Osun’s legless critics - The Nation Nigeria

By Kunle Oyatomi

Sir: American journalist and playwright, Channing Pollock, has given the world the most biting, and perhaps the most apposite also, description of a critic. He said in The Green Book: ’’A critic is a legless man who teaches running.’’ The Nigerian brand of critics, notably in politics, perfectly fits Pollock’s characterization, such that it would appear he anticipated the Nigerian politician when he wrote the book several decades ago.

Otherwise, it is unimaginable that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which failed serially in governance in Osun State would deign to take up the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, on the issue of performance and fulfillment of electoral promises. For a party that dissipated massive goodwill at the centre and repeated it in the states that were unfortunate to fall under the party’s umbrella, it cannot be expected that this same group would be a teacher of ethical principles of administration.

How can such a party claim to criticize a performing government like that of Gboyega Oyetola of Osun? How can such a failed organization teach a winning administration? Isn’t it the same as a ‘’legless man teaching running’’? You run with your legs; but here is a comical tutor dishing out tutorials without the basic tools.

What PDP couldn’t do in years is what APC has done in less than two years of a four-year term. It has embarked on what observers are describing as ‘a silent revolution’. Its weapon is the typical approach of achievers: ‘talk and do’ or ‘walk the talk’. Oyetola and his team of high-flyers are known to deliver on the promises they made during the campaign season.

Roads were promised. They are being provided. Reforms were promised in the education and other sectors. We are witnessing them. Oyetola gave a hint that he would strengthen APC to make it the party to beat at the next poll in 2022. Now the governing party is truly wearing a new look. The APC-led administration resolved to refresh the agrarian economy of Osun so it can be the fulcrum of the much-needed chief revenue earner for the state. Over 6000 farmers were recently empowered. We have seen the seedling of this project in the visits of top government officials to the nook and cranny of the state.

Oyetola combines attention on infrastructure with keeping tabs on moves to tame the spread of Covid-19, providing facilities and expressing keen interest in making it possible for the dreaded disease to take a flight from the state.

So, while many are hailing the governing APC for making Osun to sustain the progressive tradition with these achievements, PDP has only criticism. They have now been exposed as ‘’legless critics’’ who want to teach the people how to run.