The “Trial of Brother Jero” Part 2. That is it. Fayose vs Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. It is already packing more twists and turns than a poorly written Nollywood script. We expected the movie. It was premiered long before it occurred. But we are still in shock about the dramatic elements. This is Nigeria.
While the entire country is not entirely sure of what to make of the Ayo Fayose and EFCC matter, good, old Jumbo has it all figured out. Trust Jumbo the all wise my veteran soldier and friend. Says Jumbo, “It appears that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission intends to give him a ‘fair trial’ and hang him. They had been planning his trial long before he committed any offence – if he did commit an offence. They had already prepared the hanging place. Fayose is a rat in midst of cats.” It should be as straight cut as that. A story fit for the cinema. But would it?
The court might make the difference or try to make a difference. Each of the cases against Fayose would meander its way from the high court to the Supreme Court. Somewhere along the line the court may stop the lynching party and give Fayose a breather. One can only hope that such breathers would not be short-lived, as another case would be cooked up (Dasuki style) to keep him bound in prison. EFCC does not want Fayose loose because he is like a loose canon to the APC government to begin with. Here is the catch: Fayose had committed too many crimes of the tongue (calling the President names) but has to be tried for crimes of the hand since the court does not entertain crimes of the tongue.
So far there is no evidence or research support for the argument that Fayose is more corrupt than one Rotimi Amaechi who was the governor of Rivers State. Amaechi had been indicted by a panel of inquiry set up by the Rivers State Government, but he bestrides the country with more saintliness than the Pope. Fayose has not been indicted by any panel yet he is on trial for multiple offences. The truth of the matter is that PDP is the capital city of corruption whereas APC is a paradise made up of saints.
One has seen something like this before – in a film. A sheriff who was known for overzealousness his enemy handed over to him by hired gun. He screamed, “Jumping Moses! It is you! I will deal with you in a way that you will never forget within your short life.” The deputy sheriff asked him, “So what do we do now?” The sheriff shook his fists at him and said, “Simple. We will give him a very fair trial and hang him. You go and prepare the hanging place, while I take him to the town centre for trial. I will get one or two guys to sit in judgment and the rest would be fixed up fast. Get the noose from behind the drawer. Make it tight and high. I intend to string him up and high above the town and leave him to hang there until morning.”
Former Ekiti Governor, Ayo Fayose, may have been found guilty by the EFCC before he even committed any crime. He was found guilty when he became the most acerbic attacker of President Mohammadu Buhari. He led the accusation that Buhari has no school certificate – whereas Buhari’s school certificates are with the army and he could hire fourteen Senior Advocates of Nigeria to establish that fact. He claimed that Buhari should do something about the killings by Fulani herdsmen, whereas Buhari was doing enough already in that area. What was Buhari doing in that area? Telling Nigerians to give the Fulani herdsmen land so that they will not kill again. After all, as the President of Nigeria and a Fulani, all lands in Nigeria belong to Fulanis. Simple logic.
As your grandmother would have told you, idol worshippers do not like anyone attacking their idols. You either worship their idols or ignore them. You either leave their idols alone or you invoke their ire. William Shakespeare was wrong when he said that “hell has no fury than a woman scorned.” Well that was about hell which one has not been to yet and do not intend to go to. But earth has no fury than an idol worshipper whose idol is scorned. Fayose should have known better than to scorn the idol of EFCC and hope for peace. Now the idol worships are coming at him with murder in their eyes.
We have seen travails like this before. He can only hope that he would not end up like Dasuki and spend the rest of his years under Buhari between the court and the prison. The Buhari government is a lot better than the Italian mafia and should be applauded for that. If it were the Italian Mafia, they would have killed him the first day he left office. But being a kind and benevolent government, the Buhari government hopes to give him some more time to think about his many sins and transgressions before nailing him.
EFCC is minded to use him to set an example that people like Jumbo should keep their thoughts about Buhari to themselves or risk the fury of mob. They want Nigerians to know that the right of free speech stops where the name Buhari is mentioned. A point you should note and write in your diary.
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