Govenor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the Satanic Verses By Yetunde Adefuwa – An Ex Aide

By Comrade Olabode Akinwale

ONCE AGAIN, it appears Ómóyé has strayed naked into the market place with the drumbeats of unseen spirits.

And according to a Yoruba proverb, “Eni ti Orisa ba fé pa ni wón kókó maa nya ni were”, meaning, who the gods want to kill, they first make mad, is the most appropriate way to describe the recent Open Letter by one Yetunde Adefuwa to the Executive Governor of Ondo State, concerning the stewardship of Mrs Omowumi Isaac – the Honourable Commissioner for Finance.

The Open Letter which can be classified as some sort of satanic verses because of its misinterpretation and misrepresentation of facts, revealed the writer as suffering from the Dunning – Kruger Effect Syndrome.

Anyone that spared enough time to peruse the letter will easily come to the conclusion that Ms Adefuwa has a big problem of incompetence.

In psychology, Incompetence Paradox means people with low ability in a particular field, who lack the “metacognitive” ability to recognize their own mistakes or deficiencies.

The above paradox is linked to the Dunning – Kruger effect which is a cognitive bias where people with limited knowledge or competence in a specific domain greatly overestimate their own skills or convictions.

This syndrome often leads to overconfidence in complex fields like finance, politics, public administrations, etc causing individuals to make poor decisions or judgements based on superficial understanding.

Now to the crux of the matter.

Ms Yetunde Adefuwa’s Open Letter to Ondo State Governor is a flagrant breach of protocol by a supposedly former Special Assistant to the Governor.

Her action betrayed a lack of tact and understanding of both administrative and bureaucratic communication processes between a serving or former aide and the Governor.

In the Open Letter, Ms Adesuwa itemised 12 points as her bone of contention against the Honourable Commissioner for Finance and the government of Dr (Hon) Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The 12 points which are considered as satanic verses are meant to blackmail and stampede Mr Governor to dance to the tune of the administration’s naysayers.

Here are the verses.

i. Growing PERCEPTION that approvals granted by Mr Governor are frequently delayed or not implemented as approved.

Any properly educated Special Assistant or Aide of a Governor should understand that perception could be highly subjective and flawed. Perception distorts reality through cognitive biases, causes inattentional blindness, and results in miscommunications due to personal filters.

The Executive Governor of a state is the de jure and the de facto authority within the state. All his appointees or public servants OBEY his ORDERS, including APPROVALS!

It’s therefore preposterous for any right thinking person to imagine that a Commissioner appointed by the Governor can refuse his orders.

The allegation is a slight and a direct assault on the credibility and integrity of Mr Governor for which an unreserved apology must be tendered.

ii. That many MDAs appear to be operating under severe financial constraints.

This write up has chosen not to dwell much on this particular satanic verse because the allegation is unfortunate, unfounded and based on the drunken conjectures of Ms Adesuwa herself.

However, for the purpose of information and education, all lawful budgetary allocations to MDAs are being released as at due, subject to fiscal priorities.

The Ministry of Environment has always received its rightful Running Grants (RG) without delay and there are documented proofs.

During the administration of the immediate past Governor, the state capital’s residents complained loudly about inadequate refuse management by the Ministry of Environment for months. The problem abated when Aiyedatiwa assumed office.
Maybe Ms Adefuwa’s poor memory will not allow her to remember that Mrs Omowumi Isaac was not in charge of the state’s finances then.

iii. That prevailing fiscal approach has discouraged and delayed legitimate government programmes and commitment, thereby eroding public confidence and political goodwill.

It’s doubtful if Ms Adefuwa understands what fiscal responsibility means.

For the purpose of education, fiscal responsibility involves prudent budgeting, sustainable debt management, and adhering to strict laws to ensure long term economic stability, without overburdening future generations.

Ms Adefuwa, are you aware that Ondo State has paid off all its Domestic Debts obligations that runs into billions of naira within the two years of Aiyedatiwa’s administration?

Please, fact check with the Debt Management Office (DMO), Abuja.

