USA Africa Dialogue Series - WONDERFUL‹Re: Prof Olukotun's Column

Wonderful. 

THIS is what Nigeria is all about. 

And there are not a few of Mabogunje's quality extant, 

You have listed some. Some Great Ones attended the Gathering. 

And more brilliant and sage ones coming forward, 

And will continue to do so.  

Osun has switched on the Light in the twilight of my evening. 

I feel as I did in those Great High Days, Ife, Osogbo, 1968. 

For me, Life had suddenly become More Abundant, 

The force of my energies released. 

Ahhh. Truly wonderful dear Ayo. 

I feel proud and happy. 

Please keep the celebrations rolling. 

The Waters Below the Earth run ever-closer to the surface

Thank you.

mv

From: Prof Ayo OLUKOTUN <ayo_olukotun@yahoo.com>
Date: Thursday, 26 October 2017 18:49
To: Prof Ayo OLUKOTUN <ayo_olukotun@yahoo.com>
Cc: Prof Toyin FALOLA <toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu>, Tunji Olaopa <tolaopa2003@gmail.com>, Akinjide OSUNTOKUN <josuntokun@yahoo.com>, USA-AFRICA dialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>, Ebunoluwa Oduwole <ebunoduwole2k2@yahoo.com>, Bolaji Akinyemi <rotaben@gmail.com>, Prof Wale ADEBANWI <waleadebanwi@gmail.com>, "Nwulu, Paul" <P.Nwulu@fordfoundation.org>, Lanre Idowu <lanreidowu@gmail.com>, Femi Osofisan <okinbalaunko@yahoo.com>, Odia OFEIMUN <odia55@yahoo.com>, Prof YACOB-HALISO <jumoyin@gmail.com>, Tade Aina <tadeakinaina@yahoo.com>, Orogun Olanike <dam_nik@yahoo.com>, <adigunagbaje@yahoo.com>, <taleomole@yahoo.com>, Michael VICKERS <mvickers@mvickers.plus.com>, Insa NOLTE <M.I.Nolte@bham.ac.uk>, Olufunke Adeboye <funks29adeboye@yahoo.co.uk>, Prof Richard JOSEPH <r-joseph@northwestern.edu>, Bolaji Ogunseye <erinje@yahoo.com>, Ayobami Salami <ayobasalami@yahoo.com>, Prof Bayo ADEKANYE <profbayo_adekanye@yahoo.com>, Nimi Wariboko <nimiwari@msn.com>, Prof Jide Owoeye <babsowoeye@gmail.com>, Hafsat Abiola <hafsatabiola@hotmail.com>, Christian Ogbondah <chris.ogbondah@uni.edu>, <ofemibabatunde@yahoo.com>, Chibuzo NWOKE <chibuzonwoke@yahoo.com>, "Prof. Lere Amusan" <lereamusan@gmail.com>, <rotimisuberu@yahoo.com>, <laioso@ymail.com>, Dr Banji OYEYINKA <boyeyinka@hotmail.com>, <fawolew@yahoo.com>, "hassansaliu2003@gmail.com" <hassansaliu2003@gmail.com>, Jinmi Adisa <jinmiadisa@gmail.com>, mimikofemi <mimikofemi@yahoo.com>, "Chukwuma, Innocent" <innocent.chukwuma@fordfoundation.org>, Noel Ihebuzor <noel.ihebuzor@gmail.com>, <paddykay2002@yahoo.com>, Prof Ogunmola Ogunmola <gbogunmola@gmail.com>, <jadesany@yahoo.co.uk>, Prof Tunde BABAWALE <tunde_babawale@yahoo.com>, "Dr O.A. DOSUMU" <toksx@yahoo.com>, <adebayow@hotmail.com>, Niyi Akinnaso <niyi.tlc@gmail.com>, Oluwayomi D ATTE <david_atte@yahoo.com>, Attahiru Jega <attahirujega@yahoo.com>, Bunmi Makinwa <bunmimakinwa@hotmail.com>, "S.O. UWAIFO" <so_uwaifo@yahoo.co.uk>, Niyi Osundare <oosunda1@uno.edu>, Odia OFEIMUN <odia55@yahoo.com>, Prof YACOB-HALISO <jumoyin@gmail.com>, Michael VICKERS <mvickers@mvickers.plus.com>, Bunmi Makinwa <bunmimakinwa@hotmail.com>, "Prof. Lere Amusan" <lereamusan@gmail.com>, "Prof Eghosa E. OSAGHAE" <osaghaeeghosa@yahoo.co.uk>, "Prof. W.O. Alli" <alliwo@yahoo.co.uk>, Prof Osinbajo <yemiosinbajo@yahoo.com>, Prof Olufemi VAUGHAN <ovaughan@bowdoin.edu>, Adebayo Olukoshi <olukoshi@gmail.com>, Stella Olukotun <stelbeyke@yahoo.com>, OLAYODE OLUSOLA <kennyode@yahoo.com>, Olayemi Foline Folorunsho <offlinenspri@gmail.com>, Tiwa <tiwaolugbade@yahoo.com>, Tiwa <tiwaolugbade@yahoo.com>, Toks Olaoluwa <olaoluwatokunboh@gmail.com>, Femi Osofisan <okinbalaunko@yahoo.com>, Chief Femi Fani Kayode <ffk2011@aol.com>, Femi Falana <falanafemi15@gmail.com>, Lanre Idowu <lanreidowu@gmail.com>, Prof I Olawole ALBERT <ioalbert2004@yahoo.com>, azubuike ishiekwene <azuishiekwene@gmail.com>, "Prof. Ademola Oyejide" <oyejide@isgpp.com.ng>, DrJibrin Ibrahim <jibo72@yahoo.com>, Sunday Isehunwa <isehunwa@yahoo.com>, Obadiah Mailafia <obmailafia@gmail.com>, Moshood Omotosho <mashomotosho@yahoo.com>, "Jeyifo, Biodun" <bjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu>, Bode Fasakin <bodefasakin@yahoo.co.uk>, Akinjide OSUNTOKUN <josuntokun@yahoo.com>, adele jinadu <lajinadu@yahoo.com>, Jide Oluwajuyitan <joluwajuyitan@gmail.com>, "S.O. UWAIFO" <so_uwaifo@yahoo.co.uk>, Segun Gbadegesin <gbadeg2002@yahoo.com>, Segun Awonusi <segunawo@yahoo.com>, <senatormamora@yahoo.com>, <fc@hyperia.com>, Ariyo Andrew Tobi <tobaaan@yahoo.co.uk>, "Dr O.A. DOSUMU" <toksx@yahoo.com>, Koya ** Ogen <koyaogen@gmail.com>, Kolaawodein <kolaawodein@kolaawodeinandco.com>, Prof Tunde BABAWALE <tunde_babawale@yahoo.com>, Funmilola Olorunfemi <funmiolorunfemi@gmail.com>, Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon <cynthiafunmi@gmail.com>, cyril obi <cyrilobi@hotmail.com>, Adigun Agbaje <adigunagbaje@yahoo.com>, arinpe adejumo <agadejumo@yahoo.com>, Olu Ojedokun <employlawone@aol.com>, friday Okonofua <feokonofua@yahoo.co.uk>, omatsola edema <charlieedema@yahoo.co.uk>, grace omoshaba <gmso2002@yahoo.com>, Prof Wale ADEBANWI <waleadebanwi@gmail.com>
Subject: Fw: Prof Olukotun's Column

