HYPOCRISY, LIES, AND THE PATH OF GROWTH

As the rays of the sun reach the Earth, I am compelled to reminisce about the past while ruminating on the present. Alas, the folly and myopia of many of our comrades in Ondo State evoke my pity. From a realistic standpoint, many comrades in Ondo State are hypocritical; they hardly ever think outside the box. Pathetically, they seek to explore every possible means to remain in the good books of the system, all while drifting away from their own growth.

Taking us back to the moment the news of the demise of AKETI broke, at a time when we were in a sober state, having lost a rare statesman whose life was devoted to service to his people, is it not sardonic that these comrades did not see this moment as one of grief, to mourn the Amotekun General? Instead, they came together to conspire against me. Fully aware that the government must continue and that the next in the line of succession is the Deputy Governor, they said emphatically to my face that should they see me around Governor Aiyedatiwa’s government, they would “mend” me (here, “mend” is a comradic way of dealing with a fellow comrade, perhaps an acceptable form of assault in the comrade line).

Lo, I laughed and was unbothered by their threat. Of course, I knew it was mere bluff, because they had no capacity to “mend” me. Yet, I must say I am not oblivious to their pain. In their folly and myopia, they believed I was close to the AKETI Government, doing everything possible to maintain the structure in the state and personally profiting from it. Contrary to this popular misconception, I make bold to state that at no point throughout the AKETI Government did I receive any personal monetary gain, not even for conventions. I spent heavily from my own resources to support whatever we received from the Government. We have on record how frustrated the JCC Chairmen were at the time in accessing government funds, yet in the long run, I ensured an equilibrium.

In their folly and myopia, they believed our closeness with the government revolved around making a profit for ourselves. They were oblivious to the fact that we were building bridges and relationships for our personal growth. Thus, when the Aiyedatiwa Government set sail, they automatically saw themselves as the rightful replacement for BABTEE. Out of envy and bitterness, they gathered and conspired, with the belief that, “Hell no! We cannot allow BABTEE to come close to this government.” Lo and behold, I steered clear and never pursued it. I was unconcerned and unbothered because I was confident they would never be able to maintain the relationships they sought in the long run.

Notorious for blackmail, they pushed agendas and ensured they received government funds for elections. They took money for Akungba's SUG election and lost, did the same for the NANS JCC election, among others, yet failed repeatedly, becoming serial losers who wasted government funds on futility. Yet, in their folly and incorrigibility, they still expect the government to continue funding them, despite consistently demonstrating that they are liabilities rather than assets.

Well, shamelessness is boldness without honor, and as they say, a lie may travel far, but the truth always catches up. When their lies, propaganda, and conspiracy theories stopped selling, they came up with an entirely false narrative. They labeled us BTO (Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo) boys, sent to destabilize Aiyedatiwa’s government through the student structure. Yet no lie can outlive the eyes of those who see through it. I must appreciate individuals like Aduni Onigege Ara, Yomi Oyekan, the DOP to the Governor, Barrister Asonja, the SSA to the Governor on Student Affairs, KSO, and the Chief Detail to the Governor, Mr. Banji, who saw through their lies and did not buy them.

Fast forward to today, many of them are out there calling out the Governor and insulting him because the money they expected to keep flowing is no longer flowing. Jokes on them. Who funds liabilities? It is also amusing to see many of them sliding into our DMs, claiming the Governor is tightfisted. They are hypocrites by all measures, and politicians must draw lines and run from them. The twist of fate: we are the ones they wanted to end, but by their actions, they have unknowingly pushed us to a better place. We do not lurk around the government they were willing to die for. Today, they are all out badmouthing the government, while we continue to speak well of the same government.

Is it not also laughable that during the period they accused us of shortchanging them in the AKETI Government, our closeness and relationships secured 20–30 bags of rice for NANS JCC Ondo in December, yet here we are today, with all their noise and bluffs, and the NANS structure could get only 5 bags of rice last December? Failure stares them in disbelief. I hope they all retract their steps early and invest in their personal growth. They must come to terms with the fact that no government can give comrades the amount of money needed to escape poverty. It is time for them to brace for impact and embark on the path of success and personal growth.

As I withdraw my dancing pen, allow me to assert the bitter truth: they have failed, and their enormous failure is mocking them.

Until I write again,

Akinteye Babatunde Afeez (BABTEE)