Former Minority Leader, in the 7th Oyo state House of Assembly, Hon. Tunji Rafiu Adekunle has cautioned fellow politicians not to sacrifice the sanctity of their fatherland- Saki on the altar of partisan political interests .
This was conveyed through a statement made available to dejoymedia.online in Ibadan on Wednesday and personally signed by the former lawmaker in which he sounded a note of caution that, “Saki is greater than any individual, political interest, or financial inducements”.
He states:
“I consider it necessary to express my concern over the emerging attitude of some individuals who appear willing to portray Saki negatively before the outsiders, not necessarily out of genuine concern for the town, but seemingly to attract cheap popularity, political relevance, personal recognition or financial gratification.
“This attitude is unfortunate, unacceptable and deserves public scrutiny.
“Let us make one thing abundantly clear: No individual has the monopoly of patriotism, and nobody should mistake the deliberate disparagement of Saki for courage, activism or genuine advocacy.
“There is a fundamental difference between exposing genuine challenges for the purpose of finding solutions and deliberately presenting a distorted picture of one’s community to impress outsiders or secure personal benefits.
“We must not confuse constructive criticism with calculated misrepresentation.
“Saki has its challenges, just like every developing community. We have issues requiring government attention, infrastructure, investment, employment opportunities and improved social amenities. These challenges should be presented honestly and constructively to the appropriate authorities.
“However, deliberately magnifying our weaknesses, suppressing our achievements and presenting our community as a hopeless society for personal or financial advantage is a betrayal of collective trust”.
Pointing out the dangers inherent in such an act for those who engage in the unholy practice, as costly damage to the reputation of their homeland which may negatively colour the perception of the town by the outsiders, who may eventually be investors or some development partners.
He warned further that such actions may create unnecessary divisions within the community ” where personal interests consistently take precedence over collective responsibility, thereby compromising the future of the younger generation. “The image we create today may determine the opportunities available to our children tomorrow. According to him, “they are sacrificing the long-term communal interests for short-term personal benefits, forgetting that the cheap popularity is temporary, but the consequences of the damage inflicted on the community’s reputation can endure for generations”
He therefore appealed to the traditional leaders, political stakeholders, community development associations, youth organisations, professionals and other influential sons and daughters to rise above petty interests and always put “Saki First”.
“We must be careful not to allow outsiders to exploit our internal disagreements for their own personal gains.
“Our political differences should never become an instrument for undermining our common heritage.
“Those who have genuine grievances should speak out. Those who have evidence of wrongdoing should present it. Those who desire development should advocate for it. But nobody should use misinformation, exaggeration or deliberate character assassination as a means of securing relevance or financial rewards.
“I am not advocating silence, blind loyalty or the concealment of genuine problems. Rather, I am advocating responsible citizenship, truthfulness and respect for our collective identity.
“You can criticise the leadership of Saki without condemning Saki itself. You can disagree with its political direction without destroying its image. You can demand accountability without becoming an enemy of your own community.
“Saki is our heritage, our identity and our responsibility. We must not mortgage its dignity for financial inducement, political patronage or temporary applause.
“SAKI MUST NOT BE SOLD, MISREPRESENTED OR SACRIFICED ON THE ALTAR OF PERSONAL AMBITION”, the statement admonished.
