By Kennedy Ikantu Peretei.
As the 2,053, 061 registered voters in Ondo State prepare to elect a new Governor on Saturday, 16th November, 2024, the people are weighing their options in an economy that has reduced even hard working people to beggars.
I wish to take my reference from the time tested axiom that “if the one who is being lied to, does not know, the liar knows that he is lying”. Driving through some towns and villages within Ondo State, one is greeted with billboards sponsored by supposedly “Lucky” people. One cannot but smile because, deep inside such people, or in their closets, they know that they are indeed very unlucky with the Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa option for the All Progressives Congress (APC). They know that, they lied by saying they are “Lucky” even if the people so addressed do not know about the lie.
According to Rt. Honourable Victor Olabimtan, Chairman of the Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), as at February, 2024, no fewer than 240,000 children were out of school in the State. This figure would have probably hit 250,000 with the recent economic policies of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governments at the Federal and State levels.
Before schools resumed on Tuesday, 17th September, 2024, the Ondo State government had approximately two months to undertake whatever rehabilitation or renovations needed in schools. But they waited till after resumption to announce that, the sum of N3.5 billion has been approved for rehabilitation and construction of public schools in the State. It is evident that, it is another campaign promise that will not be met just like all other campaign promises that are awaiting fulfillment.
I do not have the figures of students of State owned tertiary institutions that dropped out of school when the APC government jerked up tuition fees beyond the reach of commoners in the State. Many parents are still in pain due to their inability to send their children to school, due to tuition hike. Candidates of the West African Examinations Council for Senior Secondary Schools, had their results withheld, because the Aiyedatiwa government refused to pay the Registration fees that all previous governments paid on behalf of parents. How on earth can anybody dare say that, Ondo State is Lucky with Aiyedatiwa? The government that has reversed all progress made in education by almost twenty years?
There are primary schools in the riverine areas where Governor Aiyedatiwa comes from that have just two government paid teachers in the entire school. Teaching Primaries 1-6. Communities employ Community teachers through self help, to augment and salvage a bad situation.
Even when the government announced recruitment of teachers, the process was shrouded in secrecy and marred with politics and favouritism. Ondo State cannot be “Lucky” under such failed arrangements.
Bursaries and grants from Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission ( OSOPADEC) are disbursed through questionable procedures. Indeed, Ondo State is very “Unlucky” in the area of education with Aiyedatiwa.
For a people, who enjoyed free education under the defunct Action Congress (AG) government in the Western region. And replicated during the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), under Chief Adekunle Ajasin, it will be difficult to swallow this “Lucky” pill when November 16 comes.
“Out of school children” used to be an abstract term for most of us in Ondo State. But with the coming of the APC government, the reality is dawning on everybody that, out of school children is not a fairy tale. Because in almost every home, there will be one out of school child, because, parents can no longer cope with taking over responsibilities that hitherto were taken up by the government.
Those who are lying to themselves that they are “Lucky” when their children are dropping out of school can continue to deceive themselves. The majority of Ondo State people who are wearing the shoes know where the shoes pinch and will speak very clearly when the election comes.
This series continues shortly.
