The dancer in Lucky Ayedatiwa did not become public knowledge until he rode on the back of the judiciary to emerge as Ondo State’s Acting Governor and recently Governor. Ayedatiwa used to be the gentle taciturn who was mostly seen but not heard in the political firmament of the State. The dancer in him became public knowledge thereafter and shocked the world. I continue to ask why the world is surprised at a man who is exploring his talents in the grandeur of public office and amidst the excitement of glittering buildings and vehicles whose ambience can literally make you forget the state of our roads. Are you surprised that a man billed to be a spare tyre, who suddenly became the Boss, has plunged himself into Biripo, in deep devotion and reference to his ancestors who made it happen? Are you surprised that he also took after Governor Olusegun Mimiko by reviving the forgotten Praise Night, where he had waxed a series of albums and given different sermons? Who would think that the man who bullied His Excellency, Agboola Ajayi, the People’s Democratic Party governorship candidate in the last election, with his tantalizing words has elements of locality in him?
Many who are averse to his leadership style should not commit the error of linking what they consider his failure as governor with his dancing steps. There is really no correlation between the two. I personally enjoy seeing Mr. Governor communicate his culture to us in his dances; it shows he is a homeboy whose happiness derives from several things, including the beautiful renditions of the Ilaje/Ikale people, each time he indulges in dancing. Biripo is a predominant traditional music among Ilaje, Apoi, and Ikale peoples in Ondo State. It is not only a source of entertainment but also a carrier of the cultural values prevalent in these territories.
While a man couldn’t go wrong by dancing, he can be subject to frank criticism if it is discovered that he decided to explore his gifting in an atmosphere of tension, death, and gloom—occasions like the burial of a neighbor, relative, or friend. It is not far-fetched if the said irrational dancer is directly linked to the death since his actions can be interpreted as an act of self-confession mandated by the spirits of those persons. The action is also comparable to spitting on the grave of a deceased person.
The people of Ondo State had reasons to troop out recently, challenging the poor handling of the Amotekun Corps in the arrest and prosecution of characters whose activities have been quite bloody and unprofessional. They have been referred to as herdsmen who swoop on struggling farmers, kill them, and unleash their godforsaken cows on their crops. Another group, bandits, has a mission to attack and cause the people irreparable damage. There is also the alarming rate of kidnapping in Ondo State, particularly in areas where farmers are going about their decent jobs. The recent case of Eniola Ojajuni, the Afenifere Youth Leader, whose published videos on Facebook visually depicted the kind of treatment victims of abduction endure in the hands of their captors, clearly attests to the sophistication of these characters who now allow their clients (victims) to utilize their Facebook platforms to mobilize ransom funds. They also arrange how to get the funds, with a clear rule dissuading their victims from involving the police. Is it not expected that a governor believed to bear the burden of the people, as well as their identity, will present himself to the public in an attempt at self-glorification, treating himself to the pleasure of Biripo, his native song? If Governor Ayedatiwa could pledge the next four years to working passionately for the people, his dances would not have counted as they did.
In January, no fewer than five farmers were shot dead by bandits masquerading as herdsmen in the Ajegunle-Powerline community of the Akure North Local Government Area. A few days later, in February, kidnappers struck, abducted about seven travellers along the Benin-Owo-Akure Expressway, though men of the Amotekun moved into the bush and rescued some of the victims. There was the pathetic case of a 75-year-old female victim (name withheld) who was abducted at Ifira Akoko, Akoko North-East Local Government. She narrated how she was ruthlessly raped by bandits before the arrival of the team of the Amotekun, which later rescued her and others in the captivity.
While narrating her ordeal, she said: “I was on my way back from the farm that fateful sunny day when I saw three men approaching me. As soon as they saw me, they grabbed my hands and dragged me into the bush. The next thing I knew was one of them forcefully removing my clothes and penetrating me. I don’t know how I ended up with Amotekun, because I was confused. All I knew was that they came to rescue me after hearing my screaming.”
Thereafter, bandits struck again, attacked a farm which reportedly belonged to a former commissioner in the state, at the Oke Oge area of Oba Ile community of the Akure North Local Government Area. They abducted the farm manager and two students who were in industrial training on the farm. The farm is very close to the Akure Airport. N15 million Naira ransom was demanded.
Recently, some suspected herdsmen attacked four communities of Ademekun, Aba Sunday, Aba Pastor and Aba Alajido, depriving 14 farmers of their precious lives in the communities all in the same Akure North LG.
Ayedatiwa inherited Amotekun from a strong man who spoke truth to power but not to documents. For Amotekun to remain a force in the security of lives and properties in Ondo State, Governor Ayedatiwa must stop seeing his job as casual. He must treat it as serious business.
If the government has failed to fulfill its primary responsibilities of securing lives and the welfare of the people, there is a tendency that such a governor must have failed in other areas. I did expect Governor Ayedatiwa to challenge the rationale behind the transformation of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, into a university when the State can barely fund the existing three universities and one Polytechnic, to the best of Governor Ayedatiwa’s knowledge. I was elated yesterday to see a video of His Excellency Alex Otti, the Labour Party Governor of Abia State, while paying an unscheduled visit to Abia State University, Uturu. During the visit, Otti had reasons to apologize to the students after witnessing the quality of their hostel facilities. He promised to build a new 5000-capacity hostel and a cafeteria. He also promised to construct a new faculty building for Law and Agriculture Faculties and ordered the demolition and reconstruction of buildings at ABSU Staff Secondary School. In our Ondo State, students are preparing to address their grievances through a peaceful protest today, highlighting the many empty promises of Governor Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa. As of now, the government has yet to comment on the demands of these students, who are protesting under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students. The last time, he had reasons to suppress students of Ondo’s premier university for their courage in reminding him about the approved dualization of the alternative route to the university, which has yet to commence.
I challenge Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa regarding the obviously poor healthcare services and facilities in Ondo State. A report from Citizen Rapporteur on March 19, 2024, reveals how patients now receive treatments, including drips, while sitting on chairs in Ondo. This report stemmed from a social media post by one Kalakuta Political Emana, who stated: “There is a shortage of staff at the General Hospital, Ondo. I brought someone here for treatment. And you need to see someone on a drip sitting on a chair. The health teams are needed, please.”
It is my intention not to address all the issues with Ondo State in one writing. But for the governor to stop appearing unserious due to his nuances and dance steps, he must buckle up and deliver the expected dividends of democracy to the people. That is what truly makes him appear unserious.
