Governor Fayose and TELL Magazine
By
Burtonsville, MD, USA
INTRODUCTION
I would be remiss if Ihave been writing voluminously about the saga of Governor Ngige of Anambra, etcheram, ad nauseum, "ati bee bee lo," and not write about Governor Fayose of my own dear state Ekiti, who is battling under a cloud. I do so fairly reluctantly, because misinterpretations may abound about my political proclivities about the matter - but hey, "c'est la vie." Such a misinterpretation comes with the territory. It will not be the first time or the last.
WHAT'S THE REAL PROBLEM HERE?
With respect to my Ekiti Governor Fayose and TELL magazine and Ibadan Poly certificate or no "cerfiticate," I really thought it had gone away after a previous TELL outing on the matter, so I am baffled that a second more damaging write-up by TELL has again surfaced. Somehow I believe the Governor's story of his being adequately credentialed, that he did get an HND (Higher National Diploma) certificate from Ibadan Polytechnic. However, this cloud over his head - not his attendance of Ibadan Polytechnic, but his approved graduation - has been going on too long, since before the elections. I really don't know what all this hide-and-seek is all about! Whether there is something "behind" Fayose's getting the certificate is another matter which puzzles me and which can only explain why it is taking this long to clear his name:
(i) did he attend classes in his final year?
(ii) did he pass ALL of his courses?
(iii) were his grades so poor that he does not want the world to know them?
(iv) did he not pay his fees and hence should not have received the certificate? I am truly stumped. Whatever be the case, it is a terrible way for the governor to be dealing with the problem, contending with the Press, issuing threats, making allegations, and back-tracking. He should have learnt a thing or two from Salisu Buhari, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Evan(s) Enwerem. It is bound to have a very negative impact on my state in terms of governance and investor confidence. We ain't the richest state, an understatement! Governor Fayose and our state have more to lose than TELL magazine. His inverted reason that he will not sue because he has Section 308 immunity, if true, is ludicrous, and does not help matters.
MY SUGGESTIONS
To resolve all of this "wahala," I do not know how much effort it takes for the Governor Fayose to, once and for all:
1. line up one or more of his lecturers in some of his last classes in his final year at the Ibadan polytechnic;
2. line up two or three of his friends who graduated at the same time with him at Ibadan Polytechnic; they better show their own certificates too, "nitori..."
3. have in hand the official graduation list of the year that he graduated; it does not matter whether it is Oluwayose or Fayose.
4. have in hand his Ibadan polytechnic annual report cards and graduation certificate;
5. line up his two parents (who happily are still alive), showing both of them in his graduation picture (with Fayose in full graduation regalia), swearing that their son actually graduated and that they attended his graduation ceremony, along with other well-wishers;
6. call a press conference to take all questions and show all the above, together with the Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Chief Imam of Ado-Ekiti Mosque, and the Chief Babalawo of his village Afao at his side.
He certainly is rich enough even to buy time on NTA or AIT or CNN, for crying out loud! I would buy time on Radio Deutsche Velle or VOA (Hausa Program) to clear my name once and for all! 7. Announce at the press conference that he is suing TELL for libel, (after giving up his Section 308 immunity) and introduce his SAN lawyer - maybe Rotimi Williams? Why not? Even his former rivals Femi Falana and Niyi Adebayo, both lawyers, may be prevailed upon to take his brief: now that would REALLY be a coup! Abi, did I write something wrong here? Am I making sense? EPILOGUE It is saddening how all of this is still going on. Governor Fayose should probably do a "Tinubu" soon: call an executive session of his assemblymen and come clean if there is ANY THING at all that he needs to come clean about over this issue, and then move on with his governance. Maybe then we can move on. Maybe.... Have a good Sunday and week. Bolaji Aluko Of Ode-Ekiti, Oba-less for now Trying hard not to be governor-less to boot!
Dec 2003