Democracy In Kwara: Why You Cannot Pour From an Empty Cup – Excerpts From Lanre Osho Book

Comrade Moshood Lanre Osho is a member and Deputy Coordinator of a popular Anti-Corruption Civil Society Organization, CSO called Elite Networks for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD) in Kwara State, and this Organization has been working hard to bring about Sustainable Development across 16 Local Governments and 193 Wards in Kwara State.

His Book recently published and launched on 30th December 2023 titled \”My Random Thoughts: A Wake-up Call to the 10th Kwara State House of Assembly\” has been said to be a light in the darker politics of our state.

Comrade Moshood Lanre Osho\’s Book put the 10th Kwara State House of Assembly on its toes as true representatives of its diverse constituencies in the state. It also urges it to stand firm and independent of the Executive to avoid the pitfalls of the 9th Assembly.

This book still discusses the significance of the Legislature in a \”Constitutional Democracy\” or \”Representative Democracy\” and how close it is to the grassroots. It touches on many issues that range from politics, democracy, health, education, unemployment, farming and food security, human rights, freedom of information bill (FOI), economics, sustainable development, environment and climate change, fuel subsidy, pension, drug abuse, roles of taxpayers in democracy among others.

More importantly, this book advocates for the independence of the Legislature as the First Estate of the Realm or the bastion of the constitutional democracy and as well as the custodian of popular will and sovereignty. Which Kwarans are not aware of.

This book tells us the importance of electoral education (\”Politeracy\”) on the aspects of good governance and service delivery to ordinary citizens.

The situation of Nigeria which Kwara State is not exemptions from, the rapid growth of our population which is projected to be 277 Million by 2050 is not a joke and data shows more than half of this population lies in the age bracket of 35 years downward, and this has called for a radical overhaul of our policies and system of governance both in Kwara and Nigeria as a country.

The problem of insecurity encompassing terrorism, banditry, rituals killing, syndicated cyber racketeering (Yahoo-Yahoo), hooliganism, kidnapping, and even corruption at its worst level which every Nigerian has seen as a right all emanated from poor governance and lackadaisical attitudes of the Nigerian leaders.

The work of Lanre Osho is a testament to the need to strengthen institutional democracy and ensure equal distribution of wealth and power among the people and dwellers of Kwara State.

It will interest you to know that the Citizens Enlightenment and Mobilization Program (CEMP) of the Elite Networks for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD) is not primarily their role, but this organization has taken a major part of our legislators\’ primary functions in the area of oversight functions and project tracking or monitoring on behalf of the citizens. And sometimes you ask yourself if at all we have a State Assembly in Kwara State.

And some of us who have participated in student unionism during our undergraduate know that our State Assembly can be said to be a \”rubber stamp\”. Meaning that, every sound mind knows that, the legislative is an arm of Government that holds democracy in place. The lack of legislative autonomy or independence of lawmakers will put our democracy in serious jeopardy in Kwara State.

The need for oversight functions in inspecting projects to uncover possible or likely project paddling, and investigate MDAs and parastatals of Government has become a necessity in ensuring dividends of democracy for the taxpayers in Kwara State.

Truly, we have many versatile members at the State Assembly who have been made redundant by the overlords. Do we need to keep on the \”silent mood\” while in a democracy? I want to join the author in saying, \”This is a wake-up call to our State House of Assembly and every sundry Kwarans. We need to set our assembly on their toes\”.

Arguably, today Elite Networks for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD) have data and information detailed enough to give the assessment needs of the people of Kwara across the 24 State Constituencies including the 193 Ward through the CEMP Document of the ENetSuD.

The situation whereby the legislative arm of the government has become very weak and subservient to the will of the Executive arm will pose its citizens with varying challenges ranging from inequality, nepotism, and corruption of the highest order. And this can be regarded as unacceptable in totality in a constitutional democracy. Leadership is not a \”Yes Daddy\” adventure rather it is a role to make life pleasurable for the masses.

Since we didn\’t vote for \”rubber stamp\” legislators, it is our constitutional right to demand and ask Kwara State House of Assembly to take considerable redress in their roles as lawmakers through good legislation and oversight functions respectively.

Furthermore, the issue Freedom of Information, FOI Bill in the Kwara State House of Assembly is still pending. The three clauses raised as a concern on the part of the Executive shouldn\’t be a deterrent or reason why the act has been almost killed at the State Assembly. There is more to it.

