Feeding on the People’s Ignorance-I: Local Govt Autonomy and Gov Makinde’s Paradox | Yusuf Olatunji Alabi

Jordan Maxwell, an American independent researcher of secret societies, once said:“That’s the most dangerous thing you can do: educate people. Because when people become educated, you cannot control them, you cannot frighten them. People who are educated know their own power, and don’t surrender it to others.”

Maxwell suggests in this quote that education is dangerous, not to the individual, but to those who want to remain in power over others. It prevents them from keeping people on a manipulative path, exploiting them and shielding them from understanding true governance.

The current Oyo State Government, like many others in Nigeria, flourishes and remains relevant through the exploitation of our people’s ignorance of good governance and civic education, beyond its white-elephant projects executed for media stunts and photo opportunities.

A well-educated person would be emancipated, see things more clearly and understand the difference between genuine development projects and white-elephant projects executed by Governor Makinde.

The governor has successfully concentrated power in his hands and relegated all other arms of government to the background.

Local governments have been completely crippled under his watch, and he has never hidden his stance on sidelining the arm of government closest to the people and bringing its affairs entirely under his control.

Elected council chairmen have become patronising, while the most loyal, connected and powerful among them get approval for the funds they need, according to a former chairman.

Community leaders, market leaders and citizens receive awkward responses from council heads when they agitate for their abandoned roads, security and social amenities that are supposedly the responsibility of the local government. The response is always, “We will write to the governor,” or, “We have submitted it and are waiting for approval.”

Local government heads have become patronising in exercising their own legitimate rights, turning what should be their rights into privileges.

However, council members remain silent for fear of not being returned in the next election cycle, which is largely controlled by the emperor. Since everyone aspires to return, no one challenges the system. If there is any doubt that this is a selection rather than an election, Baba Olopoeyan can provide some clarity.

In a clear justification of stance, Governor Seyi Makinde delivered a lecture at the National Defence College, Course 31, on Friday, October 28, 2022, on the topic, Building Resilience at the Grassroots in Nigeria: Local Government Administration in Perspective.

However, the governor dominated the discussion with fluff, despite the lecture having been announced in advance and prepared. He successfully defended his position without sufficiently addressing critical criteria or providing a thorough analysis. In his speech, while justifying the continued retention of local government funds, he stated:

“Note that the allocations to LGAs are shared using the same formula as state allocations. What this has created in the past is a situation whereby some local government councils can handle their own wage bills while others struggle. We have had situations where an LGA is getting an allocation of N8–10 million monthly, whereas they have a wage bill of about N30 million monthly.

Now, imagine a situation where the Oyo State Government did not decide…”

The governor failed to tell his audience that an LGA can request a review of the federal allocation formula by submitting a formal letter or petition to the relevant authorities, such as the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), supported by evidence of its needs.

It can also seek special financial intervention from the Federal Government by submitting a formal proposal through the appropriate ministries or agencies, outlining its challenges, funding requirements and proposed projects.

We will also ask the governor to tell us where and when some local governments were unable to pay their staff.

The disparity he cited does not justify JAAC retention. Rather, it highlights the non-viability created by the current centralised sharing formula. Withholding local government funds to pay salaries reduces constitutionally recognised councils to mere salary-payment units, contrary to the principle of financial and structural autonomy upheld by the Supreme Court in July 2024. However, the governor argued the financial aspect while overlooking the structural one.

Sustainable grassroots development requires direct funding and local government viability reforms, not the continued custodianship of local government allocations by the state.

This is the same Governor Seyi Makinde who is challenging the concentration of power at the federal level and calling for the devolution of power. That is a topic for another time.

Until our people are properly educated, the development spoiler packaged in colourful PR branding will continue to be seen as a Messiah.

Yusuf Olatunji Alabi

(Yusuf Olatunji Alabi is a political observer and social critic passionate about accountability and good governance in Nigeria).