873
I have readwith lavished amusement the reaction of Mr. Azeez Adeduntan,
the Oyo Commissionerfor Health to the article written by Mr. Abiodun
Ladepo in respect of Splash FMradio program the Commissioner was featured
recently. As a matter of fact, it’sgetting more interesting day by day as
Mr. Adeduntan has threatened Mr. Ladepoand Sahara Reporters with
lawsuits.I’m not inany way surprised by Mr. Adeduntan’s action. The other
time he tried tohoodwink the good people of Oyo state with rhetoric over
the death of ajournalist with Fresh FM, Femi Oluwajobi and was criticized
and exposed, hethreatened to sue the Radio station for defamation. One
would have expected Mr.Adeduntan to absorb constructive criticism as a way
to improve himself in the fieldof politics since he is somehow a
‘political neophyte’. But unfortunately inhis usual characteristic style,
Adeduntan proved incorrigible in hiswrong-doing. He continues to peddle
liesabout the true state of health facilities in Oyo state. Here is a man
who detestscriticism to the point that he can wield a sledge hammer to
kill a fly whenoccasion calls for it. I’m happy that Mr. Ladepo went back
to carry outinvestigative journalism at same Adeoyo State hospital Mr.
Commissioner claimedhad everything. The outcome of the investigation
didn’t only expose Adeduntan’slies about the true nature of government
health facilities in the state butalso portrays our Harvard trained
vascular surgeon a liability to a governmenthe ought to be an assert. Just
because Adeduntan wants to be the Governor ofOyo state in 2019; he
believes he must bootlick, tell lies to be in the goodbook of Mr. Ajimobi.
For a man who once bragged that he would make Oyo state a‘number one
destination of medicine’ in Nigeria; humility isn’t one of hisgreatest
virtues. Instead, complete self-assuredness bordering on smug,
condescendingarrogance has been the hallmark of Adeduntan’s demeanor.The
bittertruth is that somebody like Adeduntan cannot perform even as a local
governmentchairman not to talk of being a governor. This man, who is
incapable of makingimpact as commissioner- whether because of his
congenital dishonesty or letsimply say his congenital arrogance cannot
govern Oyo state. Perhaps, Mr.Adeduntan doesn’t really understand that he
is a public servant who must becriticized and even lampooned. Even Donald
Trump, the President of the countryMr. Adeduntan brags to have clinic is
today the most vilified President in thewhole world. Yet, Trump didn’t use
a crook lawyer or some corrupt policemen toget anybody arrested. And even
if all commissioners in Ajimobi’s government areclaiming to be saints and
thus must not be criticized for wrongdoings;certainly, it’s not Mr.
Adeduntan. When the time comes his crook lawyer willnot be able to
threaten anybody with lawsuit when we open book for him.