By Bashir Adigun
One former Military Head of State once doffed his hat for a senior of his who was also former President of Nigeria over his uncommon ingenuity at managing criticism from the press.
Reflecting on the role of the press in democracy over 300 years ago, a one-time President of America, Thomas Jefferson (1787) concludes:
“The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right ; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter ”
The two instances above are even better in climes and circumstances under conventional media which are guided by excellence in professionalism, laws, ethics, etiquette, best practices and patriotism.
Social Media Urchins
Unlike the dream of the founding fathers of Democracy and the Nigeria project, the media space today appear over dominated by what one may call social media urchins.
The media urchins are Tom, Dick and Harry taking over the social media space.
They are bereft of knowledge, Media laws, ethics and patriotism.
They are very unruly, indecent in diction, shamelessly violent and disorderly in communication.
One example that readily comes to mind are the opposition in Kwara State.
There is no length Kwara Opposition will not travel to discredit the Good works of ever performing Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, all in the desperate bid of the opposition to return to Power .
One such social media urchin is Abdulyekeen Mohd Bashir, a faceless fellow who claimed that the Governors were not committed to the negotiations of a new minimum wage and that Governor AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq was absent from the negotiations.
It is our position that it is either Abdulyekeen is physically blind or blinded by his hatred for the personality and outstanding performance of our exemplary Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in the last five years.
Let the blinded and mischievous Abdulyekeen be informed that Governor AbdulRazaq, the NGF Chairman is not a member of the tripartite committee on the new minimum wage. Rather , the NGF is represented by six governors, one from each of the geopolitical zones. The Governors representing each geo-political zone at the negotiating table are Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State, Governor Umar Bago of Niger State, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and Governor Dikko Umar Radda of Katsina State. They have been contributing brilliantly to the meeting since the beginning of the talks on the new minimum wage last year. It was in demonstration of his practical commitment to the resolution to the wage negotiation and a harmonious Government- Labour relations that Governor AbdulRazaq, who is the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum was only admitted into the meeting as an observer.
Comrade Isa Aremu, a former Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress also attended the meeting as an observer
In fact, at the conclusion of the tripartite committee meeting, when the agreement document was passed around for signatures, there was no space for the NGF Chairman to sign because he was not a member of the tripartite committee.
For the information of AbdulYekeen, Comrrade Joe Ajaero, the NLC president in his speech commended the NGF Chairman for attending the meeting and his commitment to the resolution of the wage dispute.
It is therefore warped and ridiculous of Abdulyekeen to think the NGF would be absent at such an important meeting that would affects the economy of all states and the Negotiation Committee would get to the stage it is.
We also like to inform the blinded fellow that Governor AbdulRazaq did not only attend the Committee’s meeting but has successfully balanced his duties as the best Kwara State Governor ever in the history of the State and the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum to the admiration of every indigene of Kwara State and Nigeria in general.
We also discovered that Abdulyekeen is either ignorant of the relationship between the Government and Labour in Kwara State.
At the risk of an obvious emphasis, Governor AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq is today on record as the most Labour – friendly Governor in the history of Kwara State and one of the best three in Nigeria.
Unlike the tragic days of 16 years rule of PDP in Kwara , no civil servant or worker missed getting his or her salary on 25th of each month for the past 5 years of Governor AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq’s leadership .
Same is the joy of all pensioners in the State getting their gratuity and pension every month.
In addition, all outstanding salaries owed civil servants in Kwara State , both at the State and at the local government levels , amounting to close to 16 billion Naira have been paid by Governor AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq
All promotions arrears of workers at all levels have been paid.
There has not been any delay in the promotion of all civil servants.
In practical demonstration of Governor AbdulRazaq’s commitment to excellent government / Labour relationship, he inaugurated a standing committee under the Chairmanship of his Chief of Staff, Prince Mahe AbdulKadir ; a seasoned technocrat and one time Permanent Secretary to continuously engage with union leaders in the State in order to sustain mutual understanding , cordiality and cooperation between the government and the Labour leaders on all issues relating to workers in the State .
Abdulyekeen, the ghost writer should do his findings.
He should also stop distorting the facts about his pay masters in the opposition who left civil servants in the State unpaid for years before leaving office and left a mess of pension arrears and promotions for the present Government.
Unlike his idol who he eulogized in his write up, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has made the State stand out with huge investment in education, health, Agriculture, Road and public infrastructure, Empowerment of the poor, youths inclusiveness and gender balance in government among others.
Rather than distractions by the like of AbdulYekeen , majority of Kwara’s patriots remain grateful to Governor AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq for his success at rescuing the State from the precipice of collapse left by the displaced Saraki’s dynasty and Kwara youths , women , elders and all stakeholders are currently celebrating Governor AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq for endless list of his transformational projects such as innovation hub , visual arts studios, Eyenkorin Industrial park , Kiama Shea butter factory , ongoing efforts at resuscitating Bacita Sugar factory , establishment of Garment factory , Smart City initiative and other signature projects aimed at attracting investors and transforming Kwara State to a digital economy with unlimited job opportunities and wealth creation to address the monster of unemployment confronting youths all over Nigeria .
We urge Abdulyekeen to visit the State, if truly he is outside Kwara as he claims, to know that Governor AbdulRazaq is on ground and he will see first-hand, his Good works for the people of Kwara State. He should stop misleading the public about the important role Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq played at the wage negotiation.
Adigun is the Special Adviser Media to the Kwara State Governor
