Ajimobi has once again showed us the dearth of our government institutions, which are, in practice, more and more subsumed into the single office of the top executive. The powers of the president and governors are swallowing our government institutions and this system of democratic autocracy is unsustainable.
In 2016, the serving governor of a State in the South West of Nigeria went live on air at a radio station to admit that his aides had advised him to demolish the building housing the station. The reason given was that the owner of the building and station was a critical voice against the governor’s administration, who deserved a harsh lesson for his dissent. The governor claimed to have ignored the advice because he saw no reason to go ahead with the demolition. Two years after, Abiola Ajimobi, the governor in question, authorised the demolition of parts of Music House, which housed Fresh FM, the radio station in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Although the matter has since been resolved, this is a classic display of political gymnastics, where a two-faced politician says one thing and turns around to do the opposite. Beyond the treachery and lack of integrity that stands out in the Music House episode, there are many other unpalatable details that show the defect in leadership in our country. Leaders like Governor Ajimobi ‘ascend’ unto the throne of political office to wield the kind of power that only traditional rulers in old Yoruba kingdoms could wield. I mean the notion that the king could do no wrong. Perhaps, governors ought to be addressed in the same way as Yoruba obas are still addressed today – kabi o kosi or the more common, simple truncated version, Kabiyesi, which literally means “there is no questioning you”.
For Yinka Ayefele, the owner of the demolished building and chairman of the radio station, the episode will be one he wants to quickly put behind him. Having achieved success despite losing the use of his legs in a ghastly accident in 1997, Ayefele has proven over the years that he is made of tough stuff that helps him rise above challenges in his life. More importantly, his music career has brought him the love and affection of millions of Nigerians, and his against-the-odds rise to fame also attracts the admiration of many. After condemnation from Ayefele’s many well-wishers, the governor had to do another about-turn when he pledged Oyo State resources to rebuilding Ayefele’s Music House.
The question of whether Ayefele’s Music House was in actual violation of Oyo State’s town planning laws comes secondary to the question of why the government chose to act now, after the governor’s statement in 2016 on Fresh FM. Even though the spokesperson for the governor claims that all appropriate notices had been served on Ayefele since 2017, before the eventual demolition on August 16, 2018, the comments of the governor in 2016 and after the demolition are so much in contradiction not to suggest ulterior motives at play. The rule of law is only effective when laws are invoked and upheld transparently and timeously, and not when the ruler/governor decides it is convenient to do so.
What is more disturbing is that the trend of selective enforcement of the law is not unique to Ajimobi’s government in Oyo state, as it is replicated all over the country. There is also controversy about the disregard of a court order in this matter that sounds only too familiar to Nigerians, as the rule of law seems not to apply to institutions of government or political office holders in the country.
…if Ajimobi’s character and attitude since he came to power had been better, one would have been persuaded to believe that his inconsistent position on Music House was something other than oppressive power playing. Since he became governor, he has governed like an absolute ruler who determines the good or bad fortune of his subjects on the basis of his emotions.
If the story of the government is to be believed, then it means that the government knew that there was a defect in the development of the property but continued to accommodate and levy the defective building for years before the governor of the day decided that it was time to apply the law. This is an unsustainable system, not only for its obvious incompatibility with the rules of natural justice, but for its destructive impact on society and the institution on government. The outcry should not be viewed as an emotional defence of a loved popular singer, but an appeal for sanity and integrity in office.
Also disturbing is the claim from Ayefele’s camp that the demolition was put in motion because Fresh FM had been unrelenting in its criticism of the Ajimobi government. If this is true, it would mean that the entire episode is a result of muscle-flexing by an administration that cannot handle criticism. Again, this is not altogether shocking in the Nigerian context, as it has somehow become part of the power dynamics in our politics for people to openly be punished for going against a sitting government. Our kabiyesis in high office believe they are chosen by God to dispense power and make determinations at their whim.
Perhaps, if Ajimobi’s character and attitude since he came to power had been better, one would have been persuaded to believe that his inconsistent position on Music House was something other than oppressive power playing. Since he became governor, he has governed like an absolute ruler who determines the good or bad fortune of his subjects on the basis of his emotions. The other day, it was Ajimobi who angrily addressed protesting students of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology like an emperor that must never be challenged, instead of a calm reassuring leader. It would seem that his ego is driving his government as he is more interested in obeisance than he engaging in clear debate about his performance or failings.
One wonders how many more cases have fallen between the cracks, because the victims were not popular musicians with large following, which can spell danger for a politician’s political party or plans for succession. That is the real worry of the Music House episode, as it gained publicity because of the status of the person involved. Our society runs a democratic system, which emphasises the shared burden of power across the citizenry, through their electoral choices. In reality, autocrats emerge from this system most times, to oppress the people who are the real custodians of power. These autocrats that emerge neither acknowledge the power of the people nor make their welfare the priority in decision making.
The old Oyo empire was volatile and the rulers needed a strong hand to rule the extensive territory. Perhaps, Ajimobi has been caught by the spirit of those old times and forgotten that we run a 21st century democracy, a deliberate system of government with departments designed to work independently.
Ajimobi has once again showed us the dearth of our government institutions, which are, in practice, more and more subsumed into the single office of the top executive. The powers of the president and governors are swallowing our government institutions and this system of democratic autocracy is unsustainable. Governor Ajimobi had no reason at all to be involved in any notice from the Oyo State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban development in Ayefele’s matter. Yet, he got involved in 2016, and this last August, for reasons best known to him, which are likely not in the least based on any respect for the rule of law.
In an ideal situation, this matter ought not to have risen higher than the appropriate ministry involved, and any notice in respect of it should have been followed up with whatever the due process demanded at the time that any defect may have been discovered. From the reports, it appears not even the ministry knew how to handle the situation, probably because of political interference.
The governor’s involvement was clearly not a case of micro-management by a dedicated chief executive, it was simple political interference. Institutions need to be allowed the space to flourish, and their heads and staff need to be held to the highest standards. Ayefele is not above the law because he is a popular musician or a successful physically challenged person, but any right thinking person would agree that the circumstance of this case is heaped in suspicion of ulterior motives and official misuse of power. The rule of law has likely been used as a weapon, instead of a shield by Ajimobi’s administration.
The old Oyo empire was volatile and the rulers needed a strong hand to rule the extensive territory. Perhaps, Ajimobi has been caught by the spirit of those old times and forgotten that we run a 21st century democracy, a deliberate system of government with departments designed to work independently. He, and all others like him, need to discard their emperor’s hat and act like the public servants that they are.
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