True criticism is not an opposition, a man who tells you that you have a stinking yansh is NOT your enemy and he is better than sycophant who tells you that you are smelling of rose when you are just coming out from a sewage tank (Anonymous)
In spite of the pivotal roles played by our people, the Ibarapas, in resuscitating the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State between 2016 and 2019, and bringing about the taking over of Oyo State from the All Progressive Congress (APC) by the PDP, Seyi Makinde had treated and continued to treat the Ibarapas with disdain by excluding them from the dividends of democracy. The Ibarapas cannot forget in a hurry how on the plea of one of their own who – laboured as the Oyo State Coordinator of PDP between 2016 and 2019 , they willingly joined the struggle to ensure that PDP regains power in Oyo State.
They will also continue to remember that PDP started taking over Oyo State from the Ibarapaland axis of the state when Hon Debo Ogundoyin won the re-run to the House of Assembly (Ibarapa East State Constituency) following the unfortunate demise of the then Speaker, Rt Hon Adeyemo. However, despite the huge contributions, loyalty and resources deployed by Ibarapas towards the success of Governor Makinde in 2019 election, he has continue to treat the region as second class. This probably explains the reason why the present administration has no feasible presence in the region.
There are seven geopolitical zones (Ibadan main City, Ibadan less city, Ogbomoso, Oyo, Oke Ogun
1, Oke Ogun II and Ibarapa) in Oyo State and while there are significant presence of the Seyi Makinde led administration in other zones, the Ibarapa in diaspora do not understand reasons for the hatred, disdain and complete neglect of Ibarapa zone in the infrastructural development of Oyo State. For instance, a scoup through the Oyo State Open Contract portal (https://ocdsoyo.oyostate.gov.ng/tables) indicates some of the following contracts from May 2019: Of the fifty four contracts listed twenty six went to the two Ibadan zones and six to the two Oke Ogun zones; Ogbomoso received six and Oyo zone got two.
The planned construction of Isaba-Ogundoyin road, Eruwa through Alternate Project Funding was the only indication that Ibarapa is a part of Oyo State. Even then, the project remained uncompleted.The Forum of Ibarapa Indigine in Diaspora found it difficult to believe why Gov Makinde cannot keep to his promises.
The present administration till the last moment of the last day would do what is right and just for the people of the State (Engr Seyi Makinde at the Year 2021 Productivity and Merit Award ceremony held at Emeritus Professor Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall, UCH, Ibadan).Therefore, we the sons and daughters of Ibarapa though away but keenly observing the ongoing events at home therefore have the following to say:
1. Seyi Makinde has no single project nurtured to completion in Ibarapa with the result that he has nothing of substance to commission in Ibarapa till now.
2. He had never attended nor donated towards any Ibarapa community programme or festival geared towards the development of Ibarapaland.
3. To add salt to injury and the height of deceit, Seyi Makinde at the just concluded World Twins Festival said he will award work on the Ido-Eruwa-Igboora-Igangan-Iganna road to contractors before his next visit to Ibarapa.
4. We noted that this is the height of deception. This is because according to the House of Representatives’ Votes and Proceedings (https://www.nass.gov.ng/documents/votes_and_proceedings) of 8th February 2022, a leading son of Ibarapa currently representing Ibarapa Central/ Ibarapa North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives had moved a motion and gotten the House resolution for the reconstruction of this road. Further evidence of the height of duplicity is, if Makinde now awards work on the road to contractors and the reconstruction of the road is captured in the next Federal budget as a result of our representative’s efforts, he, Makinde will be asking for a refund from the federal government so soon thereafter. So, who is fooling who?
5. The Ibarapa in Diaspora observe that now that this is the last year to his bid for re-election, Engr Makinde thinks that he can fool the Ibarapas by deceiving them with attendance of the Ibarapa festivals.
6. At the World Twins Festival, in Igboora on October 28, Governor Makinde promised to kick-start his re-election campaign in Igboora an Ibarapa town.
7. We understand that Engr Makinde is planning to take his deceptions to the coming Idere Agbajo Festival as well as the Coronation of the Elempe of Tapa. We wish Engr Makinde can feel pulse of our people as displayed towards “Cold Attitude” he received at the World Twins Festival. As a responsible organisation whose members are well informed, the Forum of Ibarapa Indigenes in Diaspora wants to remind Engr Makinde that what Ibarapa need is physical infrastructure and inclusiveness. Unfortunately, it appears this is late as nothing concrete can be done before this administration ends.
Taiwo Kareem For the Forum of Ibarapa Indigenes in Diaspora
