COMMUNITY POLITICAL EDUCATION (C.P.E): MISSION TO EKITI

As part of its efforts to educate, enlighten and inform Nigerians towards eradicating political ignorance, reducing voters’ aparthy and egender more participation at subsequent elections, PVC NIGER’s team was in EKITI, precisely, IDDO-EKITI on Monday, 02/05/2022 for Community Political Education.

ARRIVAL:

We arrived the cool and cosy town at about 8PM on Monday, 02/05/2022. We were welcome into the town by an extra cool weather occasioned by a pleasant rain.

VISIT TO THE PALACE:

The King of the peaceful town, IDDO-EKITI, The OLOJIDO of IDDO-EKITI, Oba (Captain) AYORINDE ILORI FABORO appeared so pleased to see us.

He actually rushed back to the palace to receive us from a Community project site which he had earlier gone to inspect.

He explained that he was so delighted to meet with our team leader and President, PVC NAIJA, Apostle BOLAJI OLUWAYANMIFE AKINYEMI.

He affirmed that he had been privileged to have read some of Apostle AKINYEMI’S write-ups.

He spoke at length about the frustration of the people in that important decisions affecting the lives and future of the people are taken by others outside the town but politically powerful enough to do so.

Precisely, he wasn’t pleased that known misfits who have no interest in the growth and development of the town are the ones hand picked for laudable contracts which are later either half constructed or never executed at all!

We were privileged to meet, at the palace, the Chairman of IDDO-OSI Local Government, Honourable Sola Ogunsina who was also delighted at PVC NIGER’S mission in the town to dispense political education to the people. He immediately expressed his desire to be part of the move.

Pictures were taken and the Tourist site where that first car in Ekiti State was parked was visited where more pictures were taken. We left the palace thereafter.

THE TOWN HALL MEETING :

Arrangements had earlier been made for the hall and announcements to that effect had been rolled out so, by the time we got to the hall around past 11AM, it had been occupied by many of the inhabitants of the town.

We commenced the meeting around 11:15AM with Opening prayer volunteered by a woman from the people and we were with them for the next four hours till about past 3PM!

Dr Bolaji O. Akinyemi engaged with the people on; Values of Your Votes in skilfulness of communication the occasion demands.

He began by establishing with statistics that the Ekitis are the most knowledgeable people in Nigeria with the highest number of Professors per family and the Okuns, the Yoruba tribe in Kogi state, are the tribe with the highest number of Professors in Nigeria!

Ekiti must therefore show their light of knowledge through their votes to lead Nigeria forward!

Ekiti 2022 will pre-determine Nigeria 2023, all Ekitis, home and in diaspora must therefore be interested in Ekiti Governorship Election.

What are the values of your votes, Akinyemi asked rhetorically, and answered in the richness of Yoruba Language spiced with adages, confirm Chinua Achebe’s quote that: “adages are the palm oil with which the yam of words are eaten.”

“Atanpako lonikimi ika, baba omo ku, omo d’eyo”.

The thumb is the strength of coordinating the fingers, when it is taken off, fingers are practically useless! He charged Ekiti people to accept the responsibility of their being the political thumb that will coordinate other states as fingers in the hand call Nigeria to move her forward.

With a second adage still on the thumb, he strengthened his conviction of Ekiti at leading the country with: “Atanpako ni juwe ookan, omoodin ni so ibi ti o ba lo”.

The thumb shows direction, the (index) or little finger, discretion.

Ekiti ni atanpako ati omoodin Nigeria bayi. Lati juwe ookan ati lati so ibi ti a o ba lo.

Meaning Ekiti is both the thumb and the little finger to give direction and discretion to Nigeria.

He went on to analyze the role of Atanpako (the thumb) in electoral decisions with points such as:

Finger print and the mystery of Identity.

Iteka ati adiitu idanimo.

Electoral decisions in the days of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s control of progressive politics in the country were based on; education, health, safe and affordable housing, without leaving out infrastructural development in Unity Party of Nigeria promises of an egalitarian society!

He however opined that going forward, Ekiti must rate the Governor to be first of all on security index; how safe will Ekiti be under such a person, before considering free qualitative education, affordable health services which must be driven by affordable health insurance policy, Housing and infrastructure promise of such candidate he advised, must be strongly considered!

Harping on the omoluabi values of the Yoruba nation, Akinyemi concluded on: “eni a biire, ti obi to, to si tun tun ara e to, eni ti ki se oni jagidijagan!”

Omoluabi lana, omoluabi loni nikan
la le reti omoluabi lowo e lola.

He said in closing oni, nitori ola wa. Meaning in whatever we are doing today, we must keep tomorrow in view.

The people were unbelievably patient throughout!

Questions that emphasised their interests in the growth and development of the town were asked and answers provided

The major issues of Voters’ Apathy and the myth that Politics is Dirty were thoroughly demystified and the people then understood why they must all participate in politics!

On vote buying, Akinyemi said, If an ordinary piece of paper (according to current happenings and events surrounding party primaries) can be purchased for #100 million by aspirants of a certain political party, then no vote is worthless than
that and that their votes should be for the candidate who can through achievable policies, increase the economic worth of everyone in Ekiti to a minimum of #100 million over a period of 4 years!

Interviews were conducted and the meeting was brought to a close with a Closing prayer by a man from among the people..

We THANK GOD ALMIGHTY for a successful mission to EKITI.

SIGNED:
ADESOJI, MOSES ADIO-SAKA,
Special Assistant to the President on Media.