Wet-ie
As much as his partisan sympathisers spin it as a cautionary tale, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde knows, in the his heart of hearts, that his invocation of the tragic
- A sitting governor whipping up political violence is utterly reprehensible
As much as his partisan sympathisers spin it as a cautionary tale, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde knows, in the his heart of hearts, that his invocation of the tragic “wet-ie” -- the old Western Region anarchy that consumed the First Republic -- is abhorrent, reckless, irresponsible and odious.
That is more so when that incendiary blather came from an elected governor, not only sworn to the inviolability of the democratic republic, but who is also his state’s chief security officer, constitutionally sworn to peace, justice, law and order.
If a governor belches political arson, what would political party street thugs do? If gold rusts -- from Geoffrey Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’ -- what will iron do?
Yet, invoking hare-brained arson, when strands of the political opposition gathered in Ibadan on April 25, was the latest case of Makinde shoving his foot into his mouth! But each time, he spews self-indicting horrors.
Consumed by gubernatorial conceit, he had boasted that he had made his first million in dollars while Nyesom Wike, sitting FCT minister and Makinde’s nemesis in their intra-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) war, was still in school.
But the governor hit a deathly quiet when Wike told Makinde his political history: how a desperate Makinde came begging Wike in Port Harcourt for the Oyo PDP ticket; and how he got it -- and became governor -- by Wike’s grace.
Then, Makinde’s high posturing led to a frenzy that he would run as president in 2027. Again, that rash rush collapsed when Ayodele Fayose, ex-Ekiti State governor, alleged Makinde might have illicitly warehoused federal funds, to aid victims of the January 17, 2024, Bodija, Ibadan, blast, for his alleged presidential run.
Still, on Ibadan politics: Makinde tried to shove out Senator Sharafadeen Alli from a legitimate gubernatorial aspiration, by trapping him with an Ibadan coronet. Again, that plot fell flat: the three “kinglets” offered “promotion” not only stayed off, the Olubadan himself, Ibadan’s paramount monarch, shunned the ceremony.
After the Court of Appeal had voided the November 2025 PDP national convention in Ibadan, Makinde started making snide remarks suggesting his partisan opponents -- read the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) -- were using the judiciary against him.
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But from the Supreme Court final verdict on the case on April 30, it was crystal clear which party was doing forum-shopping: the Oyo State High Court ruling the PDP convention should hold, after two federal courts of concurrent jurisdiction had halted it! That, in any case, turned out a “dud” injunction. The Supreme Court flayed the despicable attempt in no mean words -- and the guilty parties were clear!
It’s from these multiple notorieties, of un-gubernatorial words and deeds, that Governor Makinde popped up to make his infamous “wet-ie” mis-jive: “They must know,” he huffed, “that ‘wet-ie’ started right here in Ibadan, in the wild, wild, West” -- a reckless, triumphant gubernatorial incitement, if ever there was one!
Again, that was absolutely unfortunate, coming from a governor. Still, it is a democracy that guarantees free speech. But the right to free speech also harbours dire consequences from skewed speech.
The governor has spoken. Let the security agencies take due note, though he enjoys immunity now. Should anything untoward come after the 2027 elections, however, the former governor should be linked to his words.
Those who make reckless statements in office should account for them -- after all the power and the glory, and after their immunity is off.
