Open letter to S’West govs: This house has fallen

‘Bayo Adeyinka

I have decided to address you collectively because it has pleased Providence to put you as the custodians of our patrimony in the Yoruba nation. Except for Ekiti State, you are all children of the same father, politically speaking, but you are all bound by a common heritage, nevertheless. Destiny has thrust upon you an uncommon benevolence- being chosen among millions to lead one of the brightest tribes created by God. You have been positioned to lead your states at such a crucial period like this.

The Yoruba nation has produced excellent minds across various sectors such as Reverend Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first black Anglican Bishop; Chief Sapara Williams, the first Nigerian lawyer to defend cases at the British Supreme Court as far back as 1881; Herbert Macaulay, the first Nigerian to form a political party in Nigeria; Adeniyi Jones, the first surgeon in Nigeria; Prof Bolanle Awe, the first female Professor of History in Africa; Professor Wole Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature; Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the first Nigerian musician to be listed in the Guinness Book of World Records; Taslim Elias, the first African to be the President of the International Court of Justice; Latunde Odeku, the first professor of neuro-surgery in Nigeria; IK Dairo, the first Nigerian to be conferred the title, Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire; Professor Ilesanmi Adesida, the first black Vice-Chancellor in an American university; Chief Akintola Williams, the first African to qualify as a chartered accountant; Michael Onafowokan, the first architect in Nigeria; Teslim Balogun, the first professional footballer in Nigeria; Nojim Maiyegun, the first Nigerian to win an Olympic medal, and the immortal Obafemi Awolowo among others. The first newspaper in Nigeria was a Yoruba newspaper, ‘Iwe Irohin’, established in 1859. Across all sectors-from medicine to sports, education to industry, music to law- the Yoruba nation has not been found wanting. We have often led the way while others followed. That is the tribe of which you are now primus inter pares, first among equals.

As one who is familiar with the entire South-West states and also one with a deep sense of history, I am quite unsettled and very unhappy with the state of events. It seems our best years lie behind us. Many remember yesteryears with nostalgia while shaking their heads at what we have become. What shall we say when the benchmark of good governance in Oyo and Osun states still remain the late Cicero of Esa Oke, Chief Bola Ige, a man who left office 34 years ago? The same goes for Ogun and Ondo states where Olabisi Onabanjo and Adekunle Ajasin remain the standards for outstanding performance. Curiously, Ige, Ajasin and Onabanjo were only elected for just a single term of four years- with Lateef Jakande of Lagos State re-elected but truncated the same year with the advent of military rule in 1983. Most of you, Your Excellencies, like Abiola Ajimobi, Rauf Aregbesola, Ibikunle Amosun and Ayo Fayose are either on your second term in office or your second coming to office. How can their four years leave a greater impact than your eight years- even when they had lesser resources at their disposal?

Your Excellencies, a tour through some of your states will reveal that we are in a state of anomie generally. I will cite some examples to push home my points. Permit me to start from Ibadan, the political capital of South-West and the intellectual capital of Nigeria. The Cultural Centre located at Mokola, Ibadan used to be a major focus of attraction in the ancient city. As a masterpiece, other states equally took a cue from it by setting up their own cultural centres such as that of Abeokuta. I almost shed tears a few days as I observed that the monument is now a shadow of itself. The frontage is now a car park where people pay N50. The shops by the side are populated by the favourite “amala” spot, Inastrait, and “paraga” or herbal concoction peddlers. Ibadan alone has three cinemas located at Dugbe, Samonda and Ring Road. Yet, the Cultural Centre was the place of choice for movie watchers so many years ago. Now, the place is as dead as a dodo with weed overgrown on the grounds. Why can’t Governor Ajimobi enter a PPP arrangement to turn around the place? Why can’t you build or engage a PPP to build a world class museum at the parking lot? Or even another mall? The Cultural Centre can complement Agodi Gardens due to the proximity. Tour buses can take tourists from Agodi Gardens to the Cultural Centre and back. We have neglected tourism in the South-West yet we have what could be money spinners such as Ikogosi Warm Springs, Erin-Ijesha Waterfalls, Idanre Hills, Old Oyo National Park, Orole Hills at Ikere-Ekiti, Ipole-Iloro Waterfall, Egbigbu Artificial Lake at Aiyetoro-Ekiti, Esa Cave at Iyin-Ekiti that is capable of containing 34,000 people at a time, Bilikisu Sungbo Shrine, Igbokoda Waterfront, Igbo Olodumare, Olowo’s Palace at Owo which is the largest palace in Yorubaland and contains over 100 ancient courtyards, Irefin Palace at Ibadan which contains 185 rooms and was built 200 years ago with mud and Olumo Rock among others. The last time I visited Olumo Rock, I held my breath as I used the toilet facilities because it was in such a terrible state. Your Excellencies, I had to pee as if I was doing target practice.

The other day, I was at the Premier Hotel. Ordinarily, that should be the best hotel in Nigeria as I’ve not seen a better located hotel. Situated on a hill, it is an architectural masterpiece. Unfortunately, the setting is still like it was when I was in secondary school in 1991. Then, I had gone to the hotel with my mother to make some personal markings on my house wears. A few months ago, that particular event came back as I sat at the lobby of the hotel. The furniture is dated. When I went to the restaurant located downstairs, I almost couldn’t eat the food served. I saw dead cockroaches on the floor of the restaurant. I called the attention of the staff to the unkempt state of the environment. They apologised but I felt more like apologising to them. Someone who stayed there told me he saw rats in his room. Why can’t this hotel be concessioned to a hospitality firm? Yes, Your Excellencies, I know Premier Hotel belongs to Odua Investments Company Limited, the successor of the former Western Nigeria Development Corporation.

Please, permit me to focus on Odua Investment, all jointly owned by you. Last year, it was announced that Lagos State had been admitted as the sixth owner. Odua Investment has at least three hotels as subsidiaries, namely, Premier Hotel, Lafia Hotel and Airport Hotels, Ikeja. Yet, none of them can be rated as top 10 in the South-West. Cocoa Processing Industries Limited at Ikeja was the first cocoa processing factory in Africa. When the firm was at its peak, it reportedly had 19,000 people in its employ. It is now a warehouse for imported goods and motor vehicles. Cocoa gave us Cocoa House yet, we don’t even have a single chocolate making factory in the South-West with the abundance of cocoa that we have.

Ire Clay Products Limited is all but dead, yet it was set up to manufacture bricks. Other Odua Investment companies include Epe Plywood Industries Limited, E&O Power and Equipment Leasing Limited, Odua Printing and Publishing Limited, and Glanvill Enthoven &Co. The conglomerate (not sure it’s really worthy of that name), also has associated companies in which it has significant interests such as Nigerite Limited, West African Portland Cement/Lafarge, Wema Bank, Crittal Hope Limited, Nigerian Wire and Cable Plc, Askar Paints, Nidogas Company Limited and Tower Aluminium among others. Of all the above named companies, Cocoa Industries Limited shut down in 2010; Nigeria Wire and Cable, Ibadan and Epe Plywood Industries closed in 2012 while Askar Paints shut down in 2013. Sketch Newspaper died much earlier. Almost all the surviving companies are either ailing or fringe players except for those with foreign interests or technical partners such as Lafarge and Tower Aluminium. Even Wema Bank, the longest surviving indigenous bank which rose from the ashes of Agbonmagbe Bank, is no longer a significant player in the national landscape. Oduanet, the mobile telephony company started by the group, died intestate. Apart from Wemabod Estates, nothing else seems to work.

• To be concluded

Adeyinka sent in this piece from Ibadan

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Open letter to S’West govs: This house has fallen

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