Following a video showing altercation between the Oyo state governor
\nAbiola Ajumobi and the protesting students of Ladoke Akintola University
\n(LAUTECH), a Civil Society organisation on the platform of Citizens Action
\nto Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN), has given the governor seven days ultimatum
\nto apologise for his ’embarrassing comments.’<\/p>\n
A statement signed in Abuja on Wednesday by the Co-convener of CATBAN
\nComrade Ibrahim Garba Wala, described Ajumobi encountered with the
\nprotesting students as “act of executive rascality & irresponsibility in
\nthe strongest terms.”<\/p>\n
“We at Citizens Action to Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN) have watched in utter
\ndisgust & disbelief, a video in which the Governor of Oyo State, Mr.
\nAbiola Ajumobi addressed protesting students of Ladoke Akintola University
\n(LAUTECH) few days ago. The video first uploaded by online news website,
\nSaharaReporters, brought to fore some ugly truths about the concept of
\nleadership in this country, which should worry every patriotic Nigerian.<\/p>\n
“In the unfortunate video, the following observations were made:
\nGovernor Ajumobi in clear terms wanted everyone to worship him as the
\nultimate god of Oyo State, with a warning that he could do whatever he
\nwished at any time, even if such actions were against the wishes of his
\npeople, and there is nothing anyone can do about it.<\/p>\n
“Governor Ajumobi was surrounded by heavily armed security personnel who
\nwere positioned to shoot without provocation, an obvious sign that the
\ngovernor\u2019s arrogant inciting remarks were fuelled by his belief that he is
\nwell protected by security agents paid with proceeds of tax paid by those
\nwho voted him into office, who also look up to him for protection & better
\nwelfare.
\nGovernor Ajumobi\u2019s open show of disdain towards the students points to a
\ndeliberate desperate attempt to incite\/provoke them into action, thus
\nenabling him the opportunity to unleash retaliatory violence against them.<\/p>\n
“This incident shows the new low leadership has sunk to in Nigeria, and we
\ncondemn this act of executive rascality & irresponsibility in the
\nstrongest terms.<\/p>\n
“It should be recalled that LAUTECH has been shut down for over 8 months
\ndue to lack of funding to the University, and as a result lives of
\nthousands of students temporarily placed on hold. It was in an effort to
\ndemand for the reopening of their institution so their lives could proceed
\npositively in their quest to better themselves that the students protested
\nto the Governor of their host state that faithful day.<\/p>\n
“However, rather than respond to the angry students in the most dignified
\nmanner as the leader and constituted authority through assurances of his
\ngovernment\u2019s determination to resolve all issues & possibly assuage their
\ndespondency as a father should, the Oyo State Governor displayed his
\nrascality by saying all sorts of provocative things, including calling on
\nthe students to start a riot.”<\/p>\n
While reacting to how the governor described himself in the video, the
\ngroup said “Governor Ajumobi, who described himself as boss and the
\nconstituted authority showed no remorse about keeping the lives of those
\nstudents on hold for over 8 months, instead, he was more concerned about
\nbeing respected by those whose life had been placed on hold due to his
\nadministration\u2019s failure.<\/p>\n
“This kind of reasoning which seeks to claim entitlement to respect
\nbecause of position, without working to earn that respect as a servant to
\nthose who sacrificed their all to put you there shall no longer be
\ntolerated from any individual in position of leadership in Nigeria.<\/p>\n
“When LAUTECH students reminded Governor Ajumobi that their school has
\nbeen shut down for over 8 months, his response was, \u2018\u2019this is not the
\nfirst time school is being shutdown\u20268 months, so what?\u201d Is this not the
\nheight of irresponsibility coming from a State\u2019s Chief Executive? What
\nmessage is he sending to the children & youths in Oyo State and indeed
\nNigeria? A government that shows such disdain towards education is no
\nbetter than Boko Haram which has similar stance on education.<\/p>\n
“Additionally, the legendary Chief Obafemi Awolowo , who was a former
\npremier of western region was known to have provided free and accessible
\nquality education in the region and in his grave, Awolowo would turn
\naround in disappointment listening to the Oyo state Governors address.<\/p>\n
\u2018Ajumobi said in the video “This is the constituted authority for Oyo
\nstate. Even if I don\u2019t pay salaries, I don\u2019t pay this or that, the fact
\nstill remains that, I am the constituted authority\u201d. Is this what
\nNigerians signed up for? Is this the meaning of constituted authority?”<\/p>\n
CATBAN, however, called LAUTECH students and Nigerians in general to “come
\ntogether and prove to Governor Abiola Ajumobi of Oyo State (and others
\nlike him) that they are not the constituted authority.<\/p>\n
“Therefore, we are giving Governor Abiola Ajumobi of Oyo State 7 days to
\nwithdraw his insulting remarks and apologize to LAUTECH students for
\ntreating them with such disdain. We are also demanding that LAUTECH be
\nre-opened in the next 7 days, failure to which we would be forced to
\n#OCCUPY & shut down Oyo State.<\/p>\n
“We also want to strongly caution the Oyo State Governor from future
\nreckless display of impunity & power towards Nigerian Youths, who are the
\nbedrock of this nation and on whom the future rests on.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Following a video showing altercation between the Oyo state governor Abiola Ajumobi and the protesting students of Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH), a Civil Society organisation on the platform of Citizens…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44650,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n