Ogun State Under Siege of Kindergarten Leadership, Rogues

By the conception of a former Prime Minister of Philippines, Gloria Aroyo, on the sanctity of leadership, the greatest litmus test for good leadership is ability to be at the fore-front leading, at the middle inspiring and at the back defending teeming followers. 

However, in the murky politics of Africa, in which Nigeria is not an exception, systemic failure regrettably throws up indolent and dunce in the polity and make them accidental leaders.

Meanwhile, the analysis of the great thinker, Plato, where he gave a deeper concept about the location of natural endowment as determinant of personality is readily appropriate for the notion behind this piece, especially with regards to the present political catastrophe in Ogun State and the dangerous trend it has taken.

Plato, explained that the best brand of leader is the one whose natural endowment is located in his head, he called such an individual a philosopher king. 

He further explained that the one with his natural endowment in his belly is nothing but a Capitalist, who is ready to exploit the people irrespective of their economic condition and maximize profit at the detriment of anybody.

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Plato, then described soldiers, who exhibit bravery in the course of protecting the territorial integrity of their nation as individuals with their natural endowments in their chest.

Unfortunately, Ogun State, in the last two years is being governed by a Capitalist in orientation and training, with his natural endowment firmly glued to his belly. Unlike the trait of a philosopher king, this Capitalist portrays a bizarre attributes in leadership, as he considers the greatest interests of the people as mere alternative forgone.

That Ogun State is in the hands of desperate obscurantist is an understatement, the state is actually under the siege of a political Shylock in the company of his gang, who are hell bent to take the state back to the days of yore.

Contrary to what Aroyo thought to be a leader, Mr Dapo Abiodun is leading from behind with his obvious absence at the middle and no appearance at the fore-front of his people.

The messy entry of Abiodun into the race to Okemosan Government House was so disheartening and a big embarrassment to every son and daughter of the state; watching him admitting his half baked educational background on National Television was horrible and a signal of what we are presently experiencing in the state.

To substantiate the claim that the incumbent governor in Ogun State has no requisite natural endowment in his head as Plato propounded, Abiodun turned his ancestral abode at Iperu to Government lodge at the assumption of office, thereby personalizing governance at the peril of the people and for personal aggrandizement.

The arrest of Mr Abidemi Rufai, who was a Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abiodun before his arrest in the US for multi-million dollars internet fraud in May this year was a huge confirmation of gang of rogues in government.

Indeed, the sudden deterioration of critical infrastructure in the state, coupled with threatening security challenges across the state as the government in the state remains helpless and inertia eloquently define the type of government Mr Dapo Abiodun superintends and his state of mind.

 The recent commercialization of employment into government’s ministries, agencies and departments by Dapo Abiodun-led administration is the worst of all infractions ever committed by this government since its inception.

Going forward therefore, it is indisputably correct to say that Ogun State urgently needs an intervention to salvage her people from the shackles of suffocating political siege, the present hobbesian state of nature in Ogun, in which life is brutish, nasty, short and poor is completely unacceptable.

We seriously need a philosopher king!

Written by: Bode Ajibola

 Coordinator, Ogun Dialogue