By next year (2022), Ekiti State will once again go to the polls, apparently to elect a governor that will decide the fate of the State and its people for another four years.

No doubt, since the inception of this democratic era, governorship election in Ekiti State has not only been mostly curiously controversial but also of national security concern. It is a fact that, over the years, a good number of governorship elections in the State has been laced with electoral irregularities and political violence. This is evident in the State becoming one of the few in the federation consequently holding its governorship election outside the regular period of national general elections.

More importantly, in these past years, the electoral process in the State had always been dominated with styles, ideas and intrigues that contributed no value to good governance and genuine development of the State. Most aspirants have always been more concerned about pedestrian campaign styles characterized by mere propaganda, mundane issues and media stunts, instead of engaging on issue based discussion, deliberating on germane issues and presentation of realistic blueprint that could aid the socioeconomic transformation of the State and pushing its people to the next level of development and growth. This style and strategy have been currently christened ‘lori iro.’

Meanwhile, although, ‘lori iro’, which literally translates to ‘ mere lies’ is just becoming a regular coinage in our political lexicon, it has come out as a buffoonery lampoon to describe the oft dishonest political class.

It is just currently becoming a trending issue based on the consistency of its characteristics in our political governance and public administration in the recent times.

Ostensibly, the general populace are really tired of the insensitive political class to the task of fixing the nation and positively handle the multifaceted challenges confronting the society. Years after years and elections over elections, the people witness different political aspirants touring the space with different forms of political gimmicks and strategies which at the end of the day, have led to nowhere. The populace cum the electorate have seen in its abundance, political merchants in their different forms and nomenclatures, promising to make Ekiti Mecca of sorts, build the new silicon valley on Ekiti hills and make an average Ekiti person a Bill Gate of a kind. These promises have been nothing but tissue of lies and empty promises. ‘lori iro’. The least expected has not been achieved. Years after years and governments after governments, the agricultural system is still largely peasant farming, the educational system is still unproductive, the civil service is still not just demoralized but also ineffective, the majority of the youths are still aimlessly roaming the streets, the per capital income is still relatively low, infrastructure is still archaic and more astoundingly, the insecurity of lives and property is like never before.

The time has come again; for another opportunity. Are we still trading with our conscience through votes buying and selling? Are we still going for the highest bidder in terms of ‘see and buy’? Are we still going to be carried away by mere propaganda and media stunts? Are we still relying on who will tell us where our future should be against our conscience? It is definitely the high time to avoid ‘lori iro’ perspective and narrative. It is real time to sit down our aspirants and resourcefully engage them Inrespective of political affiliation, zones
of origin and size of purse,. It is time to look at the faces of our aspirants and sincerely discern if the future we envisage, at least for the next four years, is therein.