CYNICS WOULDN'T KNOW WHEN THEY MAKE MOCKERY OF THEMSELVES
- written by Adebayo Rasheed Mabayoje

Muslim faithful in Osun joined their brethren across the world yesterday to mark the end of the 30 day Ramadan fasting exercise. Various colours of jollity went with it, as friends and relations stayed together to mark the day. And because the festival fall on a weekend, one would expect that the euphoria would not wind up quite early.

The occassion later became quite memorable for me. I ran into a family friend who invited me to his family house at Obate area of Osogbo, the capital of the state of Osun. "Eluku!", I shouted as I ran into him when we were returning from the Okebaale eid prayer ground. "Eluku" was coined from his Muslim name Lukman.

Lukman Adekunle Amoo is a plastic surgeon that works in a private hospital in the state of Tennessee, USA. He left Osogbo thirteen years ago. So we were together in Obate for the larger part of last night. His two sons, Ahmad and Karrem are "carbon-copies", lookalikes of "Eluku". Quite amiable.

Chatting sundry matters like the Greece economic challenges, the recent Iran/America deals, etcetera, then 'we came home'.

My friend "Eluku" expressed sadness about how "Nigerian politicians are unrepentantly selfish". He said he had come to hold that opinion comparing how power relations are played in the US and other countries as against what obtains in Nigeria. "Any power play that does not respect common state or national goal as being superior to individual or group's interest is selfish", he argued. He premised his thoughts on tissues of fabrications and fallacies regularly spun by opposition party in Osun. He confirmed that such negative stories have done much harm, painting Osun like a wilderness devoid of the least development. "I told Funmi", he said, refering to his wife, "we would only come and greet baba (his dad), spend yesterday and today (last Thursday and Friday) with them and spend the remaining holiday in Lagos".

According to "Eluku", while he and his wife were planning the trip to Nigeria, they wouldn't have imagined coming to Osun but for the fact that they still have parents in Osogbo. "Look. Bayo", he called me, " 'oloriburuku ni awon people yi o' ", that is- 'these people (the opposition) are misfortuned lots!' "They send out stories as though this government has done nothing in the last four years! Osogbo has really changed. The new schools I see stand in comparisons with some of what we have there in the States", Lukman said in high emissions.

As soon as I saw the zeal with wich he was pouring his thoughts, I left him to get satisfactions. He talked about several other development he and his wife had gone around to confirm. He showed me pictures on his Samsung S6 phone and said: "Bayo, I took these pictures so that our people there (in the US) would see the truth as against the bullshit those idiots are spinning".

He continued: "No wonder the old clergy, the Iman called them cynics at the prayer ground. Look I loved the manner the old man spoke of them. How on earth would anybody stake his selfishness to the detriment of common advantage! Osun people should rather rise up against whoever is saying this man (Aregbesola) has not turned around this state.

"We had no roads before, no good schools... and now we have markets... and I tell you we have peace.
"Bayo! Funmi told me we must spend our entire holiday here at home because of the calm and tranquil nature of this place. Security is key men!", Eluku kept talking.

"It's quit bad though that workers have not been getting their monies regularly. I dislike it.

"But you guys are missing the point here. Nobody seems to be seeing the need to nip this shit in the bud !" Lukman exclaimed.

Now he stood up, trying to explain what he meant: "We read about 'gaddem' big bags of oil monies flying away and nobody was made accountable. This has been happening for almost the whole time this country has existed. Such economic dirts result into everything you are seeing today. Insurgencies would surface and grow when individuals pocket money meant for the development of the people. Naira dies gradually when such unearned monies flood everywhere, and it becomes impossible for a willing government to fulfil its good plans. That is why that guy is unable to pay salaries on time, and not because he is doing too much. Bullshit paradox !"

And my friend went sarcastic: "Look, for me I think you guys should rather tell whoever is calling for Aregbesola's head to ask whatever relevant authority to probe where and how this Ijesa guy made it to have done all these developments around. He must have stolen some monies from somewhere to build all the roads and other fantastic things he did. And the best figures he ever got from Abuja was just N4 billion. I was told the money has even reduced by over sixty percent. And he has to pay N3.6 billion as wage bills! Well I wish him well. And from what I saw this morning at the Eid ground and while we trekked back home, I am glad that the people are appreciative of the man".

One particularly interesting aspect of the discussion of "Eluku"and I is the reference made of the Grand Imam of the state of Osun- Sheikh Musa Animasahun.

Delivering his sermon reflecting current economic experience in the state, the Sheikh Animasahun urged workers to pray God to ease every affair of government and the people. He empathised with workers, just as he urged them to be patient and nurture strong faith in the goodness God would do soon. He also called on the citizenry to support the Aregbesola government by praying to God to assist it. He said Governor Aregbesola has good intentions for Osun people. "He (Governor Aregbesola) has good intentions. He has several more of good things he intends to do for the state", the grand Imam said.

The old cleric described those who said current administration in the state has failed as cynics who ignorantly mock themselves. "But, you know, cynics wouldn't know when they make mockery of themselves. It's bewildering to hear them saying: "his performance is too much... He is over performing..." Haaa ! While some are being criticised for underperformance, you are saying what he (Aregbesola) is doing is too much. Haaa!

EXCERPT OF THE RELIGIOUS CLERIC'S SERMON
"We greet you all. Happy celebrations. An individual's name usually makes impact on his characters. Governor's name "Rauf" means compassion. It also depicts mercy. The God has been compassionate on him, so governor is compassionate. May God be compassionate on you all as well. We have experienced a number of regimes in this land. But we have never seen any government in the state of Osun with this record of performance as that of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. And that's not all. He has good intentions. He has several more of good things he intends to do. It is common that a government is criticised for underperformance. But, you know cynics wouldn't know when they make mockery of themselves. It's bewildering to hear them saying: "his performance is too much... He is over performing..." Haaa ! While some are being criticised for underperformance, you are saying what he is doing is too much. Haaa! May God bring all your good intentions into fruition. May you end this second term with pride and fulfilment. The God that didn't let you fail you during the second term election will grant you success. May we all witness every goodness that would come from this government." - -Sheikh Musa Animasahun (Grand Imam, State of Osun), July17, 2015.

my caliphate...