October 24th, 2019, the executive governor of Osun state, Mr Gboyega Oyetola inaugurated his cabinet members. The total number as at that time was 35 (though I’m aware the number has increased).
In all sincerity, the number is too much for a state like Osun who is just trying to come out of financial quagmire subjected her to by the previous administration.
No doubt, Mr Oyetola is an astute administrator who has brought his private sector experiences to fore in managing a near bankrupt state like Osun. Lo and behold, he was able to stabilize the state.
One would have expected a very slim cabinet with a very huge task on how to move the state forward, but like others, Mr Oyetola also followed suit, trying to present himself as a good man to all.
Despite the financial status of the State as at the time of appointing the commissioners and SAs, people were expecting a very slim cabinet with much task on how to set the State free from the bondage of humongous debts subjected it to by the last administration, Mr OyetoIa surprised many when he appointed 35 cabinet members, with the creation of new portfolios, like commissioner for Governor’s office. What an office!
As if that was not enough, Mr Oyetola recently two appointed Special Advisers on Political matter. Two people for one office, maybe that actually means they would probably carry the portfolio without an office or how do you explain it.
Or is it like what operates at the Federal level where we have Ministers and Junior Ministers. If that happens then, Mr Oyetola has broken the record by being the first Governor to appoint Special Adviser and Junior Special Adviser. The question is who is Senior, who is Junior?
But then this even reinforces the fact that Mr Oyetola is using the appointments to compensate party faithfuls on his side of the divide. While Akere has been vocal lately on the re-election of Oyetola featuring on Radio and Television, Badru was on the struggle to be the party secretary in the Famodun led executive. Well Badru lost the bid to Alao but got himself a portfolio.
As a State that is struggling to pay its debt as at the time Oyetola was taking over, one would have expected the ‘encyclopedia of finance’ as described by Mr Tinubu during the 2018 campaign at the palace of Ataoja to have carefully selected a few individuals who understand governance to form his government, unfortunately, reverse was the case.
Sadly, these commissioners and special advisers who have not been heard or seen in the last two years are drawing their salaries and other financial entitlements from the dying tax payers. Why must Osun people be paying for the services they do not enjoy?
If governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state who was elected in 2019 could summoned courage and dissolve his cabinet members, I see no reason why our own governor will continue harbouring these commissioners and SAs who have not been seen or heard in the last two years in office.
Mr Oyetola, the time to rejig your cabinet is now.
Seyi Adeniyi, a publisher, social commentator and political analyst
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