(Published in the ON THE LORD’S DAY column in the Sunday Tribune newspaper of Sunday, 7 May, 2026).
By Bolanle BOLAWOLE
turnpot@gmail.com 0705 263 1058
Effective communication is two-way traffic. Those who govern need to communicate their activities and the reasons for them to the people they bear rule over. Those being ruled also need to let rulers know how effective or otherwise their actions and policies have been and what it is that the people actually need.
Feedback mechanism is a barometer that measures the impulse of the people, allowing a caring government to know how well it has fared and where and what it needs to tinker with. Even the most well-meaning leaders step into leadership positions with ideas of what they think the problems are – and the solutions to them. Sometimes, these are miles apart from reality; the needs of the people are seldom what their leaders address themselves to.
Once leaders are cut off from reality, the best of intentions can only breed frustration, anger, and disenchantment. Little wonder it is said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions!
It is necessary, therefore, to regularly bring public opinion to the attention of the Government; especially on matters of public interest. Columnists as opinion moulders often act as a meeting point – and melting pot – between leaders and the led, but it is also imperative that, once in a while, we let the people speak for themselves, so we may hear from the horse’s mouth, as it were.
Sometimes when those at the receiving end complain about the acidity of what columnists publish, I tell them they need to see firsthand the venom that the people themselves spew! As it is said – and this is no exaggeration – if journalists publish everything they receive as they were received or allow everything they know to get into print, the country could very soon go up in flames! That is why we are gate-keepers; releasing just enough while keeping all else under lock and key!
Today, we open the gate a little on two issues, one national and the other local, as it were. Some of the fresh ideas they propound may interest you!
Nos 1: The carelessness of the South-west…
“Why are we so careless with our own lives in South-west Nigeria? Did we imagine that some magical solution will arrive from Abuja to protect us from the terrorists attacking our communities? Did we believe that the bandits who recently ravaged villages have simply disappeared? Did we think they would suddenly repent, grow tired of violence or become so wealthy from ransom payments that they would retire peacefully? Experience from other parts of Nigeria suggests otherwise!
“Once armed groups discover that communities are vulnerable and that ransom payments are possible, they often become more emboldened. Their attacks grow more frequent and more aggressive, forcing residents to flee, leaving entire communities exposed. What, then, is our plan?
“Did we assume that the danger will somehow vanish if we pray harder, fast longer or lament more loudly? Prayer has its place, but prayer without preparation is not a security strategy. The first reality we must confront is this: We cannot depend entirely on government protection; not because the government does not care but because the scale of the challenge has stretched existing security resources beyond limits.
“The second reality is equally as important: If those who attack us can organize, plan, gather intelligence, and coordinate their operations, then, our communities must become equally organized in defending themselves.
“We already provide many services for ourselves. We drill boreholes because public water has failed. We buy generators and solar systems because public electricity is unreliable. Why, then, should community security be any different? Our towns and villages need locally-organized, professionally-managed security systems supported by traditional rulers, community leaders, businesses, and residents.
“We just witnessed the annual Ojude-oba festival in Ijebu-Ode. We watched the Olojo festival in Ile Ife. Ha, how lovely, the Eyo parades in Lagos! We spend months planning festivals, ceremonies, and celebrations. We mobilize resources, raise funds, and coordinate thousands of participants.
“It isn’t that we are incapable of organizing. The problem is that we only plan parties with utmost seriousness and celebrate with lavish commitment! Surely, the protection of our communities deserves the same seriousness.
“We must plan as if expecting imminent attack. If the bandits knew we were ready for them, waiting—even praying for them to come so we could teach them a lesson! – do you think they would stray into our territories? But if they know we are cowards ready to flee when we see them approaching, they will swell in number, and they will attack us even more vehemently.
“The message must be clear: We are not helpless, we are not unprepared, and we are not waiting passively for rescue. Stop asking for your governor and what he did with your security allocations – it’s a waste of your time. Communities that prepare, organize, and remain vigilant are far more difficult targets than those that assume someone else will solve their problems.
“The time for complacency has passed. The time for preparation is now!” – Moyo Okediji.
Can you beat that? Have we not really been careless and carefree in the South-west? Heaven, they say, helps those who help themselves! If we are not helping ourselves, how can we expect prayer, fasting, and vigil to help us? Why are Christians neglecting the examples of Nehemiah and Ezra in the Bible? And if, in the absence of government, we have taken it upon ourselves to provide essential services, taking on the additional duty of organizing and securing ourselves should not be too difficult a task to accomplish. Let’s ku-ku admit that we don’t have a Government! Cést fini!
