Before acting, engage in vigorous engagements, TOM advises the Osun government

The Ademola Adeleke-led state government has been advised to hold vigorous engagements before moving forward by a political organisation called The Osun Masterminds, or TOM.

The group asserted that this is done to prevent scenarios in which government action seemed to be a vengeance or failed due to bad planning and objectives.

The committee gave the Federal Government advice on what to do in reference to Nigeria’s problems and its international relations in light of the coup d’etat in the Niger Republic.

These requests were included in a statement that the organization’s Executive Director, Professor Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, read during its August State of the State address on Monday in Osun.

Oyedokun-Alli, who emphasised that the ideas were made in good faith, urged that they be viewed as patriotic suggestions and not be received with resentment.

The statement read, “Governor Adeleke must shun the allure of white elephant projects as he may be getting pushed to engage in. Given the situation of our finances, which have been in poor health since the Aregbesola years, Osun currently needs a measured pace of development that is both pragmatic and reasonable. While striving to avoid moving too slowly, we cannot move too quickly. Therefore, in order to prevent spending on frivolities that will further deplete the state’s resources, the governor must thoroughly scrutinise every government goal.

“Government must use caution in dealing with the state’s educational institutions. Education is a delicate issue that cannot be handled with political passion. The problems relating to the management of the State-owned tertiary institutions must be handled with attention.

The group reiterated its commitment to timely interventions as advocates of good governance principles and change-agents, but cautioned the state government against taking any actions that would compromise the integrity of other branches of the government.

The group added, “The federal government has to consider paying the outstanding salary of Academic Staff Union of Universities members as part of steps to provide palliatives in the current state of the nation as prompted by the elimination of fuel subsidy. Paying the salaries that the labourers are entitled to will help mitigate the effects of the elimination of subsidies.

The federal government must exercise caution while making decisions on the crises in the Niger Republic because of how close the nation is to Nigeria and the implications that would follow if war were to break out. No war has ever been won on the battlefield; instead, it has always been won at the negotiating table. Given this, why start a war when it is clear that it will end in negotiations? We implore the president to find additional avenues for communication that do not lead to conflict.

“The federal government needs to act right away to make life for the people bearable. There is a limit to how much a guy can endure while the crowds are writhing. May the people of the nation not turn to self-help, as even the might of the state would fail to quell the rebellion.

“The poor must breathe!”