By Obideyi Olanrewaju Lobinco.
Dear Mr Governor, never in my life have I felt prompted to write you or imagined I’d ever have the urge to, but just some minutes ago, that urge overwhelmed me.
To start with sir, let me announce to you that though I’d be casting my vote for the gubernatorial elections in Lagos state, I wish to expressly notify you that you will not be getting my vote, and in all honesty, I’d convince as much people as I can within my circle of influence to tow the same path I’d be towing in the elections.
I very well know what grave dangers my decisions puts me in, in the course of this 2023 elections, but then ain’t we already all endangered species, irrespective of the divide we find ourselves as Nigerians?
I write you this letter not out of hatred or lack of believe in your person, but out of a very huge disappointment of my expectations of you. A huge disappointment birthed out of who I assumed you are when I first met you pre- 2019 elections, but have realised you’re not eversince. Now all I see is someone who can’t hold his own. My apologies sir, as I don’t intend to cast aspersions on your person.
An Open Letter To Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu
It was at Ladoke Akintola street in Ikeja GRA I first met you in person that fateful day at a reconciliatory meeting which originated from your aftermath of winning the APC governoship primaries.
That day we waited for well more than 6 hours for your arrival and I as an individual was pissed, but due to my loyalty to party and my respected leaders stayed on till your arrival.
Though we had been waiting since around 10am, your arrival around 5pm was still welcomed with excitement.
Your mien, carriage and soft-spokeness at once was appealing to me and your gospel of ensuring a sincere reconciliation and good governance in Lagos sure resonated with me. The icing on the cake was your simplicity to shake hands with as many people as possible, and as of then, I felt I was privileged to be one of them. Looking back today, I think you’re the one who was privileged to have shaken hands with me, earned my support, skills and talents to mobilize the people within my circle of influence to vote you, even though all I had on you was a blind influenced trust. Today that trust is disappointed and feels really betrayed.
I saw a man with small body but big engine (please pardon me, no pun intended). I still believe that’s who you are, but in the past four years, that’s not what you’ve espoused.
Rather than refer to you as a puppet, I’d rather say nothing.
We have given you four years to justify the divine privilege God blessed you with to be Lagos Governor, but without any prejudice, you’ve played it safe to stay in good books of the ojelu politicians, than progressive (oselu) politicians and Lagosians as a whole.
I can only hope, that these ojelu politicians will again deliver Lagos to you, as obviously there’s a new awareness and paradigm shift of expectations from the citizens and residents of Lagos state.
It is no gainsay that Lagosians till now have not gotten the average of you, not to talk of the best, though you’ve been a darling of the ojelu politicians all the way.
What shall it profit a man to please men and fail God and majority of God’s creation? This is even when the used are even ignorant of their being used for the selfish interest of a few.
Your recent social charades with Lagosians may be coming too late as this is not the real impression of you we have. Just in the spirit of fairness to you, let me not write any of your negative trajectory as governor that readily comes to mind.
As I earlier stated sir, out of conviction and yearning for a better Lagos and Nigeria, you would not have my vote and the vote of as many as possible within my circle of influence that I will be able to convince before the 18th of March, but I am well cognizant that all power belongs to God and he shares it as He pleases, to fit the puzzle of pleasure he created the universe for, for Himself.
Afterall, God created all things for his pleasure.
Dear Mr Governor sir, need I say much, you still have till May 29th at least to change the fake aesthetic sermon Lagos is characterized with to one of real content.
Your recent acts of socialising with the commoners, reducing transport fares, appealing to Lagosians more than you are appealing to APC politicians, tribal and ethnic narratives been woven around your candidacy/campaigns is not appealing at all to the oselus and progressive thinking Lagosians. I hope these ones can outsmart you at the polls sir.
In a nutshell sir, should providence allow you escape by whiskers in the forthcoming election, my advice is more than wanting to establish yourself as a politician, work at engraving yourself in the mind of Lagosians as a leader (even if your deadline will be 29th of May 2023), than as a politician.
I can promise you that at that, you would be forever remembered as a great politician.
I wish you the best providence has in stock for you in the coming days and at the polls.
Obideyi Olanrewaju Lobinco is a passionate Nigerian youth.
olaseni2005@yahoo.com