“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.” Though often attributed to the American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, the thought speaks profoundly to democratic governance.
A citizen can support accountability and still acknowledge achievement. An opposition politician can question government and still commend it when facts demand. Likewise, a governor can accept criticism without abandoning his vision.
Unfortunately, politics, especially in this part of the world, seldom rewards such balance.
Instead, as one Greek philosopher stated more than two millennia ago, “The aim of politics is the highest good.” Politics, at its noblest, exists not to perpetuate endless quarrels but to promote the common welfare. When political rivalry overshadows public interest, everyone becomes a loser.
For almost one year, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State found himself at the centre of one of the state’s most fiercely debated projects; the procurement of two Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft.
What began as an ambitious security initiative gradually became a lightning rod for political criticism.
From newspaper editorials to radio phone-in programmes, from television panels to social media platforms, one question was repeatedly on the table: Where are the surveillance aircraft?
The delay became fertile ground for political attacks and endless criticisms as opposition parties questioned the sincerity of the promise itself.
Public commentators accused the government of overpromising. Some citizens genuinely feared that taxpayers’ money had disappeared into another endless procurement cycle. And they can not be blamed for expecting what was openly promised.
Others even went much further, dismissing the aircraft as mere political fiction.
Then later came the tragic and unfortunate abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Ogbomoso. The incident almost immediately transformed public perception.
The surveillance aircraft ceased to be viewed merely as another capital project. It became a symbol of whether government was adequately prepared to confront modern security threats.
Some even said the procurement was an afterthought by the Makinde government after the Oriire abduction while others outrightly dismissed the existence of any aircraft.
In politics, timing often shapes public judgment more than intention.
A Roman philosopher once warned, “The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law.”
Security is not an abstract policy debate, it is the foundation upon which education, commerce, agriculture and investment rest.
This is further backed by relevant constitutional provision as contained in Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which states: “The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”
Therefore, without security, development becomes little more than an architectural drawing.
Governor Makinde consistently maintained that the aircraft had been procured and that delivery was delayed by manufacturing processes, technical assembly, aviation certification and operational requirements.
But politics has little patience as an English philosopher once argued in Leviathan, one of the primary reasons societies establish government is the preservation of peace and security.
That means whenever citizens feel unsafe, confidence in government inevitably comes under strain and mistrust.
A political party even went further to issue an ultimatum demanding that the governor produce the aircraft, opposition voices questioned the procurement while social media became a marketplace of speculation.
There is an African proverb that says, “Until the hunter returns from the forest carrying his game, people will say he merely took a walk.”
For months, Governor Makinde remained that hunter. Then, on Tuesday afternoon of July 28, the hunter returned, not with promises, not with explanations, but with two Diamond DA42 MNG Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft that landed at the upgraded Samuel Ladoke Akintola International Airport, Alakia, Ibadan.
Receiving the aircraft, Governor Makinde explained why his administration embarked on the acquisition saying:
“When we decided to purchase these two surveillance aircraft, it was because of the sheer size of Oyo State and the need to secure it. We knew we had to complement the boots on the ground.”
Few sentences have captured the philosophy of modern security better; technology does not replace security personnel, it actually strengthens them while eyes in the sky complement boots on the ground.
The governor also acknowledged the public criticism that had followed the Oriire tragedy saying: “We didn’t anticipate the Oriire incident, and I’ve heard people ask, ‘Where are the two aircraft?’ I am glad they are now here.”
That single sentence reflected an important quality often absent in contemporary politics in Oyo state and by extension, Nigeria, which is the willingness to recognise public concern rather than dismiss it.
Another political philosopher once argued that government derives its legitimacy from the consent and confidence of the governed. Citizens therefore have every right to ask difficult questions. Governments equally have a duty to answer them, yet democracy imposes obligations on critics as well.
If governments must account for delays, should critics not also acknowledge completion? This is morally the right thing expected of any politician presenting him or herself as a noble individual with dignity worthy of public trust without being pressured to do so.
The people deserve to always be reminded at this critical political season one of the famous quotes of Plato, a great philosopher, that “The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.”
One celebrated British statesman who famously described democracy as the least imperfect form of government, also understood that leadership often requires perseverance in the face of relentless criticism.
Likewise, he reminded the world that “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
Those words resonate strongly today in the case of Oyo state with regards to the aircraft since it is the first of its kind since the creation of Oyo state.
For months, many had insisted in every argument that the aircraft did not exist but today, they sit on the runway for the people including Makinde’s critics to see.
Governor Makinde also disclosed that the aircraft were flown into Ibadan by Nigerian Air Force pilots and announced a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigerian Air Force for joint operations saying: “We are hitting the ground running,” he said.
That partnership deserves as much attention as the aircraft themselves because sophisticated equipment without professional coordination is like a beautifully sharpened cutlass left hanging on the wall while weeds overrun the farm.
The aircraft alone cannot defeat criminality but integrated intelligence, rapid deployment and inter-agency cooperation can significantly strengthen security architecture.
A French philosopher once opined that political liberty depends upon institutions functioning properly. Effective governance therefore requires not only vision but also systems capable of translating policy into practical results.
That is why Governor Makinde reaffirmed that principle when he declared: “We will always do what is right in the interest of our people because, in an atmosphere of insecurity, you can hardly achieve anything.”
On this point, few would disagree.
Factories do not thrive where gunfire fly like rockets, farmers do not cultivate fields overshadowed by fear, and children cannot learn while parents worry about kidnapping.
The months-long controversy nevertheless offers valuable lessons which is the fact that government communication matters, silence creates room for speculation, and regular updates inspire confidence because citizens deserve transparency throughout major public procurements.
At the same time, criticism should mature alongside evidence. A Chinese philosopher once advised that “When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inward and examine ourselves.”
The wisdom applies equally to governments and opposition parties. Both must constantly evaluate whether their positions remain consistent with emerging facts.
Now the facts have changed, the two aircraft have arrived, conversation should also evolve, but this is not to suggest that Governor Makinde should now be shielded from scrutiny. Far from it.
The true examination begins now.
Will these aircraft improve intelligence gathering, shorten emergency response times, reduce kidnapping, strengthen surveillance across Oyo’s expansive territory, and will they justify the public investment?
The lessons from the delay should inform future public communication, while the opportunities presented by these aircraft should shape future security outcomes.
History is rarely interested in political arguments for their own sake, it only
remembers results.
Ultimately, the arrival of these aircraft is neither the end of the story nor the final verdict on the Makinde administration.
It is the beginning of a new chapter.
If these aircraft help security agencies prevent attacks before they occur, protect farmers, secure highways, reassure investors and save innocent lives, then they will become far more than aviation assets.
They will become symbols of governance translated into tangible public benefit and if that happens, perhaps both admirers and critics alike will discover another timeless truth spoken that “Truth never damages a cause that is just.”
For now, one question lingers over Oyo’s political landscape like the quiet hum of the newly delivered aircraft.
Now that the promise has become reality, will Governor Makinde’s critics and opposition leaders acknowledge it?
As the elders say, “When the masquerade removes its mask in the marketplace, even those who doubted its identity must admit what their eyes can now see.”
Ibrahim Adekola writes from Ibadan