BY; Temitope Muhideen Convydence
I checked my wrist watch, it was exactly 8:20am WAT, I was on a road that linked Kwara South to the Emirate city of Ilorin when a whatsap notification popped on my phone, it says “Plato’s allegory of the cave and Ajakaye’s optical hallucination written by Abdullateef Ishowo. The name of the writer of the article was my major interest, yes Abdulateef Ishowo, the same man that has denied openly on many occasions that he is not a politician, he have put to the public severally that he is an activist,he once claim that his main interest is cornered towards the development of Kwara State.
Going through the over twenty paragraphs of Mr Ishowo’s opinion, a proper dissection of the write-up reveals many illogicalities and shallowness,then a voice whispered to my ears reminding me the story of Peter Obi the Labour Party presidential candidate in the fourth coming election” Obi in a tweet dated July 2022, 2022 said “Reports that the national power grid has collapsed for the 6th time in 7 months is alarming. Once again, many Nigerians have been left grope around in darkness without electricity,” . Reacting to Obi’s tweet, Omoyele Sowore reminded Obi that he was at one time a special adviser to president Goodluck Jonathan under whose tenure Nigeria recorded the highest rate of national grid collapsed, he called Obi a pretender who is trying to be asleep in time of war but chose to dance to the tune of victory. What does a pretender do? Let us go back to the main issue.
Mr Ishowo has wear the cloth of politics, totally, he has come out to tell the world that “look, your accusations for over five years are true, I am now officially a member of the PDP, a director of media of the state PCC, yes no issue. But what is the big issue? they are the fact less lies hidden inside his emergency article, they are the repetition of old ideologies embroidered in his article,they are the rob my back impression in the article. I am asking again, what does a pretender do? .
Before I proceed , let me refer Mr Ishowo to stop at Djibouti and read the story of president Ismail Omar, a drop out who made Djibouti one of the most toured countries in the world, certificate is not a yardstick to measure possible success in government. Mr Ishowo said “Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq was never part of the otoge theories” the same Abdulrahman that have contested continuously since 2011? a mirage of imagination. Another lie in his article says “LGs and SUBEB teachers who sat for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 promotion exams but have neither gotten their promotion letters not to talk of Cash-backing” this is a lie against conscience and humanity, promotions have been made and salary Increased, may be or not Mr Ishowo need to update is pre 2019 social mentality.
One will wonder the kind of public sympathy Mr Ishowo was seeking when he equally said “Why is a sensitive ministry like education refused to be given a commissioner for almost one year now”. Let us ask Mr Ishowo collectively if Hajia Saadat Modibbo Kawu, commissioner for Education is a commissioner for dispute settling?. Setting the record straight, under the ministry he tried to chide, the development have been massive in the last three years, the Otoge government have corrected the huge problem created by Ishowo’s party and proncipal . The government have revitalized basic education by renovating over 600 schools, employment of 4,701 teachers, introduction of technology in learning through KWARALEARN, and motivation of teachers with constant payment of salaries, promotion, and awards to outstanding individuals in the sector. Consequently, Kwara recently won a national debate competition and represented the country on the global scene. Data also show that attendance in KWARALearn schools has risen by 43%. less I forget, Mr ishowo won’t want us to talk about the SUBEB debt incurred on the state education sector by his party and principal. Again, what does a pretender do?.
Mr Ishow said “Kwara has turned to a kidnappers’s den” which part of this country is safe? the issue of security is a national problem that needs proper attention, he want us to belief his story forgetting that the same government mobilized Armies and other security units to Ekiti and Isin local governments where kidnappers den were attacked and victims released, he also forget the armies barricades placed at strategic locations were kidnapping issues were reported?. Again, what does a pretender do?.
Another interesting lie from Mr Ishowo’s pen “Who is not feeling the ineptitude nature of this government? Is it the vulcanizer, who buys fuel at inhuman price to power his machine? Or the commuters whom in spite of the high price of fuel are playing strangulating taxes that have turned them to nothingness in their community”. May be Mr Ishowo is yet to leave the comfort of Ilorin in the last four years, a brother need to update him on the general reflection of hardship in Nigeria where Kwara can not be single out, Mr Ishowo need to read news papers and listen to news, he need to be updated beyond pre-2019, Economic hardship is a global problem. But a quick one, let it be known that in Kwara “In three years, at least 79, 483 direct and indirect jobs were created. Thanks to the great rapport with the private bodies and patronage of local business climate. The government who is the enemy of the state, has Kwara at No. 6 state with least unemployment rate in the country and No. 8 state on the least people living in multidimensional poverty in the country.” But, again, what does a pretender do?
Mr Ishowo while trying to praise his party and principals, he said schools, hospitals, institution were all built by the previous government yet he failed to tell us the situation of those institution before 2019, he failed to tell us that Kwara was rated 5th on the list of states with poor health facilities in Nigeria, he failed to tell us that the classrooms constructed by previous administration lacked maintenance and in most cases got dilapidated. He was not able to tell the world the reformation and reconstruction at the state general hospital by this current administration, he also failed to tell Kwarans the equipments purchased by this government to various hospitals and general hospitals in the state. What does a pretender does?.
Manue Gambi in the play “conscience and pretense “ described a person who watches the government when he has nothing but suddenly become the enemy of the government when he hold a position as one who has conflict issues between his life, conscience and people” yes I have seen one in Kwara and his name is in the public, Mr. Abdullateef Ishowo. Regardless between people conscience and action, there will always be a decision. Decision to vote and be voted for. May Kwara work again .
I am your friend, Convydence.
