A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, Akin Adeyi, has expressed displeasure over absence of Christmas decorations that usually adorn strategic locations in the state.
Adeyi, in piece entitled: “Osun Government Too Broke for Comfort, Can’t Even Afford Ordinary Christmas Decorations Again,” claimed that the failure of the state government to make Osogbo and other major towns in the state bear signs of the Yuletide is a sign that Osun, under Governor Ademola Adeleke is “too broke.”
He said, “James Hardley Chase wrote in one of his books that the appearance of a man’s shoes is an indicator of his socioeconomic status. Although, nowadays it also includes the quality of his belt.
As a tradition that began in 2010 during Mr. Raufu Aregbesola’s tenure as governor, the streets of Osogbo, Osun state’s capital, are decorated with minimal festive decorations a month prior to Christmas. Conversely, key roundabouts and strategic areas are lavishly decorated with Christmas lights and ornaments, making them exceptionally beautiful. Their beauty is such that people frequent these locations to capture photographs and selfies against the backdrop of the decorations.
Upon the expiration of Rauf’s tenure, his successor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, not only maintained the tradition but also enhanced it to the satisfaction of the people. Additionally, streets and major roundabouts at local government headquarters began to receive decorations that evoked a sense of Christmas nostalgia and festive spirit. Throughout his four-year term as governor, Oyetola, a Muslim, promoted the values of religious coexistence, guaranteeing Christians unrestricted participation in Christmas festivities.
Thereafter, Mr. Ademola Adeleke came into government, with his religious beliefs remaining a topic of controversy and debate in a way akin to those of his educational certificates claims. Governor Ademola, who professes to be a Muslim, is generally perceived as a Christian, firmly rooted in his late mother’s Cherubim and Seraphim church, where he even holds a prestigious title.
Adeleke, in spite of the time constraint, his administration, which commenced on November 27th, 2022, was able to carry out street decorations for the Christmas celebrations that year. He managed to improve on it the following year.
Regrettably, at this his third Christmas festival in office, and for reasons that remain unclear, Christmas decorations were absent. In contrast to the beautiful lights, ornaments and decor of previous years, the streets were lined with heaps of refuse, heavy dust, and construction works that appeared to be intentionally incomplete, seemingly designed to deceive and cajole citizens of the state and their guests who arrived for the Christmas and New Year festivals into thinking his administration was working.
This development has however left tongues wagging. The people of the state are already jittery and thinking loud. They are worried and showing concerns about the financial status of the state at this time. While many believe that the state is actually broke others, the Christians especially, view this as a deliberate undermine of their only major festival. Above all, it is an indication that Osunians are in for harder times in the year ahead. The people will have to tighten their trousers belts. The state seems to have bitten more than it can chew as such gasping for breath on her way to the Intensive Care Unit(ICU) in year 2025.”
