The decision to write this rejoinder didn’t come easy for me because of the personality involved, but for me, the greater good takes precedent over personal relationships and I have no apology for the personality concerned.
After reading the interview by Chief Adeniyi Akintola SAN, where he claimed that the Governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde ” is a promise keeper”, I asked myself why someone of Chief Akintola’s status will offer himself to do jobs meant for low level Media Aides of Governor Makinde?
I asked myself why he would resort to dance to the beat of ‘ Palongo ‘ being beaten by Seyi Makinde, who, in actual sense should be taking political lessons from Chief Akintola?
In fact, I will recommend that Chief Akintola finds a copy of Obesere’s latest album titled ‘ Ijo Palongo ‘ and try to listen to the track, ‘ Palongo Dance ‘.
I implore him, to please listen to and interpret the lyrics of the referenced track.
A Pastor friend of mine always ask me to pray this prayer point, that, may we not dance to the rhythm of the drum beats by our enemies.
Oh! Chief Akintola, how did you come to this? How art thou taken?
Like I said in the opening paragraph, I felt reluctant to reply Chief Akintola because of my personal relationship with him and of course, I wouldn’t have written a line if not for the reference to the APC.
Those who are setting him and others up for this kind of interviews know what they are doing.
Not long ago, a particular Ibadan socialite, wearing an oversized beads around his neck, was captured in a video gleefully introducing himself as a Leader of Oyo APC and yet, grinning from ear to ear, he was urging people to accept Seyi Makinde’s anointed candidate as the next Governor of Oyo state.
When I saw the video, on a lighter note, I asked if oversized beads have a way of distorting people’s thinking but someone told me that the clownish fellow just collected a brand new Prado or is it a Toyota Highlander from Governor Makinde as birthday gift and that he was also awarded a contract.
I know that Governor Seyi Makinde is desperate to recruit disgruntled elements within Oyo APC for a repeat of the 2023 scenario but this time around, it ain’t gonna work.
Back to Chief Akintola.
Since he was unsuccessful in his ambition to be Governor of Oyo state under the APC in 2023, he has refused to be appeased.
He did not hide his displeasure and was very vocal, campaigning against the APC in 2023, while publicly praising Makinde to the highest heavens.
I am only surprised that he hasn’t deemed it fit to join Makinde in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP up till now.
I will also like to refer Chief Akintola, who I know very well to be very versed in Yoruba proverbs to remember the story of the tortoise and the snail. ( Eebu a lo ni ti ahun, ti abo ni ti igbin).
Like himself, Barr. Akeem Agbaje, Senator Adeseun and a host of many others had issues with the Party in 2023 but they have since moved on and operating within the Party to strengthen it.
Why is it that Chief Akintola refused to be pacified?
The way he has been conducting himself since 2023 will suggest that he has a special entitlement to the gubernatorial ticket of Oyo APC and he doesn’t.
That is the plain truth.
I have kept asking myself. If Chief Akintola refused to be pacified and thereby chose to continue playing a game akin to a spoilers’, what should Teslim Folarin and the 28 House of Assembly candidates who lost their election in 2023 do?
Set fire on Oyo state?
Perhaps, it is apposite at this point to let Chief Akintola and the other jester know that the will of God, not of man will happen in 2027 regardless of whosoever chose to continue to play the spoilers’ role.
Stakeholders within Oyo APC have since identified the problems that brought about the unfortunate circumstances of 2023 and have been addressing them.
Chief Akintola is entitled to his personal opinion.
Unfortunately for both himself and Governor Makinde, the opinion of Chief Akintola will not determine the results of the 2027 gubernatorial election.
Whatever promises made and kept between them is their own palaver.
When the time comes, I will expect Chief Akintola to also be ready to defend Governor Makinde on issues about the failed Light Up Oyo which gulped over 32 billion Naira and has become what it has become before our eyes.
He must also be ready to defend the Governor when we ask him to account for the monthly Allocations for the 33 Local Governments.
He must be prepared to defend him on the issues around the award of the contract of exercise books to ‘Oyo Npe O’ at the cost of over 3,000 Naira per booklet.
We will expect him to justify the award of the contract for the building of garages at the sum of 16 billion Naira while infrastructures in our public schools have totally collapsed.
It will be interesting to see him defend the Governor on the debts profile of Oyo state and many more.
Chief Akintola was the Lawyer who fought the case of the Eleruwa at the Supreme court and got judgment in favor of Alhaji Oyedepo Ajao.
Today, his beloved Seyi Makinde has rubbished that efforts by appointing Samuel Adebayo Adegbola who, the Supreme court prohibited from being considered as a candidate for the throne of Eruwa and the matter is unfortunate back in the High Court.
I have never heard Chief Akintola said a word about the action of the Governor till date.
Makinde is a promise keeper indeed!
SOLA ABEGUNDE.