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From: ayo_olukotun@yahoo.com Sent: Thursday, 26 October 2017 13:56 To: Ayo Olukotun Cc: betapikin30@yahoo.com Subject: Fw: Prof Olukotun's Column

Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone.

From: Ayo Olukotun <ayo_olukotun@yahoo.com> Sent: Thursday, 26 October 2017 12:54 To: joelugon@yahoo.com Reply To: ayo_olukotun@yahoo.com Subject: Prof Olukotun's Column

    

        MABOGUNJE AND PANACERS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT MALADIES.

" The cartography of Professor Mabogunje's life is quite inspiring. The intellectual giant thought to himself that being the brain behind policies was as important as getting political power and through that decision, he has been a tremendous influence in our political and urban landscape". Distinquished Professor of African history at the University of Texas, Austin, Toyin Falola, 24th October 2017. 

   A seminar around the theme, 'Decentralised Governance, the People and Development in Nigeria' was held yesterday at the instance of the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy, in honour and celebration of renowned geographer, Professor Akin Mabogunje. Professor Toyin Falola's eloquent words, quoted in the opening paragraph of this write up were penned two days ahead of an event, which drew a wide circle of scholars, including several former students, mentees and colleagues of Mabogunje.. In attendance were Professors Anthony Asiwaju, renowned historian of border lands, Peter Adeniyi, a former Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Mike Adeyeye of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Bolalnle Awe,,one of the founders of Ibafan school of history, Oyebanji Oyeyinka, a former Regional Director of UN-habitat, T. A Oyejide emminent public sector economist, Olabode Lucas and several others.

