By Kayode Akinmade
DURING the COVID-19 lockdown, the then President, Muhammadu Buhari,some notable aviation experts and other credible national and international bodies singled out Ogun State, along with Lagos, for recognition. They lauded the two states for their valiant efforts to tame the menace and save the nation needless casualties. Today, as the expected socioeconomic effects of the removal of subsidy on PMS and the floatation of the naira bite hard, Ogun under Prince Dapo Abiodun is playing the same lead role that earned it recognition in the immediate past political dispensation.
That is not fortuitous: great leaders are known for empathy, integrity, resilience, accountability and dependability. According to the Center for Creative Leadership, a top-ranked provider of executive education, “A good leader should have integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, compassion, and resilience. They should encourage learning agile and flex their influence while communicating the vision, showing gratitude, and collaborating effectively.” Dr. Jennifer Varney, Executive VP of Academic Effectiveness at the Southern New Hampshire University, echoes this view when she avers that “good leaders possess self-awareness, garner credibility, focus on relationship-building, have a bias for action, exhibit humility, empower others, stay authentic, present themselves as constant and consistent, become role models and are fully present.”
In rolling out food and cash palliatives, Governor Abiodun is showing the central place of people’s comfort in his administration’s programmes. He recognizes the challenges of day-to-day living that the people face and wishes to offer them relief while heightening the delivery of infrastructure projects, including airports, dry ports and expressways. At the moment, in the area of education,about 150,000 students across all levels of education in the state are getting cash awards. The Educational Cash Award For Student Help (OgunEduCASH) is an intervention programme for learners in all public primary and secondary schools, as well as public and private tertiary institutions across Nigeria, to cushion the effects of the economic challenges on learners and their parents. The scheme, announced by Governor Abiodun in February, is a robust part of the state’s palliative package whereby each tertiary education student gets N50,000 cash from the state government, regardless of whether they are in public or private tertiary institutions. That is not all: 100,000 indigent students in public primary and secondary schools are each getting N10,000 cash.
Not surprisingly, the social and traditional media is replete with testimonies of students who have enjoyed this cash award, which is without prejudice to scholarships and bursaries. They couldn’t hide their excitement even as they showered encomiums on the governor for the gesture. Among many other students, Aminat Asaye, Tomiwa Iteoluwa (Mass Communication HND 2), Ogunjobi and Olujomehin Ebudola (Accountancy, HND 2) and Rokeeb Ayinla (Marketing ND 2), all of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, appreciated Governor Abiodun for the gesture, saying the money would go a long way in meeting their educational pursuits. They were joined by Adebayo Farouq and Olatinuke Olajumoke (Computer Science, HND 2), and Liadi Israel (Computer Science, ND 2), of D.S Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, who averred that the cash awards would cater for their projects and support in paying a sizeable part of their tuition fees. And equally mesmerized by the gesture, Adewale Oyenekan, Rebecca Akinfenwa, Leduwe Ayomide, Toheeb Adesina, and David Dosunmu of the Federal College of Education, Osiele, described Governor Abiodun as compassionate, tender hearted, generous, and student-loving father, describing the gesture as an indication of the governor’s passion for the prosperity of the citizenry. Students from some Universities – OOU Ago- Iwoye,TASUED Ijagun also commended the unprecedented efforts of the governor. Specifically, Miss Sharon Olumuyiwa (HHM Dept. OOU) and Dotun Sowole (Bus. Education,TASUED) appreciated the gesture which they claimed helped them in the pursuit of their education.
That was not all: palliatives aimed at easing both Lent and Ramadan were distributed across the three senatorial districts of the state. The palliatives, including rice, were shared in churches and mosques, with the beneficiaries commending the governor for his kind gesture and noting that their pains were being ameliorated. Said the Bishop of Remo Diocese, Methodist Church Nigeria, The Rt. Rev. Bamidele Ibikunle: “It is an exciting thing to know that our governor is thinking well of the people and I am happy especially today that we are commemorating the Palm Sunday. We want to thank the governor in a special way for being mindful of his people because times are hard and this palliative will go a long way in ameriorating people’s suffering, particularly people who are not sure of what to eat at Easter. They can now have something on their table to eat with their families.” And speaking during the distribution at the Ijebu-Ode Central Mosque, the Grand Chief Imam, Sheik Miftaudeen Ayanbadejo, said: “I thank His Excellency, Governor Abiodun, for this palliative because there is hunger in the land and whatever the government can do to bring relief is welcome.” The cleric urged the Federal Government to open the borders “for a short time even if it is for three months to allow things to normalize.” Hear the Chief Imam of the Ilaro Central Mosque , Alhaji Tajudeen Adewunmi: “The hardship in the land is too much and it is telling on the people. You can imagine a situation where people can no longer afford three square meals per day. It is only God that can come to our rescue. Thank God that we have a governor who feels the pulse of the people and is ready to meet everybody at the point of needs.”
Indeed, one of the things that constantly gave Nigerians concern before now is the oft-reported hijacking of palliatives by political actors or bureaucrats following their announcement by the various governments. That is why the Ogun State government has been keen ensuring that the intended beneficiaries of its schemes access them directly. Unlike what obtains in other areas, all the palliatives are getting to the direct beneficiaries. For instance, the beneficiaries of EduCash have been lauding the government for its transparency. The government was able to get the data of all students of Ogun origin through collaboration with the school authorities. Names were submitted by VCs, Provosts and Rectors using information submitted by students while filling in JAMB forms or during registration in the institutions, and the students were paid simultaneously. Testimonies abound on Twitter, Facebook and platforms like Nairaland. At the lower levels, the government identified indigent students through their teachers, and testimonies abound of parents thanking the government for the gesture which, according to the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu, has gulped over N3bn.
In distributing rice palliatives to the vulnerable and less privileged across LGs, the Abiodun government was meeting a critical need, and it is instructive that there were no reported incidents of rowdiness or fighting. In any case, it is a thing of great joy that in the area of surgical interventions, over 1500 residents have benefited already. The free surgery takes care of ailments like goiter, fibroids, hernia, etc, and has so far been a phenomenal success. Governor Abiodun knows what he is doing: he has a target, and the right people to ensure that the targeted beneficiaries get the interventions. That is obviously an unbeatable combination.
Akinmade is Special Adviser on Media and Communications to Ogun State Governor.