Ayodele Fayose, a former Governor of Ekiti State has called on Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to be proactive in handling the security challenges in the State.
Fayose said that the Governor must sit up and share the experience of former governors such as himself (Fayose) for him to tackle the challenges squarely.
Fayose, who was a guest to Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, recalled how he handled a security situation similar to that of Igangan, where some Yoruba youths had issued quit notice and attempted to evict the Fulani community from the area.
The latest security breakdown in Oyo is the clash at Shasha Market in Ibadan between the Yoruba and the Hausa community following a disagreement between a Yoruba man and an Hausa resident, which led to the death of many people.
Despite the closure of the market by the state government, the clash between the two tribes continued till the weekend.
And Fayose said, “Governor Makinde needs to be proactive. You know Oyo is a big State. Look at what happened in Igangan,” he said.
“When a similar case happened in Ekiti, I was there the same day. I took charge of that community. I slept in that community.
“And when they mentioned names here and there, instead of fighting them, I went and looked for them and brought them to a round table.
“And I’ve told Governor Makinde this thing I’m telling you. I sat him down and told him, ‘see, Your Excellency, borrow from our experience. We’re general in this field.’
“With all humility, Governor Makinde would probably be 32 years when I first became Governor. I was Governor with the likes of [Bola] Tiinubu, [Orji] Kalu and other Governors at that time.
“What I’m saying is that, share experience. That you’re a Governor does not bring the totality of wisdom to you. Your understanding is not enough for you, money is not enough for you. Office of the Governor…what does it mean to you? Before you start you are done. We must share this experience and we must pay attention to the governance of our states more than politics.”
Hausa/Yoruba clash: You need to be proactive – Fayose tells Gov Makinde