Trumpet Ogun - November 2011
In 1976, our dear and beloved Ogun State came into being. Thirty-five years on, what is not in doubt is the vast amount of resources at the disposal of the State, some of which remain untapped and others although tapped – not at optimum levels.
The prime location of the State as the gateway to various other parts of the country from the commercial capital of Lagos is also a great advantage.
The past few years have witnessed a slowdown in the pace of development in the State. The best part of the administration of Ogun State from 2007 to May 2011 was a battle of titans for supremacy between the Executive and Legislative arms of government. The Judiciary on some occasions became a corrupted tool especially in the hands of the Executive. The Fourth Estate of the Realm – the Media, was equally used as a tool in the hands of their respective paymasters and their interests. In all of this, as the saying goes: when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers – the good and beautiful people of Ogun State have suffered immensely. People live, not sure of what tomorrow holds. Students have been hit with high and unaffordable tuition fees which many cannot afford. Health facilities are of a low standard. Roads are in a poor state. Workers go on strike with public services suffering. In a nutshell, people have been short-changed.
While the new and current administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun has promised to correct some of these anomalies in spite of limited resources; this message is yet to resonate with Ogun indigenes. It is either the people don’t believe this and are tired of similar unfulfilled promises by past administrations or the government’s information machinery needs to walk the extra mile in getting the message of the government across to the people.
Trumpet Ogun dares says that the euphoria and goodwill that greeted the sweeping out of the Daniel administration by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)-led administration of Amosun is under threat of waning.
Trumpet Ogun believes, like many other stakeholders, that it has a role to play in ensuring the aspirations of our people are met. Trumpet Ogun aims to serve as the peoples’ watchdog to ensure good governance takes a pride of place and that the real and true dividends of democracy get to the grassroots.
Trumpet Ogun aims to help the various organs of government: the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary to get its message closer to the people.
It will not be a one-sided affair; Trumpet Ogun aims to bring the message and aspirations of the people to the attention of the government with a view to getting them resolved within the limits of available resources. We aim for a true government of the people for the people by the people.
Trumpet Ogun is also aware of the vast talents of Ogun indigenes who not only live within the State but also in other parts of the country and outside the shores of Nigeria. Trumpet Ogun seeks to bridge the gap between Ogun indigenes at home and those in the Diaspora with the ultimate aim of developing our State to its full potential.
We are conscious of the fact that we need the support and goodwill of all Ogun State stakeholders to easily achieve these lofty aims, and hope we can count on it. We remain determined to achieve these aims and more, by the grace of the Almighty God.
Trumpet Ogun joins many others in the quest to develop our State and says: Omo Ogun – Ise ya!