Ekiti and The Politics of Division Through Unjust Relocation and Re-Relocation – Dare Owolabi PhD
Politics is seen as the “authoritative allocation of values”. In another way round it is seen as “who gets what, when and how”.The values in the context of this write-up relate to the resources and infrastructures that belong to the people of Nigeria.
The allocation of this resources is basically done through a recognized and constituted authority. Politics plays its part in the allocation. That is exactly what we are witnessing in relation to the politics of allocation of a BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS to Ekiti State by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
We have heard of Oye/Ikole FUOYE Saga, Ilawe/Ifaki Law School saga and Omuo/Ilawe Federal College saga and Eda Oniyo/Oye Ekiti Local Government Headquarters saga. It is now the turn of the approval of the Nigerian Army Brigade Headquarters in Ekiti State which dated back to 2013.
In 2013, the news of the approval of the LOCATION of the Brigade Headquarters was all over the place. It was captioned “Ekiti Gets Army Units” that was precisely September 12, 2013. It goes thus; “The Federal Government has approved the establishment of a new Brigade headquarters of the Nigerian Army in Aaye Ekiti, Ido-osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State.”
“According to a letter by the Ministry of Defence and addressed to Governor Kayode Fayemi, the Brigade Headquarters will be sited on a landed property previously vested in the Nigerian Army since 1969”.
“The Defence Ministry in the letter dated September 2 , 2013 with reference number TA/126 CONS/S.12 also indicated that the community has made available 50.94 hectares of land for the army unit.”
“The letter stated further that a budgetary provision for the establishment of the army unit has been made in the Federal Government in the 2013 Appropriation Act. It added that the military presence in the state would also boost economic development and security of lives and properties in the state.”
“It is recalled that the demand for an army unit was reopened by the state government during Governor Fayemi’s working visit to the Defence headquarters in September 2011, where he got assurances from the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Azubike Ihejirika on the request.”
The Federal and State Government was silent on its implementation despite several efforts made by Aaye Community to get this done.The story changed when Caleb Olubolade was at the centre of the stage, the Army Unit was RELOCATED to Ipoti Ekiti his home town. Since then, it has been skeletal work at that site because of power shift. Olubolade never envisaged this. Power is transient.
Now, General Oluyede an Ikere indigene is at the centre stage, its RE-RELOCATION from Ipoti to Ikere Ekiti is the contemporary move.The questions are;Why is it always the case of injustice in Ekiti State when it comes to allocation of Federal presence?Why is the State Government not allowing development to spread to other parts of the state? Why are people embracing premodial loyalty (loyalty to my immediate environment) in lieu of civic loyalty (loyalty to pursue a central and common advantage) at every opportunity for social and infrastructural development?
The Nigerian Army secured a landed property in Aaye Ekiti since 1969 where a Military School was located before it was later moved to Abeokuta in 1972. That was the place that currently hosts METHODIST COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL, AAYE EKITI till today. This was what informed the decision of the Federal Government and that decision was based on the reality on ground as pursued by the State Governor then, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
The government of Governor Kayode Fayemi was magnanimous enough to facilitate the Army unit and got the approval for Aaye Ekiti. What happened after the approval was still in the dark. Politics set in. This has caused the State many years of lack of military base.
Now that the Head of the Nigerian Army is an Ikere Indigene, it is doubtful if this decision to RE-RELOCATE the Army Unit to Ikere can be rescinded since I’m aware that “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.
Nevertheless, the following should be taking into proper cognisance;
1. The Nigerian Army should be aware that her landed Property acquired in 1969 still remains intact in Aaye Ekiti, Ido/Osi LGA of Ekiti State.
2. The Ekiti State Government should stop playing politics with any decision made at the centre to bring development to Ekiti State. Every government in power in the State got its votes from all communities in the State regardless of the size of the communities. The State government should always allow development to spread to other communities in the state whether they have highly placed politicians or other bigwigs at the helms of affairs.
3. Our leaders especially in Yorubaland who always claim to be Awolowo disciples should take a clue from him. How many government presence do we have in Ikenne compare to what Awolowo did to all parts of Yorubaland? Yet, the name of Awolowo is remembered from generation to generation.
Ekiti is a fountain of knowledge and also a LAND OF HONOUR. If this is something to reckon with, we should not throw away our integrity and honour on the basis of favouritism and political patronage. The incessant change in the location of the Brigade Headquarters has been responsible for the late implementation of its take off since approval in 2013.
The above letter to the then Governor of the State clarified that “a budgetary provision for the establishment of the army unit has been made in the Federal Government 2013 Appropriation Act”. What happened to the allocation? Ekiti has been shortchanged on this since 2013 because of the attitude of our leaders who take delight in playing politics with the destinies of the people. Consider the level of development, employment and economic growth that the army unit would have brought to the State.
To avoid unnecessary tension between Ipoti and Ikere communities, the Brigade Headquarters should be taken to its original base in Aaye Ekiti , Ido/Osi Local Government of Ekiti State where it was sited in 2013 and where the Nigerian Army has its landed property since 1969.
Dare Owolabi writes in from UK.
