OYO STATE- Amidst many alleged disservices of Governor Seyi Makinde to the people of Ibarapaland, his 30years old commissioner for youth and sports, Seun Fakorede is one of their biggest disappointments.
Yes, from its extreme North of Igangan down to the East side of Lanlate, the three local governments of Ibarapa zone never experienced Makinde’s infrastructural turnaround like other parts of the State, despite the fact that the success of his party- PDP in 2019 elections first sprouted from the region in 2018, when in the face of many odds, militarization and money politics the people voted and stood by PDP, against late Governor Ajimobi’s ruling party at the Ibarapa East State Constituency by-election that produced Rt. Hon. Debo Ogundoyin as a lawmaker.
For over 3years, the most anticipated State approved 3.4billion naira Eruwa farm settlement is still stucked in the pipeline; the Igboora mini-stadium has not grown needed grasses for commissioning; Water has not flowed to Ayete, Tapa and Igangan town from the North dam; Lanlate-Itaabo road, Ogundoyin road, Ibarapa East Secretariat Road were even better before they were awarded.
If Governor Seyi Makinde decided to be ungrateful to the residents of Ibarapa for their immense support towards the realization of his Governorship ambition, he should not have added salt to their injury by appointing opportunist like Seun Fakorede to represent them in his cabinet.
By all variables, Hon. Seun Fakorede is a stranger among his people. Aside, his educational background that did not indicate ibarapa indigeneity, Hon. Fakorede is not conversant with his kinsmen. the young commissioner has no friendship network among his peers in Ibarapa and arrogantly reject any attempt of such gesture.
He never see reason to have a single Ibarapa indigene as one of his aides or even assist any of the young talented footballers from his region with his political will.
According to an Ibarapa Central PDP youth leader, Saheed Adeola Taiwo, the youths from Ibarapa cannot express their disappointment in Hon. Seun Fakorede enough, as his achievements in his constituency is all about posting expensive trips to countries, designers clothes, bags, footies and sun-shades, and sometimes motivational talks at Lagos and Abuja seminars on social media.
“When the Governor first appointed him in 2019, we protested it because we don’t even know him. Even, his father that we know was then an opposition in APC who worked rigorously against the victory of Governor Makinde. But the elders, the Governor and even Seun himself met with us and pleaded that we should accept him in communal spirit hoping he will do well.
“Since then, Seun vainshed into the thin air and never fulfilled any of his promises. He does not come home, neither does he and his father take our calls or respond to our messages. No PDP youth from Ibarapa is good enough as aide to Hon. Seun, no talented footballer among his brothers here is good enough to play, even go for shooting stars trial.
“Seun Fakorede is a disappointment. He and his father lost their polling unit to APC by 68 to 125 votes, and ward by 347 to 629 votes in ward 3 Idere that has just 6 polling units. Very shameful that PDP lost the entire polling units and all the 3 wards in Idere to APC during the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections and I sincerely hope Governor Seyi Makinde will learn from this and adjust his strategies when he eventually wins second term by God’s grace,” he added.
Another yourh leader from Fakorede’s Idere home town who spoke under the condition of anonymity said that the most hilarious action of the hon. Commissioner is that he has visited the Ooni of Ife in faraway Osun State than he ever step his feet at the palace of his own Onidere of Idere land or any other traditional ruler in his constituency.
“Is it not funny? Honourable even missed road in his community the day he was leading the Governor’s convoy to inspect a dilapidated healthcare facilities which was suppose to be used as Isolation center during COVID-19 pandemic.
“Seun Fakorede as the chief beneficiary of our own labour and sweat in 2019, should list names of people he has benefited directly or indirectly from this constituency.
“He entered Igboora less than 48hours to the presidential elections and failed woefully. But he is everywhere now sharing rice to people and visiting people in their compounds even midnights because the Governor vow to henceforth make appointments base of both political and performance delivery,” he said.
The Rt Hon. Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin is also from Ibarapa East State Constituency, and was said to be responsible for Hon. Seun Fakorede’s reappointment on the slot of the Ibarapa region when the Governor almost delisted him at the second phase of His cabinet reshuffle.
Though Adebo’s communal patriotism also goes to bed when it comes to attracting infrastructural benefits to his constituency, but at least he added few young people from his constituency to his payroll, spilling some crumbles among them monthly so they do not go to bed hungry.
While PDP Oyo South Senatorial candidate, Mogaji Joseph Tegbe and his likes should freely blame their defeat on Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Tsunami, and of course their trust in paper weight politicians like Seun Fakorede and his father; the Ibarapa Kan- Dr. Adepoju Anthony victory should be attributed to his grassroot-based personality, his love for his people, his great team led by the likes of Dr Ayandele Eruobodo, Ademola Ojo Ijaya- the Deputy Chief of Staff the the Governor, Lateef Akorede, the Chairman Ibarapa North Local Government and the good people of Ibarpa Central and North for their perpetual habit of rewarding good gestures.
Truth be told, Hon Seun Fakorede should leave politics for more competent people in his region, and consider further exploration in his NGO career, and maybe a designer ambassador or motivational speaker rather than making mockery of himself as a politician.
It is eminent that Ibarapa residents are consistent at being politically resolute, they will never submit to any intimation no matter the degree. Thus, Governor Seyi Makinde if he gracefully secured a second term on Saturday 18th March should stop taking the people’s love for granted, and kindly rate practical experiences, people’s testimonies about personalities above worthless but attractive linkedin profiles while making appointments.
By; Olu Adeyori, PDP Ibarapa Central/North
