THE CONTROVERSIAL OGUN 262-PAGE LAND PANEL REPORT AND THE UNMENTIONED GOOD PART. Written by Saint-Olawale Jimoh

   Early this year, I accompanied an old friend who lives in the United Kingdom to Abeokuta to get some documents. Personally, I don't feel comfortable plying Lagos-Benin expressway because of cases of accident that occurred along the axis in recent times. So, that Tuesday morning when my friend suggested I accompanied him, as we sat in his place in Sagamu, I was a bit reluctant to respond but considering the fact that we would only be driving through the expressway briefly and as soon as we pass the Sagamu-interchange, my fear would be over. I agreed and he chose to drive us.
     I was again surprised when after few meters from the interchange, my friend stopped the car. He came out and was staring at the magnificient Nestle plant across the road and the beautiful roundout at the centre of the three roads. He told me he couldn't believe the area could be that transformed. I smiled and pointed out there are still other companies all around asides Nestle.

    As we continued with our journey, I pondered on the activities of the past and present government of Ogun State and the change each of them brought to the state.
Then I remembered the controversial 262-Page Report of Ogun State Land Panel set up by the present government of Ogun State to probe into Otunba Gbenga Daniel-led administration's land policy between 2003-2011. The report, as far as I know, is a sad picture of how we politicise almost everything in this state. As a matter of fact, the summary of the entire report was that land was made too cheap for investors during Otunba Gbenga Daniel's administration.

     The area which is now home to Nestle plant was no more than a robbers' den where motorists were waylaid prior to 2003. I still recall a story of a senior colleague at work, whose entire family members were almost killed in same area by robbers who attacked their vehicle and found no money on any of them in 2001. As I learnt, the same Nestle plant in Sagamu was originally meant to be built in one of the neighbouring countries but the land incentives offerred by the then government of Ogun State convinced the then chairman of the company, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye to support the sitting of the plant in Sagamu. This singular pioneering effort of Nestle Plc encouraged other companies to come and settle in that area.

   As for whether Otunba Gbenga Daniel's land policy of making land too cheap for corporations and investors is wrong or right, I leave the general public to determine that. All I know is, the transformation that began from that interchange has spread and extended into Sagamu town thereby turning it into another industrial city. Asides Nestle plant, Day Waterman School is around the area while the large portion of land adjacent to Nestle has already been acquired by Guiness Nigeria Plc. Willwich Roof and Eterna are on the same axis with Nestle. Coleman Cable&Wires is across the expressway near old Sagamu tollgate. As at this morning, more than 7 new companies have moved into Sagamu which includes Maths Metals, DH, SMC near Lafarge estate, Ceplast and others. It's historically important to add that Sparkwest Steel Company and Wescom Wireless all moved into the town after Otunba Gbenga Daniel-led government's land incentives policy took off.

      In civilized climes, nothing stops state governments from creating industrial zones, wooing investors with tax holidays and other incentives in order to enhance additional job creation opportunities. In the United Kingdom for instance, there is a Welsh Development Agency set up in 1967, tasked with rescuing the ailing Welsh economy by encouraging business development and investment, clearing derelict land and encouraging growth of local businesses. State governments in Nigeria can learn from this.

   Sometimes, we need to present issues as clear as they are so posterity will not judge us and we must as well endeavour not to throw the baby away with the bathwater. In my humble opinion, I see Otunba Gbenga Daniel-led government's land policy as a big blessing to Ogun State and Sagamu in particular. More than 5000 people are working in the companies that sprang up following the land incentives he offerred investors during his days in office as Executive Governor of Ogun State. Footprints they say are forever and what a leader does for himself dies with him but the good he does to his people outlives him.


SAINT-OLAWALE JIMOH,
Observers' Reflections International
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LET THEM KNOW THAT WE KNOW (A MESSAGE FROM THE OFFICE OF CITIZENS OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA) Written by Saint-Olawale Jimoh

Dear new Nigerian leaders,

   Let it be known, that we know the recent fight in the floor of the national assembly is not the first one since the beginning of democracy. It has happened before and it's clearly not in the interest of the masses but for your selfish interest. Your ultimate concern is robbing and fleeching our treasury to enrich yourselves. You negotiate away the future of our unsuspecting youths; share our collective heritage among yourselves while you distract us with unnecessary drama.

   Our being silent doesn't mean we are unmindful of how things are being done. In a gradual process, we will say things the way they are. We know how four times a year, each of the 360 members of House of Representatives receive about #55million as Constituency Allowance and how more than #65million is being given to each member of the 109 senators and how nothing can be shown for it in constituencies being represented by these legislators.

   The politics behind assigning our oil blocks among the cabals alone will shock a typical Nigerian commoner if he hears how much millions of Naira these selfish few Nigerians make per day from the deal. The worst tragedy is to suffer amidst plenty. We have oil, yet we over-pay for it. Even when we are ready to buy, another group will connive to hoard it in order to make us pay more, yet you call yourselves our leaders and legislators.

   We know how they live in palaces and move around in exotic cars with security guards. Their children are provided with everything they can think of including access to best education in best schools home and abroad.  Governors now make their children and family members their Special Advisers just like Kabiru Aregbesola receives 'allocations' for being 'first son' of Osun State. Their children simply never experienced hunger all their lives. This in same nation where two siblings died of hunger same day in Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria, which is one of several other cases.

    Let them know that we are aware they know  there are people who can't afford three square meals in a day; they see destitute everyday and people who died because of their inability to settle their medical bills. With all these situations, how then can you publicly deny  there is no endemic poverty in the land? Either you acknowledge it or not, your actions and inactions have succeded in turning the masses into slaves by continuing to plunge them into the bottomless pit of poverty and mental malnutrition.

     Be assured this intimidation will end one day, the voices of the people will sound soo loud that the decibels will break ear drums. The blood of the innocent people who died as a result of your negligence will rise up with fury for vengeance. The empire of the oppressors will crumble before their own very eyes and power will truly return to the people. The time is near.

Perhaps you think, it's impossible? Alright listen to this, about 800 years ago, in Britain, the famous King John of England was forced to sign the Magna Carta bill in 1215 and by signing the document, it means he has agreed to do his duty as King of England, upholding the law and running a fair government. There at The Runnymede, on the banks of the River Thames by a little group of men who could sacrifice anything for freedon, he was offerred two options: to sign the bills or lose his heads and he went for the best option; he chose to live. Today, the Magna Carta is considered one of the most important documents in the history of democracy and that single act by the barons paved way to our rights, our human rights, rule of law, due process, Habeas Corpus, freedom and liberties, fair hearing and all of what we take for granted today.

To all our selfish leaders, the day of reckoning is here. On that day, your excesses, abuse of office and reckless financial profligacy will trigger actions from the masses that will eventually make governors' salaries equate with that of any state civil servant and legislative jobs becoming part-time with no salaries but only seating allowances for our senators and House of Representatives' members.

   Nigerian masses will demonstrate to you they can no longer be slaves to your rubbish by marching on to Abuja to occupy the entire power house