         Considering that the failure of local government has generated, in turn, several civic self help economic activities,it was appropriate that some traditional rulers involved in community empowerment, were present at the event to discuss their initiatives. Of particular note,was the show casing of the far flung entrepreneurial activities closely associated with Mabogunje, in conjunction with the Awujale of Ijebu land, Oba Dr. Sikiru Adetona, under the auspicies of the Ijebu Development Initiative on Poverty Reduction. Known as the opticom strategy, this is an approach of galvanizing community development, which is becoming an alternative to the development non starters of the incompetent local governments. According to Adeyeye, who read a keynote paper, the opticom strategy seeks to "explore and exploit the rich social capital which can be mobilized within any Nigerian community".

     Interestingly, Mabogunje, a few weeks to the seminar, was awarded the equivalent of the Nobel prize in Geography, by way of the highly coveted Vautrin-Lud prize. That distinct honour rolled in shortly after the American Academy of Arts and Sciences inducted him as a member, but the beauty of Mabogunje's career, is the way in which he combined excellent academic achievements with direct Poverty Alleviation Interventions, in the communities of Awe, Oyo State and Ijebu Ode, his own nativity. Hence, while the scholarly community will of course continue to treasure his epic intellectual exertions in the discipline of geography, it is his applied geography, in the shape of Community Development initiatives, that will be long remembered by those that were lifted out of poverty through his rural development activities.

       The point has wider application. We cannot reverse the decay of governance at the grassroot and other levels, by simply theorizing or re-narrating it. Agency and the audacity of fresh

thinking must be brought to bear on the particular problems that continue to bedevil government in Nigeria, especially at the local level. Before pursuing the narrative further however, this writer craves the reader's indulgence to offer a short take.

      It is a pity, that the conversation over what has become known as Maina gate, which refers to the shocking back door reabsorption of Mr Abdulrasheed Maina into the civil service, is in danger of being over shadowed by recriminations and blame games between the opposition People' s Democratic Party and the Presidency of President Muhammadu Buhari. Those of us, who do not belong to any political party, still reeling from the shock of Maina' s sensational smuggling back into a juicy position in the Federal Civil Service, years after his absconding and dismissal, are simply asking that the current government, clears up the mess. The electorate already gave a thumbs down to the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, in 2015, by voting it out of power. 

            We are tired of the constant refrain about Jonathan being the cause of all the nation's problems, and would be a lot happier, if Buhari and his spokespersons got busy with their pledge to usher in a new lease of life to a bedraggled nation, and to " kill corruption before corruption kills Nigeria". It is good that Buhari rose up to the occasion by sacking Maina, but his administration should be interested in uncovering the details of the huge scandal of his recall, especially in the light of the family's allegation that Maina was brought back by top government officials "to fight corruption". If, as it seems the case, matters have degenerated to the level where a principal actor in the rape of the public purse of the Jonathan years can be spirited into federal bureaucracy ,then we must be asking whether the anti corruption reform, ably begun by Buhari, is not now on life support. 

      All is not lost however. Instead of wasting time, throwing brick bats at the opposition, Buhari should probe the matter with speed, and bring to book all who are involved in the unedifying drama of Maina gate. That is the only way to redeem the severe blow which the racket has delivered to the administration and its reformist claims.  

     To return to the Ibadan seminar, there is no doubt , that one of the fundamental questions of Nigerian politics, is why local governments,municipalities and boroughs, which work efficiently in many other countries, have become little more than, in our circumstances, irrelevant, money sharing, decorative structures with little or no impact on the communities. 

        To an extent, the failure of our local governments , reflect and magnify the failure of government at the federal and state levels. Ongoing efforts to bring elections into local government under the jurisdiction of the Independent National Electoral Commission, may restore a measure of credibility to pseudo elections, in which parties in control of the state, invariably score 99 percent, but there are deeper issues and dysfunctions swirling around the table. One of the most important, is how to infuse government at the local level with the outstanding civic energy displayed in Mabogunje' s application of the opticom model in Ijebu ode and Awe. Put differently, how do we restore credibility to structures of government at the local level, or in the language of Adeyeye, how does local government become local governance? Mabogunje, at yesterday's seminar, provided a clue; local governments should generate more resources by mobilizing the latent energy of the communities in which they are located. 

         This sounds deceptively simple, until you begin to factor that such an effort will make them more responsible and accountable to the communities from which they derive resources. Unless and until local governments inspire the participatory energies of the surrounding communities, rather than become terrors to them, by making them slaves to rising taxes and tolls, there is no end to the nightmare of irrelevant local governments. 

      Urgent too, is the need of the communities to become active stakeholders in local government elections, by setting the agenda for these elections, and upgrading the quality of contestant and staff. That will be one way of carrying forward the community exertions of Mabogunje, who turned eight six last week.

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