I find the furore over Dele Alake’s representation of Ekiti in PBAT’s newly-announced partial list of cabinet members interesting, but not surprising.
I am fully aware that if you scratch many Nigerians’ skins – or should I say Ekiti home-based? – there is an anti-Diaspora sentiment somewhere, whether of foreign Diaspora (from outside Nigeria’s borders) or internal Diaspora (from outside Ekiti borders, like Alake “Lagos boy”, or even Governors Niyi Adebayo (another Lagos boy), Fayose (Ibadan boy), Oni (Kenya boy) and Fayemi (London boy) were once considered) – until you prove yourself. The problem is the near zero-sum game of our local Nigerian politics – the great dependence on who you know or are close to – the farther from Ekiti, the fewer people REALLY claim to know you and can ask for favors.
Even there are internal Diaspora who resent foreign Diaspora, not knowing that the cane used on the old spouse – male or female – is still hidden on the ceiling for the new spouse’s benefit. Xenophobia abounds.
Dele Alake I know, right from our Christ’s School days – he was two years or so behind me – with many Alakes attending UpSchool, some ahead of me. He is not from Abeokuta, despite the name. He is from Ikoro-Ekiti, and lobbied hard for his Eso Obe LCDA recently. He can represent Ekiti State well in PBAT’s cabinet. I submit.
Bolaji Aluko
Ode-Ekiti, Aiyekire LG
July 29, 2023