By Ismail Omipidan
He started off as a teacher. But later read law and became a lawyer. Fortune smiled on him. He became a commissioner when all he wanted was to be a scribe of a Local Government. After serving as commissioner throughout the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s era as Governor of Osun, he looked forward to being the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the State.
But Allah, the giver and taker of all things, did not make that happen. From then, he went loose, cursing and insulting everyone in sight, including the immediate past Governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola. He left the APC, joined the PDP. He is Hon. Kolapo Alimi.
In the PDP administration, he looked forward to being appointed the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the State. Again, he missed it. He then lobbied the Adelekes to consider him for the position of Commissioner for Local Government Affairs. Some persons around the corridors of power felt he could not be trusted.
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They denied him the space. In fact, he almost lost out completely. He had to engage in a physical confrontation with another of his kinsman, whom he felt was in contest with him. They attacked each other. Their supporters were not left out. They maimed themselves. The police intervened. The Adelekes intervened. In the end, they made him Information commissioner, and gave his kinsman the PDP South West Vice chairman.
However, since he became the Information Commissioner, Alimi, who is used to swearing in the name of Allah, just to convince his audience about whatever lies he is dishing out, has since been reduced to a lying machine. I listened to him this morning as he struggled to dish out more lies.
I know his rottweilers will come after me once they read this piece. But I beg of you, puncture my claims with facts and figures, and I will be willing to engage with you. But if you reduce it to curses and insults, I won’t dignify any of you with a response.
There are numerous lies they have deployed Alimi to dish out since he became the Information Commissioner. But I will dwell on the issue of the appointment of a new Aree of Iree for now.
When Alimi went on Radio to reel out the so called White paper with regards to traditional institutions in the state, he told us that they would begin a fresh process of appointing a new Oba in Iree, notwithstanding the fact that the matter was still pending in court. In the statement issued by Alimi in January, he said “Specifically on Aree of Iree Chieftaincy, the substantive chiefs are enjoined to withdraw their suit before the Court so as to allow for commencement of the selection process denovo in line with due process and tradition.”
Interestingly, as at January, the judicial workers in Osun were on strike. Thus, it remained unclear how the matter would be withdrawn. Nevertheless, the government began a new process during the strike and the pendency of the matter. And by Wednesday, it announced the appointment of a new Oba. By implication, the process commenced even before the case was withdrawn in accordance with government’s directive, since the judicial workers only called off their strike on Tuesday night.
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By Wednesday, Alimi, while announcing the appointment of the new Oba, said “the warrant chiefs had subsequently withdrawn their suit, leading to the restarting of the selection process by the kingmakers and forwarding of the king-nominee by the local authority to the state government.”
How can a lawyer, allow himself to shamelessly destroy what is left of his integrity. When was the case withdrawn? From which court? Which judge presided over the matter? The strike began in November. The White paper was released in January. The strike was called off on March 5 and a new Oba announced on March 6. The judiciary has a duty to redeem itself and not allow this barefaced lie go unchallenged.
Finally, in responding, I will implore Alimi and his people not to forget to tell us and by implication, Nigerians, the cost of the flyovers they intend to put up in Osun? A contract was awarded since July last year, and till date, no one knows the contract sum. It is unacceptable for a government to be embarking on such a huge road project without releasing the cost, that is an organised fraud, and every right thinking Osun person must be concerned.
Apart from not releasing the cost of the project, no one knows the duration of the project and there is nothing to show the award even met procurement standards. Like I said the last time, I will reiterate here that all those who connived to unleash Governor Ademola Adeleke on Osun did not mean well for the state. Posterity will be harsh on them.
Omipidan, a journalist and Public Affairs Analyst writes from Ile Olorisa , Eyindi, Ila Orangun.