By Dauda Taoheed

With my few years of existence coupled with my political observation/learning that is of class settings and not of practical, which Nigeria threw at me as a political tutelage that unavoidably married the indispensables of nation’s building — political science, economics and public administration as a career choice — I can’t argue less that His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde modus operandi in governance is an elegant peacock that stood out among other states’ gate-keepers.

He is towing and working down the line of continuity as an important pedal that turns the chain of good governance. Makinde is thrashing-out ‘it is not our party projects or blueprints’ ideology, commonly seen among Nigeria’s politicians. He is earnestly taking the advice of C.S Lewis that “mere change is not growth. Growth is the synthesis of change and continuity, and where there is no continuity there is no growth.”

However, it will be subjective of me to score him 100/100, knowing that man is an imperfect being that is susceptible to flaws. But by and large, he has proven that his bone marrow is drenched in responsive governance. He is always rising to the task of an elected leader.

For the security sector that has got negative reviews and feedback, crawling and finding it difficult to stand aright, I am hopeful that Mr Governor will live up to his mandate, protect the lives and properties of Oyo people and ensure peace is restored to the state.

Before I move on, let me quickly detach myself from any political affiliations that this write up might have chipped into my readers’ minds. I am not a political mercenary that flirts around with politicians neither do I belong to any political juggernaut. I am a student of political science that jot down salient political happenings in Nigeria’s Political Lecture Theatre, a law-abiding citizen that appreciates good governance.

READ ALSO: TWO YEARS ON: ‘Seyi Makinde— Between The End And The Means!

To the main crux of my piece that borders on the uncompleted and abandoned road of Apata-Bembo that links Kuola-New Garage, Akala New Expressway which serves as a complementary route to Abeokuta road. It’s been 19 months that the road had been left uncompleted, compounding the woes of affected residents to a reduction in the numbers of tri-cyclists and motorcyclists that ply the road resulting in inflated transport fares for the already economically-impaired citizens.

Asked the residents of Kuola the definition of hardship; unsurprisingly, they’ll give unanimous answers. The suffering of the inhabitants of these areas is cemented during the rainy season. At this time, their adversity is at its peak. It is an encompassing ordeal that spear, not even the private cars owners.

On the road, they enter a wheel control battle with the slippery red mud that easily intercepts their normal direction. We’re lost in the counts of accidents that have happened on the road, rendering some disabled and leaving permanent scars of injuries on victims. Dotted on the roads are small hills of debris of sands dug out from the gutter by the contractor. This has painfully assisted in adding more numbers of Okada accidents recorded in the area.

It is every resident’s prayer in Kuola not to be outside after 7p.m., when rain falls because it is an automatic ticket for mandatory trekking as Okada riders who are our last resort avoid the decrepit road of Kuola to other areas and in a rare case if they don’t, they charge a towering amount. This has been the tragedy of Kuola people for more than a year now, a sorry situation that can only be overturned by Mr Governor.

We appeal to the Omi tuntun administration to come to the aid of the people of Kuola and put a smile on their faces with the completion of the road.

Shouting, the voice reverberated—“Kuola,” another sound from the background echoed “Aba-panu”, “Aba-panu”, trying to beat down the former voice with his utterance— all calling the Okada man. All murmured their different areas aloud. They were all under a Mamador umbrella, hiding from the heavy torrent that unconditionally blew at their faces intermittently.

At different locations of the commercial umbrella standing, there were a crowd of people taking covers. At the stopped of the bike, tens of people rushed it ignoring the beatings of the downpour. He blared back, “kolo kolo,” (meaning “I am not going”) “or will you pay N500?”

A large number of persons made a U-turn considering the size of their pockets, while five people fight for the two seats, defying that trekking is safe and advisable to a motorcycle that easily falls prey to the predatory mud slippery road. The goal of reaching home on time beclouded their hearts.

At 9p.m., the road is deserted by Okada riders, with no signs of them coming. It was all dark. Faces gloomed and unrecognisable. It was the erratic splash of lightning that gave us the brim of one another’s faces. Our fate is known. It is another day for trekking; minding not the cold weather and the drizzling of the rain that gradationally precipitates our bodies.

People fall into horizontal lines, they pair themselves in a group with shared aligned destinations. They advance towards their homes in batches. This has been a steady sufferings vicious cycle of Kuola residents, which is always at zenith during rainy season.

Then, the road is plied by commercial motorists. Unfortunately, the degradation of the road chases these people away. It is, however, better late than never to make these commercials drivers return to the road by completing the road on time despite years of abandoned and potholes-ridden road. Doing this will ease and improve the transport system of the area.

With the few kilometres completed, the economy of Apata, Aba-alamu, Oke-Alaro and Bembo areas have developed at a fast pace that makes one wonder in awe at the changes that the road has brought to the domain. Indisputably, the road’s description by the World Bank as the “arteries through which the economy pulses” became more striking.

It becomes more evident that sustainable development befriends any country that invests heavily in infrastructure in which road is one of the ingredients of growth that aid quick development.

Drooping is the economy of the second phase of the uncompleted areas as businesses, shopping-complexes have shut down. For the few that are still opened, they struggle with sales as the road is relatively deserted as a result of its dilapidated state.

What is the essence of houses demolished or business centres pulled down without immediate rehabilitation? Shopping complexes that had detached their buildings, vacate their stores and move out their wares to give way to the road construction are returning to their shops because they can no longer endure the pains of hunger.

The strategic location of the road makes it an integral one that the Seyi Makinde-led administration should ensure its completion in no time. The administration should jettison the pause-and-play method in the completion of the road and embrace the unhindered play-and-fast-forward technique in delivering the project.

Strategically, the Kuola Road connects Apata which easily assist commuters coming from toll gate to connect New Garage and by-pass challenge, 110, Odo-Ona roads. The road is also a good alternative that assists in decongesting the traffic of Wema-BCJ-Apata road. Economically, it is a shortcut to Oluyole-Mobil road.

This is a call for attention, as well as to action, of the governor that the inspection of this road is of great reward even if the rehabilitation resumes as I presume soonest. Although this advice is not limited to this particular road alone, it should be for all road construction work.

If not duly monitored and often play the tactics of unannounced inspection, the contractors are saboteurs that like to feed on government weakness of non-inspection. Back to Kuola Road; before the contractor left the road, the construction of the ditch was done in a two-man-one-labour way, while the road is starved of workers. It slows down the process and makes the project a dillydally construction.

Conclusively, extollment of an individual work induce him or her to do more, says a Yoruba proverb. It is against the backdrop that I sincerely commend the effort of His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde on the various ongoing infrastructure development across the state. You’ve shown us that good governance is not about party affiliation but a brave mindset to challenge the status quo of being a slave to development.

Mr Governor, let me admonish you with the wise words of the former Head of State, President Goodluck Jonathan. He said: “One thing that I know and I feel Nigerians will celebrate is continuity and peace.”

Thus, let the good work continues without jeopardising the peace of the Oyo people. I believe that is not too much to ask for?

Taoheed wrote in from Ibadan

Vanguard News Nigeria