Investors and contractors confidence have doubled. The recent visit by business mogul, Aliko Dangote to Ondo State to invest in Export Trade Zone and another world class refinery is nothing but a growing confidence and goodwill for the state.

iv. Concerns regarding the implementation of donor – assisted and development partner projects.

To glamorize ignorance is worse than illiteracy.

Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) is the best answer to Ms Adefuwa on this matter.

Please, fact check again.

Ondo State is one of the first 5 states in Nigeria to fulfil its counterpart financial obligations to both local and foreign development partners.

SUBEB have been able to achieve much in Ondo State under Lucky Aiyedatiwa because of the Two – Way funds availability.

v. Concerns by many contractors and vendors over delayed payments.

Again, this is another lie from the pit of hell.

“He who alleges must prove.”

Ms Adefuwa, if you are not a frustrated rabble rouser, you should have been bold enough to name at least one contractor that is yet to be paid after work completion.

Legitimate contractors and vendors have never found it so good like this before. Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration do not give out contracts or jobs not backed by law or funds.

vi. The Internal Revenue Service issue.

Ms Adefuwa, your ignorance is legendary.

Do you know that for the first time in Ondo State, the IGR increased without overburdening the citizens?

Do you know that Ondo State’s Finance Ministry made sure that leakages and tax evasion were reduced?

Do you know that tax net was broaden fairly with improved and efficient collection mechanisms?

If you do not know this, then you really don’t know anything.

vii & viii. Concerns about the funding of the Deputy Governor’s Office and other political appointees.

The above two verses convincingly proved that you are confused.

The Deputy Governor of Ondo State is a highly cerebral personality who understands perfectly how a government runs as a former senior public servant.

His office has been running smoothly and efficiently. That honourable office or those of other political appointees get the attention they need at all times.

All Assistants of the Governor, who are in government to truly serve the people get their entitlements and allowances regularly.

If stopping wastages and leakages by the Honorable Commissioner for Finance’s office is making Ms Adesuwa unhappy then, she has the majority of the citizenry to contend with.

ix & x. Rural Infrastructure, Agric Development Programmes and Budget Implementation.

The simple response to this is contained in the EASE AGENDA of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The 5 kilometer rural roads in each of the 18 local government areas of Ondo State and the many ongoing urban road and flyover projects in the state capital are visible attestations.

The financial management by the state government contain plans far beyond each annual budget cycle.

xi & xii. Workers welfare and state’s economic potentials.

Even the deaf, dumb and blind know that Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration is working and it’s workers friendly.

The government now pays its workers 2 or 3 days before the end of each month!

Gratuities are being paid on almost quarterly basis, making sure that no worker (serving or retired) is left behind.

If Ms Adefuwa is truly from the South Senatorial Zone of Ondo State, she should be truthful enough to acknowledge the BIG and BOLD efforts of Lucky Aiyedatiwa in opening up the region to the world.

The Sea Port Development Project is on with the License already obtained by the government.

The Beach (the longest in Nigeria) as an international tourist hub is under construction.

Agricultural revolution programmes in all the 3 zones of the state is central to the Ease Agenda of the government.

The BIG question.

What does Ms Yetunde Adefuwa really want?

Maybe she wants some attention, since it appears she cannot survive for long outside the largesse of politics, therefore, she has to do everything possible to remain relevant and visible.

However, her choice of attention seeking gambit is Dead On Arrival (DOA).

In all her vituperation, she could not hang any official misconduct on the neck of the Honourable Commissioner.

Mrs Omowumi Isaac cannot be said to have misappropriated the state’s funds or divert public resources for personal benefits.

The grouse of Ms Adefuwa and others like her is that a finance commissioner has refused to join the fray in filtering away the people’s Commonwealth for the benefit of a select few and privileged individuals.

The Governor cannot be blindfolded nor arm twisted. He is cool, calm and shrewd.

He took his time to head – hunt for his first female finance commissioner and luckily, the woman is delivering on the MANDATE.

What Ms Adefuwa is doing is not political advocacy but malicious politics that tends towards destructive competition.

But she should remember, those that the gods want to kill, they first make mad.

Comrade Olabode Akinwale is a concerned Ondo State citizen. He writes from Akure.