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VENO tv: OPINION: IF OYO IS CALLING SOMEONE, DON’T DISCOURAGE HIM FROM ANSWERING
Date: 14-01-25

By ComradeOla

When a father or mother calls their child, it is natural and expected that the child responds. Likewise, when a beloved child calls upon a parent, there is a strong assurance that the parent will listen, respond, and even approve the child’s request when it is just. This bond of mutual trust, responsibility, and responsiveness is the foundation of any healthy relationship.

The same principle applies to politics and governance. When people call on someone to serve them, that call should not be ignored or ridiculed. Leadership, at its core, is about service. Therefore, when citizens demand the service of an individual they trust and believe in, that individual has a moral responsibility to listen, consider the call, and be ready to serve according to the wishes of the people.

In a democracy, sovereignty belongs to the people. If they collectively conclude and decide that a particular person should lead them and manage their affairs, at any level of government, it is important that such a person answers the call and seeks to fulfill that mandate with sincerity and dedication. Discouraging such a person simply because of their background or profession undermines the very essence of democratic choice.

Oyo State has been governed by different leaders since its creation, ranging from military administrators like Colonel David Jemibewon and Colonel Paul Tarfa, to civilian leaders such as Chief Bola Ige, and now the current governor, Engineer Oluwaseyi Makinde. Each came from different professional backgrounds and experiences. None was born a governor; they all learned on the job, guided by advisers, institutions, and the realities of governance.

This raises an important question: What special knowledge or exclusive wisdom do those who have governed Oyo State possess that radio presenters or media professionals do not have? Governance is not a mystical science reserved for a chosen few. It is about understanding people, listening to them, managing resources, and making decisions that improve collective well-being.

To be a good leader is largely natural. While technical knowledge can be learned, essential leadership qualities can not be faked. Governance requires empathy, loyalty to the people, sincerity of purpose, courage, and, above all, selflessness. These are values many radio presenters and media practitioners demonstrate daily in their engagement with the public.

In fact, society needs more leaders who are approachable, who have listening ears, who understand grassroots concerns, and who detest victimisation and arrogance. We need leaders who see public office as service, not as an opportunity for personal enrichment. Not individuals who behave like cancerous parasites, destroying the system while parading themselves as indispensable micronutrients.

Radio presenters interact daily with the hopes, pains, and aspirations of ordinary people. They listen, they moderate, they communicate, and they connect. These are powerful leadership skills. Nigeria and Oyo State, in particular, can benefit from leaders who are close to the people, not distant and untouchable.

Therefore, whoever the people of Oyo State are calling upon ahead of 2027, we must not discourage him. Let the people decide. Let democracy take its course. If the call is genuine and the mandate is given, the individual should be allowed to answer and be judged not by prejudice but by performance.

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