As of today, Governor Seyi Makinde has graciously and generously dashed out different models of brand-new, tear leather Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) to selected journalists, broadcasters and media professionals as rewards for only-God-know-what-efforts in the state. He has equally awarded a controversial multi-million-naira book contract, to the chagrin and consternation of the public, to another radio owner in the past.
Despite pushbacks, the Governor has insistently stuck to his guns, remained unfazed, and continued to bait and tempt those who may stand in the way of his next political move with irresistible gifts. Somehow, he has done what many could only dream of and appear to have gotten away for now: courting the so-called defenders of the public interest publicly with numerous gifts without batting an eyelid.
Of course, the latest recipient of Mr. Makinde’s splashy gift is no other person but the founder and CEO of Fresh FM, Yinka Ayefele. For context, the SUV gift to Mr. Ayefele on the 19th August, 2025 came in the aftermath of an inferno that destroyed a section of his station in Ibadan. In effect, that single and simple ‘generous’ act has since stirred and sparked hot-button conversation and has equally elicited mixed reactions – from allies and enemies. For a fact, many are reflecting, regarding the noble intention of the Governor on one hand, the connection, and correlation between a tragic incident and a car gift on the other. Their reflections, in other words, remain ongoing in spiritual calisthenics.
To think that the Governor’s first public intervention on the Fresh FM fire tragedy, apart from paying a visit to the station, would be to publicly and openly gift a car to the veteran musician when the extent of the damage to his station is still being tallied remained counterintuitive. Plus, when a house is razed by a conflagration, the most pertinent intervention is not to act or sound politically correct. Here, Governor Makinde’s gift sounded far more political and his action reeked of politics.
In ancient times, the Greeks once built a huge wooden horse and left it outside the gates of Troy as a supposed ‘gift’ – here comes the shortest version of the Trojan Horse story. Thinking it was an act of generosity and goodwill from their archrival, the Trojans brought the gift into their inner city, not knowing Greek soldiers were hidden inside, well positioned to strike their enemies in the most devastating manner.
As the day paved the way for the night, the Greek soldiers, armed to the tooth and tough as nail emerged from the wooden horse, opened the gates that had made entrance into the city impossible and impenetrable for the combat ready army, and ransacked Troy, bringing an end to a war that lasted for ten years. I am not interested in discussing the war between the Greeks and Troy. Anyone interested should grab a copy of Illiad by Homer.
My contention here is the tactical maneuver and the intellectual supremacy and superiority of the Greeks over their adversaries. Note, also, that the war of attrition between the two lasted a decade with casualties on each side. To break the fortress of the Troy, the Greeks had to think outside the box, rework their strategies and strike from the inside. To strike from within the enemy’s turf always comes at a huge risk but equally comes with mind-blowing reward. In essence, the Greeks strategy worked because the Troys, eventually succumbed to the military might and firepower of their enemy partly because of one single, costly blunder: mistaking a timebomb trick for a timeless gift.
How could Troy easily fall into the trap set by the Greeks? The answer, it turned out, is more nuanced than imagined. For one thing, gifts by their nature are symbols and gestures of goodwill, kindness and a generous heart.
In Five Love Languages, Dr. Gary Chapman, the American relationship expert, contended that love, anywhere in the world stands on the premise of just five languages: words of affirmation, receiving gifts, act of service, physical touch and quality time. “Receiving gifts” Dr. Chapman explained, is not about materialism or the monetary value of a present – it’s about the thoughtfulness and effort behind the gift. He added that a gift is seen as a tangible symbol of love and care as it communicates that “you were on my mind”. So, when the Greeks decided to break into Troy, they thought of tricking their foes with gifts. The rest as they say, is history.
In the last two years, Governor Seyi Makinde has, with pomp and pageantry, gifted different SUVs to different sets of people: Politicians, council chairmen, traditional rulers, musicians, journalists etc.
For instance, we learned from the record that the NUJ Chairman in Oyo State, Mr. Demola Babalola on the 27th July, 2023, about two months into the Governor’s second term in office joyfully received the key of his brand-new SUV whip, courtesy of the Governor. That day, Mr. Babalola recounted the series of events that led to that moment: “In July 2021 (2years ago) when we (Dare, Mayor and I) had a chance meeting with His Excellency Governor Seyi Makinde and discussion reached some point, the Governor felt concerned about the ‘plight of Nigerian journalists’ and he promised to change the narrative for the better”.
He added that on that day, the Governor promised to buy SUV cars as “gifts for our contributions to nation building and more importantly, to ease the tasks as stakeholders in the project Oyo State. “We appreciated him”, he enthused “and wished him the very best”. Two years later, we had almost lost hope in him but the Governor made good his promise and gifted myself and Dare SUVs as promised. Mayor had received a similar gift over a month ago”.
When the news broke that the ace radio presenter, Isaac Mayor Brown had been surprised with a Toyota Rush 2022 model on his birthday, June 3, 2023 by Governor Seyi Makinde, many in the public rejoiced with the veteran broadcaster. “This is your time to chop” many in the public argued. In response to the gift, the popular media personality thanked the Governor for the kind gesture and promised to continue to use his platform to promote good governance and contribute positively to the development of the state. In that long list of beneficiaries include Dare Adekanbi, another big name in the media landscape in the state.
Oriyomi Hamzat, another popular radio host and founder of a radio station equally came under public scrutiny when news emerged that he had been awarded a contract worth a billion naira in a book scandal that rocked the state for months. He was, as expected, fiercely defended by the Governor and the instrument of the state. There are, I must confess, other acts of generosity that the Governor must have embarked on, but that are kept away from the public. But this act of gifting cars to journalists is a somber and sober reminder of the grim reality of those saddled with defending the public interests regardless of whose ox is gored.
Sure, we need not talk about the degeneration and dysfunctionality of the Nigerian state: one where hard working, honest and brilliant voices have been rendered paupers and beggars. Again, we need not argue over the plights of journalists, who now live at the mercy of the political class. And pray that we are not reminded of the prevalent of the brown envelope syndrome that has permeated the media ecosystem.
Put together, the social, political and economic landscape presents an atmosphere of contradictions and paradoxes: one where access to a better life is linked to access to the corridor of power. While those journalists and media entrepreneurs are caught in the web of this ethical and professional dilemma, we must not be shy from discussing the precondition that led to this conundrum. In a rentier state, like Oyo, journalists do not just report the news as one anonymous scholar brilliantly summed it up, they wrestle with the weight of power that prefers silence over scrutiny.
Posterity in other words will judge those who choose silence over scrutiny or dare scrutiny over the perks and privileges of power.
OYO101 is Muftau Gbadegesin’s opinion about issues affecting the Oyo state and is published every Saturday. He can be reached via @Upliftnuggets on X, muftaugbadegesin@gmail.com, and 09065176850.
