. In 1999, the late former Governor, Adebayo Adefarati made Mimiko a Commissioner for Health, he (Mimiko) betrayed him (Adefarati).
In 2003, late Agagu made Mimiko the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, however, Mimiko betrayed Agagu. In 2005, Olusegun Obasanjo, then as Nigerian President, made Mimiko a Minister, but within a year; Mimiko displayed his trade-mark, Obasanjo was betrayed.
In 2009, former Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, through whose help the good people of Ondo State made Mimiko a Governor; today is no longer in his (Mimiko’s) good books.
Definitely, Mimiko will one day betray President Goodluck Jonathan that he currently worships because a leopard does not change its garb.
In conclusion, as the 2015 general elections gathers momentum, my advice to the peace-loving and good people of Ondo state is to shine their eyes. The only panacea for rejuvenation of our State in all ramifications is to get Mimiko and his accomplice out of power by all lawful means.
The Ondo State of today is not the one we desire. We desire for a state where disportionality will be abolished for equality, fairness and natural justice. I dream of a state where poverty and unemployment among the teeming population of our youths will become a story of the past.
Alhaji Lateef Raji is the Convener of Ondo renaissance Group (ORG)