The second intervention, also on the insecurity ravaging the entire country in general but the South-west in particular, goes thus:
South-west: Beyond personal ambition and partisan interests…
‘No serious society survives when communities live in fear while leaders focus mainly on political calculations, succession battles, and power negotiations. Security cannot remain only the responsibility of Abuja while states collect security votes without building stronger intelligence systems, local surveillance infrastructure, emergency response coordination and regional economic resilience’
“Beyond satire, humour and political blame games, Nigeria must now confront the painful reality that insecurity has grown beyond ordinary banditry into a deeper structural and geopolitical challenge affecting governance, economy, and national stability. Many Nigerians observed that when stronger international intelligence cooperation intensified against terror networks, kidnappers and bandits appeared pressured and scattered. But now insecurity seems to be mutating again, reminding us that Nigeria has become part of a larger global chessboard where ordinary citizens are paying the price.
“The South-West must stop treating insecurity as a temporary political issue or election strategy. What is happening affects farmers, traders, students, traditional rulers, investors and the future of the Yoruba nation itself. No serious society survives when communities live in fear while leaders focus mainly on political calculations, succession battles, and power negotiations. Security cannot remain only the responsibility of Abuja while states collect security votes without building stronger intelligence systems, local surveillance infrastructure, emergency response coordination and regional economic resilience.
“We must also ask difficult questions about preparedness in the South-west. Where are the regional drone systems, forest monitoring infrastructure, technology-driven intelligence gathering and coordinated security architecture among South-west states? Modern insecurity is no longer fought only with guns; it is fought with data, technology, coordination, economic inclusion and strategic leadership. If criminal networks are evolving, governance and regional security systems must evolve faster.
“Citizens themselves must become more united, vigilant and economically productive. A hungry and divided society becomes vulnerable to manipulation and violence. We must invest in youth development, entrepreneurship, agriculture, digital skills and infrastructure so (that the) young people (can) become builders of society rather than instruments in the hands of destabilizing forces.
“The South-west still has the intellectual and economic strength to lead Nigeria toward stability again, but leaders and citizens must rise above personal ambition and partisan interests. Nigeria still has options if seriousness returns to governance. We can strengthen regional cooperation, modernize security systems, empower communities responsibly, improve intelligence sharing and rebuild trust between Government and the people.
“This is no longer the time for sleeping, snoring or endless rhetoric while innocent people suffer daily. The survival of communities and the dignity of governance depend on what we choose to do now.” — Abraham Shehu-Yayungo, Alpheric Framework for Peace, Security & Human Development.
That, too, hit the nail right on the head! Selfish interests, personal ambitions and political considerations cannot be divorced from the state of helplessness already enveloping the South-west.
The third intervention pertains to my own local government. As they say, all politics is local and charity must begin from home!
Owo LG’s failure to publish its 2026 budget…
‘Of the 18 Local Governments in Ondo State, Owo is the only one yet to make its budget publicly available… Citizens have a right to know how much has been allocated to critical sectors such as healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, education, youth development, security, and social services…The refusal to publish the budget also undermines public confidence in local governance at a time when local governments are receiving unprecedented levels of revenue from the Federation Account’
“The continued refusal of Owo Local Government to make its 2026 budget public is unacceptable and contrary to the principles of transparency, accountability, and good governance.
“The 2026 budget was presented to the Legislative House in January, (was) subsequently passed by the Council and (was) signed into law. Several months later, residents of Owo Local Government are still unable to access the document that determines how over ₦5.6 billion of public funds will be spent.
“This situation is particularly troubling because Owo Local Government now stands alone. Of the 18 Local Governments in Ondo State, Owo is the only one yet to make its budget publicly available. The question, therefore, is simple: What is preventing the release of a budget that has already been finalized?
“Citizens have a right to know how much has been allocated to critical sectors such as healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, education, youth development, security, and social services. They have a right to know which projects have been prioritized, where those projects will be located, and how public resources will be distributed across communities.
“Without access to the budget, citizens cannot effectively monitor implementation, evaluate performance, or hold public officials accountable for results.
“The refusal to publish the budget also undermines public confidence in local governance at a time when local governments are receiving unprecedented levels of revenue from the Federation Account.
“Transparency should not require repeated requests. It should be standard practice.
“We therefore call on the chairman of Owo Local Government to immediately release the full 2026 budget to the public and ensure that it is readily accessible to all residents. This is not a political demand. It is democratic.
“The people of Owo are not asking for confidential information. They are asking to see the budget of their local government. A government that seeks the trust of its people must be willing to share with them how their resources are allocated and spent.
“The time for excuses has passed. The time for transparency is now.” – Henry Fadeyi,
Civic Analyst/Fellow, BudgIT, Ondo State Lead.
Well said! Budgets are public documents, aren’t they?
But will deaf ears, blind eyes, hardened hearts, deadened souls, and seared conscience let our rulers harken, not to talk of acting, on what the people say?
*Former editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of its Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-chief, BOLAWOLE was also the Managing Director/Editor-in-chief of The Westerner news magazine. He writes the ON THE LORD’S DAY column in the Sunday Tribune and TREASURES column in New Telegraph newspaper on Wednesdays. He is also a public affairs analyst on radio and television.