Savalou inhabitants reject the proposal and expel the Commission which made it
A COMMISSION SET UP ON OCTOBER 15, 2008 BY THE PRESIDENT BONI YAYI AND HEADS BY RICHARD ADJAHO AFTER COMING UP WITH A PROPOSED TERRITORIAL DIVISION FOR BENIN, SPLITTING THE COUNTRY INTO TWENTY-ONE (21) DEPARTMENTS, HAS BEEN CHASED AWAY FROM SAVALOU CITIY.
Savalou city is a town situated in the central region of the country. Between Savalou, Dassa-Zoumé and Savè, there has been a rivalry over the choice of the capital city of Collines Department proposed by a previous draft which split the country in twelve (12) regions. When an attempt was made to implement the proposal the inhabitants of Dassa-Zoumé reacted violently. The Government therefore suspends the implementation and asks for a new proposition by setting up a Commission.
The Commission set up in October last year, conducted a throughout examination of the current administrative division and the previous proposal splitting the country in twelve departments (12), put forward the latest proposal with twenty-one (21) departments.
Therefore, the Commission had been instructed by the Head of State, the President Boni YAYI to raise public awareness on the subject, to tour the country and convince the people of the goodness of its work.
It is why the Commission convened on Wednesday, March 04, 2009 a meeting with the people of Savalou in order to explain to them the new draft for the country’s administrative territorial division.
The population does not like the proposition that the Commission chaired by Mr. Richard ADJAHO made. He was personally targeted by the remarks of the speakers. Here is what in response to his introduction, they told him: « …It's because your job is dirty and has not been convincing that the President has let you down by asking you to go and tell people you are its authors. Mr. ADJAHO, do you have anything wrong to blame on Savalou? …. Today, President Boni YAYI has entrusted Savalou with the chieftaincy of Collines Department, and it is still you who has been dispossessing it…Mr. ADJAHO, you are bad; you are the executioner of the Savalou city and nobody has forgotten here. We commend the President KEREKOU who has labeled Benin intellectuals as idiots. You are one of them. You are retired, stupid and amortized people, to whom; Boni YAYI has generously given State vehicles and money that you squander. We pity your children who are the ones that will pay for your deeds. If I were you, I would forgo this job…»
«ADJAHO, héélou! ADJAHO, héélou! ADJAHO, héélou!!! », they started shouting to utter their outrage.
As if this very tough speech was not enough to express their anger, Savalou’s populations have fallen short of lynching the Commission members that were touring the country to explain their work.
Thus they were driven off with sticks and hostile slogans. The Committee has nearly escaped a catastrophe. As one could imagine, this touchdown was one of the riskiest for the former Interior Minister Richard ADJAHO and his team. The tension was generated by the new territorial division whose they are the authors.
Since some voices have been admonishing the new proposal, it is the first real test the former Minister of the Interior had to face. Assaulted verbally, then confronted with an uprising, Richard ADJAHO withdrew in his car to avoid the projectiles that were thrown to him.
This event must be a wakeup call for the leaders of this country not to give into populism. Many analysts in the media have warmed about the consequences of this proposal which could be seen as a sign of weakness. It is as if the populations have come to the conclusion that as long as they could violently and brutally oppose the will of the State, the Government would relinquish its power and give into their demands.
Alfred Cossi CHODATON
alf2chod@yahoo.fr
A COMMISSION SET UP ON OCTOBER 15, 2008 BY THE PRESIDENT BONI YAYI AND HEADS BY RICHARD ADJAHO AFTER COMING UP WITH A PROPOSED TERRITORIAL DIVISION FOR BENIN, SPLITTING THE COUNTRY INTO TWENTY-ONE (21) DEPARTMENTS, HAS BEEN CHASED AWAY FROM SAVALOU CITIY.
Savalou city is a town situated in the central region of the country. Between Savalou, Dassa-Zoumé and Savè, there has been a rivalry over the choice of the capital city of Collines Department proposed by a previous draft which split the country in twelve (12) regions. When an attempt was made to implement the proposal the inhabitants of Dassa-Zoumé reacted violently. The Government therefore suspends the implementation and asks for a new proposition by setting up a Commission.
The Commission set up in October last year, conducted a throughout examination of the current administrative division and the previous proposal splitting the country in twelve departments (12), put forward the latest proposal with twenty-one (21) departments.
Therefore, the Commission had been instructed by the Head of State, the President Boni YAYI to raise public awareness on the subject, to tour the country and convince the people of the goodness of its work.
It is why the Commission convened on Wednesday, March 04, 2009 a meeting with the people of Savalou in order to explain to them the new draft for the country’s administrative territorial division.
The population does not like the proposition that the Commission chaired by Mr. Richard ADJAHO made. He was personally targeted by the remarks of the speakers. Here is what in response to his introduction, they told him: « …It's because your job is dirty and has not been convincing that the President has let you down by asking you to go and tell people you are its authors. Mr. ADJAHO, do you have anything wrong to blame on Savalou? …. Today, President Boni YAYI has entrusted Savalou with the chieftaincy of Collines Department, and it is still you who has been dispossessing it…Mr. ADJAHO, you are bad; you are the executioner of the Savalou city and nobody has forgotten here. We commend the President KEREKOU who has labeled Benin intellectuals as idiots. You are one of them. You are retired, stupid and amortized people, to whom; Boni YAYI has generously given State vehicles and money that you squander. We pity your children who are the ones that will pay for your deeds. If I were you, I would forgo this job…»
«ADJAHO, héélou! ADJAHO, héélou! ADJAHO, héélou!!! », they started shouting to utter their outrage.
As if this very tough speech was not enough to express their anger, Savalou’s populations have fallen short of lynching the Commission members that were touring the country to explain their work.
Thus they were driven off with sticks and hostile slogans. The Committee has nearly escaped a catastrophe. As one could imagine, this touchdown was one of the riskiest for the former Interior Minister Richard ADJAHO and his team. The tension was generated by the new territorial division whose they are the authors.
Since some voices have been admonishing the new proposal, it is the first real test the former Minister of the Interior had to face. Assaulted verbally, then confronted with an uprising, Richard ADJAHO withdrew in his car to avoid the projectiles that were thrown to him.
This event must be a wakeup call for the leaders of this country not to give into populism. Many analysts in the media have warmed about the consequences of this proposal which could be seen as a sign of weakness. It is as if the populations have come to the conclusion that as long as they could violently and brutally oppose the will of the State, the Government would relinquish its power and give into their demands.
Alfred Cossi CHODATON
alf2chod@yahoo.fr
No comments:
Post a Comment