The fraud and corruption uncovered by the Elite Networks for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD) in major projects of the State Government led to the cancellation or termination of the partnership of the Social Audit Initiatives between the State Government and the ENetSuD supposed to be one among the three main functions of the legislators. This oversight function is exactly what the National Assembly is doing to invite and investigate MDAs and their leaders to ensure things are properly done for the goodness of ordinary Nigerians. There shouldn\’t be a difference in the case of the Kwara State House of Assembly, we must not tolerate a \”bench warmer\” Assembly.

However, it must become very understandable for every right-thinking Kwaran that efforts to enshrine transparency and good governance in our system shouldn\’t be misinterpreted as a politically motivated non-religious, or ethnic bigotry idea. This is a Government we have worked for and supported from 2019 till date. But you will agree with me that the current Kwara State House of Assembly has systematically become a \”rubber stamp\” or a \”toothless bulldog\”, which is very pathetic.

Meanwhile, the review of the Book I did, \”My Random Thoughts: A Wake-up Call to the 10th Kwara State House of Assembly\” by Comrade Moshood Lanre Osho has passed a message to both the Government and the lay citizens. This role is covered in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 as amended in Section 13, Subsection (C) which states: \”The participation by the people in their Government shall be ensured in accordance with the provision of this Constitution\”. This is a Democracy, every power of government in Nigeria is directly derived from the people. We are the people. It has become glaringly clear that, truly, \”the world suffers a lot. Not because of the violence of bad people, but because of the silence of good people\” – Napoleon Bonaparte.

This is also the right time for every Kwaran to drink sense irrespective of our ideology, political affiliation or view, religious beliefs, or social class. We need to ask questions!

The author of this book, Lanre Osho has done a great job analyzing Chapter Two, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 as amended, recognizing or defining Nigeria as a Social democracy and welfarist economy, not a full-blown market and capitalist economies like that of America and some European countries.

But most of these privileges, rights, opportunities, and entitlement for ordinary citizens have been almost all wiped out by the elites or politicians. And this is how everything started at the national level. It is part of the reason you need to be acquainted that it\’s our corporate social responsibility to checkmate and demand accountability on how our government is faring. Don\’t get deceived! And you need this Book to augment your knowledge.

Lanre Osho has rightly put it in its best form on page 103 that, \”the little resources we have should be well managed to take care of our people. Kwarans have to wake up and be vigilant about how we are governed. How our money is spent. We have to ask questions on how budgets are implemented in Kwara. We have to track our money and the directions in which it flows\”.

In the fast pace of this changing world, the world is faced with many challenges to which our state and federation are not exempted. The government needs to design policies, programs, or initiatives concrete enough to address most of these prevailing challenges like climate change, flooding, water scarcity in urban and rural communities, unemployment, and the rising population explosion we are experiencing. The best place where these policies can be generated is through legislation by the State Assembly. But what we are witnessing in the case of our Assembly is a dogmatic assemblage of people expected to be the voice of the voiceless in the affairs of our dearest state.

It must become understandable as the writer put it succinctly as follows: \”Politics is too important to be left with the politicians alone. It is a life and death matter. It affects virtually every facet of life. It affects food production, education, health, peace and war, poverty and underdevelopment etc\”. Don\’t sit down dey look!

Today, it\’s very pathetic that you can only find workable records, data, and information of communities and villages that have been devasted and affected by one problem or another with the ENetSuD. The organization has put so much commitment and resources through volunteerism in order to move the state forward. Kudos to ENetSuD for all the inspiring work they have done and still doing.

Most of the work they are doing is meant for the Government (Legislators). No wonder the Government has failed to provide most of our basic needs, and rather we have several misplaced priorities in governance, legislation, and policy formulations. We all know how life has become very unbearable to the pensioners. We need to ask questions on the role of legislators in building a sustainable society!

Nonetheless, we seriously need attitudinal and behavioral change in this state most especially the Government functionaries, we also need to discourage corruption and looting, and we need to work on our institutions to remain stronger to withstand the test of time in fighting against corruption and other social vices rocking our public office in Kwara and Nigeria as a whole.

Our society is in disarray and there is a serious yearning for responsible, accountable, and truthful leadership in Nigeria and across most African countries, there shouldn\’t be an exemption to our situation in Kwara to make our leadership more accountable or advocate for more competencies.

Take part to take charge! Our future, development, progress, and prosperity of Kwara State depend solely on the right actions and decisions we take in the right direction today.

Remember, the change we dearly want in this part of the world begins with me and you!

Thanks for reading, May God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Please read more about ENetSuD and their good work at www.enetsud.org