By Oyez Olatunde Rex
Politicians in this clime are often in pursuit of their ego massaging projects rather than what the people’s very critical needs are.
At a time when the land is plagued with the dearth of the most fundamental of human needs – insecurity and shelter; hunger and well-being; – championing an ill-timed tourism potential development is, aside other reactions, regrettably wasteful.
But, ” he who does good, having unlimited power to do evil, deserves to be praised. Not for the good he has done, but for the evil he has left undone.” Senator Lola Ashiru needs to be commended for thinking of tourism potential development in the state.
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However, the Senator also needs to be told some hard truths. First of these is timing related. The conception of tourism facilities development at Imole Boja Shelter Rock in Oke-Ero is ill-timed. It is ill-timed because tourism thrives in an atmosphere of peace and security, where is this enjoyed in Nigeria today? We may pretend that all is well, but the tourist will not play along in our self delusion.
Another salient truth, seemingly eluding the Senator is the non-availability of supporting facilities for a tourist site. Where are the good roads leading to a site which the Senator intends to “be recognized as a top tourist destination in Africa”? Are there alternatives to the perilous trip between Ilorin and the Imole Boja Shelter Rock site?
The Senator may wish to tell us, how the site marketing team intends to convince tourists to travel by bad roads to a destination bordering areas where three monarchs were gruesomely murdered in recent times. It isn’t impossible to swim against the tide, but swimming along with the tide has been an agelong wisdom.
While Senator Ashiru’s tourism ideas have seeming positives, it is good for him to consider the following:
What use will an isolated, deserted white elephant project be to the hungry, insecure citizens of Oke-Ero?
Is the Senator convinced, that this project represents the most pressing needs of Oke-Ero people? – Dear Senator, please, don’t give a new shoe to a hungry man.
Conferring with, or seeking the opinion of His Excellency, governor AbdulRaman AbdulRazaq, the one who has an overall picture of the state will be instructive in carrying out constituency projects that are complementary to the developmental plans of the moment.
In conclusion, constituency project conceptions and implementations across the country, with its perennial toga of abuse, non-transparency is one phenomenon in our lives as a nation that will someday be judged by posterity. The Senator is writing his accounts now, and it is being indelibly recorded for posterity.
