It may seem odd, but it is true, that in such matters as politics and friendship or acquaintanceship I am often in reasonable sympathy with conservative attitudes that would compel me not to object to the wrong acts and actions of my friends or of persons I know but not so well who are in politics in our land. In this wise, believe it not, I am, in a way, like General Muhammadu Buhari who is in politics, number one, to brand his political opponents or enemies or both as bad and corrupt – even when they are clean or seemingly so and, number two, to label his friends as good, incorruptible and above board – even when they are as rotten as a rotten egg or seemingly so. But I am not, very honestly, like him. I will seriously admonish any wrong doer, friend or not. Am I contradicting myself? Am I making a statement of truth? Maybe. Maybe not. But why am I in this frame of mind right now? I really cannot, in truth, proffer an answer for this question.
All I can say is that several thoughts about our country are on my mind as we approach a “new” beginning, GMB’s “Next Level” politics – which will be or will not be; which may be or may not be. The vision is blurred even though its divine authority comes from its usual source of revelational procreation…
I move on to Kano where classical royalism is at war or in conflict with democratic belligerence, or better put, where bold royalism is in conflict with classical conservatism masquerading as progressive gubernatorialism. Why should a royal father not speak truth to duplicitous gubernatorial power? So because one is a royal crown-wearer, he should not, must not, ought not to exercise his right of and to free-speech of truth, that, to boot, is compellingly provocative and exacting. So because one is a Sarkin or an Olu or an Oba or an Obi or an Igwe or an Ovie he should not, must not, ought not to raise issues or force a governor, the governor of his state, to face questions and possibilities that are meant and designed to benefit the people? Any person, be he a traditional personage or not, who speaks publicly with particular and moving urgency to the issues or subject matters facing our country and our respective states today must receive our special commendation. In truth, such a person is a person of high value in our wretchedly capitalist country that is a poor follower and imitator of the modern capitalist world-order. What is the visionary message for Kano and the dramatis personae, over the brewing something resembling a new communal or cultural system that misused, misdirected power is establishing? It is not good – the vision – but I must keep it in abeyance. Perhaps I should tell the allegedly bribe-taking Kano governor to dash or hop-step-and-jump urgently to Enugu to have a prophetic chat with Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka of the Catholic Adoration Ministry. Unless the Reverend Father fakes it, Ganduje will definitely have a glimpse of both the literal and symbolic forms of his diminishing power and the scourge that will be his permanent guest.
But let us brush aside our little pre-occupation with Kano and give our critical consciousness to Edo State our Edo State of real political tribologists and politrickers who can be critically duplicitous. Interestingly, I know quite a number of men and women who are staunch and critical members of the two major parties in the state. Some of them are fabulous fellows who are rational patriots, nationalists and cultural icons of the first order. Deliberately, I have been silent about the happenings in the state despite promptings from diverse quarters to offer an impartial scrutiny of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration. Of course, I understand the various sentiments of those who itch that I say something. Do I like what is going on in the state? Has Governor Obaseki kept his promises to the electorate? Has he faithfully kept his promises to the people? Did he not visit, for instance, University of Benin branch of ASUU three or so years ago when he wanted the union’s members’ votes and promised to slash drastically and radically the obnoxious tax his predecessor and god-father, his once-upon-a-time god-father, imposed on Uniben workers through the alleged instrumentality of some Uniben persons who betrayed their fellow workers? I can go on and on, but it is needless to do so, for now.
Now I hope it will not seem a self-serving thing to say that the primary or main reason why I am prompting myself to say something about Governor Obaseki’s administration concerns my sole prophecy that he would succeed his once-upon-a-time, godfather (I say it again) as governor of Edo State. Governor Obaseki was a nobody then politically even though he was the immediate past governor’s economic adviser-in-chief or seemingly so.
At that time, too, that is, at the time I uttered the words that he would be the next governor of Edo State he was not visibly visible and transparently exemplary in the eyes of Edo friction-creators, the political tribologists and politrickers to be their governor. But the ways of God are not the ways of men. God spoke to us through the great Masters of contemplation who spoke to me to utter the divine words that have since come to pass. By the way, we know not Godwin Obaseki. He similarly knows us not.
What is the revelational message this time? I must keep you in suspense before I divulge it. I must keep you in critical suspense which is a theoretical and practical necessity. Don’t ask me why.
A lot of camouflaging jargons have evolved from various quarters of the ruling party in Edo State. Some of these are incoherent; some possess a messy force. What is unmistakable is that there is a kind of intra-party squabble and friction akin, sincerely speaking, to intra-party anarchism presenting itself as an alternative to the status quo. All is not truly well within the ruling APC in Edo State despite the camouflaging denial of Governor Obaseki himself.
Ex-Governor Adams Oshiomhole himself correctly foresaw what the All Progressives Congress in his state is witnessing today. He said a number of times as he was nearing the end of his governorship that he would not mind if his successor did to him what he himself did to those who helped him to be governor. The power of the spoken word is the power of the spoken word. I have just paraphrased the ex-governor – rightly or wrongly, but the law of retributive justice never fails. Besides, in the always-ready realm of continuously political and human disagreement and betrayal Oshiomhole’s apprehension cannot but come home to roost. In a state such as Oshiomhole’s and Obaseki’s of alert political tribologists and politrikers this cannot but be expected. And the Igbinedions – father and son – don’t need to coerce or compromise anyone here and there to chuckle coherently and incoherently after a job well done or not well executed.
Without wishing to prolong what I am saying or without wishing to present all I should present as delivered to me by the Masters of contemplation as clearly as clarity, let me un-extravagantly illustrate as follows: “Governor Godwin Obaseki shall return and he has returned. Three hundred Oshiomholes and more cannot remove him, cannot un-seat him. Governor Godwin Obaseki has returned, as the next incumbent governor of Edo State.”
This is a blow to my friends in APC and PDP, who are would-be governorship aspirants. I give them my honest and creative sympathy. Divine words are divine words. My friends and those who are not my friends should un-heed me at the expense of their cherished peace of mind and ambitious political future. And they should learn from the pastor and a lawyer to boot who refused to listen to the divine words that told him from me to let Obaseki be after the incumbent Edo State governor defeated him in the last gubernatorial election. Then I was a columnist elsewhere. Radical or conservative uncertainty should not compel them to do what they should not do. We have spoken – with transparent humility.
In any case, we all should know and understand that our country has space for alternative acts and alternative intentions which shall be articulated at the appointed time. We have spoken. And what we have spoken is not a puzzle that is puzzling. But why was Obaseki chosen before, and why is he chosen again? The ways of God are not the ways of humans. I speak with profound humility.
Afejuku can be reached via 08055213059 (SMS only).
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