Judicial Commission of Inquiry: Much Ado About What? | Sola Abegunde

When I wrote the piece titled, ” Judicial Commission of Inquiry: Much Ado About Nothing”, the other time, Governor Seyi Makinde’s rabid supporters nearly tore me into pieces.

I can not forget the energy dissipated by one Dr. Peter Akande, who carried the matter on his head, to the extent that he was giving me back to back ” right of replies”.

You would think anyone was preventing him from replying to my stories.

Though, I wondered why he chose to wail louder than the bereaved at the time, I never thought it was outside his right to present a contrary opinion.

People like Dr. Akande didn’t know that some of us have mastered the art of playing this game with their master.

When Governor Seyi Makinde constituted the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, I was able to predict him. I narrowed down what the purpose behind the setting up of the Inquiry could be and after some time, I was able to find the specific reasons behind the Governor’s actions.

To beat him to his game, I decided to submit a Memorandum where I raised very wide range of issues.

I invited the attention of the Commission to the reckless comments by the Speaker of the Oyo state House of Assembly regarding the purported demands by the Bandits which the latter outrightly denied and I charged the Commission to invite Debo Ogundoyin to appear before it, so as to tell the world, the source of his information and why he chose to be reckless in divulging what was supposed to be a classified information.

I invited the attention of the Commission to the fact that the timing for constituting a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the abduction of Teachers and Pupils of Yawota and Esinele communities of Oriire Local Government by the Oyo state Government was wrong, considering the fact that investigation and litigations regarding the crime were ongoing and the fact that, Federal Security Agencies might not be able to appear before the Commission for the above reasons, coupled with the fact that the Commission could not command their appearances.

I raised questions about the revelation by the Honourable member representing Oriire State Constituency in the Oyo state House of Assembly some years before the attack and how the Government of Oyo treated the alarm raised by the Honourable member.

I respectfully demanded that the Commission invite the gentleman to make clarifications about what he saw and the response by the Government of Oyo state.

I raised the issue of the explosion at Bodija and how Oyo state Government treated the case of the Malian man who was reportedly arrested and charged for the unfortunate incident.

I made it clear to the Commission that throughout the rescue operation of the victims, there was no synergy between Oyo state and the Federal Governments and I told the Commission that Governor Seyi Makinde should take responsibility for the break down in communication between Oyo State and the Federal Governments.

I raised the issue of the poor condition of service of the Amotekun and the fact that Oyo state would have been better securing a drone instead of the two surveillance Aircrafts purchased by the Governor of Oyo state.

I submitted my Memorandum within time, but, for a very long time, I heard nothing from the Commission, so, I decided to stoke a reaction.

I wrote the story titled, Judicial Commission of Inquiry: Much Ado About Nothing?

Not surprisingly, I received a call from the Commission within 24 hours the story broke. A support staff of the Commission called me and was asking why I didn’t show up to defend my Memorandum.

I told him point blank that I couldn’t have walked into the Secretariat, asking to be accommodated by a Commission I wasn’t even aware was already sitting.

He said the Commission found my Memorandum worthy of treating and we agreed on a date for my appearance.

When my friends and admirers leaned that I wanted to appear before the Commission, not many of them were comfortable but I was determined.

I had my reasons for filing the Memorandum in the first place and I was not going to be intimidated by any obstacles to see my plans through.

I must give glory to God Almighty and those who did all within their reach to ensure that I was able to appear in person before the Commission.

For the avoidance of repetition, I appeared before the Commission on the day Governor Seyi Makinde and his followers were dancing to their usual lyrics by Taye Currency, ” Were la fi nwo were”, at the Adamasingba Stadium and I adumbrate on the points I raised above.

They were welcoming Boye Sangodade and his supporters on the day I appeared in person before the Commission.

I was excited and actually laughed at the coincidence of the day, when I heard that Governor Makinde would be at the Adamasingba Stadium while I was in his domain, the state Secretariat!

I have to say that the Commission informed me that it was going to treat three Memoranda and that before mine, they had treated two. My Memorandum was therefore marked 03 and when I heard the Chairman of the Commission saying that, I smiled. I remembered 3.0.

How come my Memorandum was marked 03?

I am not a good student of mathematics, but I quickly worked out a rough equation. What, if 3.0 is actually, 0.3? I thought within myself, Omi Tuntun 3.0 is in danger.

Now, the Commission had wrapped up its assignment and a report had been submitted to the Governor.

Surprisingly, the report of the Commission his been kept from public knowledge.

Infact, Governor Seyi Makinde was cleverly emphatic about the fact that certain parts of the report would be kept secret!

I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard him say that.

What is contained in the report of the Commission that Governor Seyi Makinde doesn’t want the public to know?

I am surprised that all those who were abusing people like us when we said that nothing special would come out of the Commission are now criminally silent.

With all the chest beating by Governor Seyi Makinde. The request for an independent investigation by the International Community.

Is this all we would hear from the Judicial Commission of Inquiry?

Where is the culprit Governor Makinde set out to catch?

Only God knows, how much of public funds that were expended on the Inquiry.

I am equally surprised that the Press have been silent over this issue.

It is a duty, incumbent on all of us, to demand that Governor Makinde makes the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the abduction of Teachers and Pupils of Yawota and Esinele communities of Oriire Local Government public.

The Commission was set up in the interest of the public. It was funded with public resources. The reports submitted to Governor Seyi Makinde were not submitted to him so he could exchange the papers for guguru and epa.

Governor Seyi Makinde’s hypocrisy when it comes to security issues is becoming legendary.

Just last week, he was condemning president Tinubu for the establishment of Military Formations. Today, he is commending the Army for the establishment of the Formations, leaving out the Commander in Chief who approved the establishment of the Formations. Imagine that height of hypocrisy.

I even thought he was going to constitute another Commission of Inquiry to investigate president Tinubu for establishing Military Formations ” without Budgetary provisions”.

Very unfortunate. I read in the News this evening that the new Army Formation in Oyo state is actually going to occupy the Forest of the Old Oyo National Park and convert in to a training Ground.

Brilliant idea. If the Army is occupying the Forest, how could Bandits co-habit with the Military?

I am waiting for the reactions of Governor Seyi Makinde to this brilliant idea by the Military.

I hope he won’t wake up tomorrow and develop another negative pregnancy about such a brilliant idea.

By the way, Governor Seyi Makinde, where is the reports submitted by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the abduction of Teachers and Pupils of Yawota and Esinele communities of Oriire Local Government?

Sola Abegunde.