NIGERIA, A MONARCHICHAL APPARATUS by Mafu SHABA

  The game of Nigerian politics is getting hotter by the day. Is it actually a game? No! It was a game before now; maybe in the early sixties, in the formative years of Nigeria as a country when the sane and the sage were involved in the construction and the reconstruction of an entity called Nigeria. In the process of time, the game has metamorphosed into a trade and war. A trade by batter where cash is exchanged for conscience. The resultant effect being a mortgaged future of the target audience who are the already impoverished, and drenched in life-wrenching experiences. It is a war fought by the conspiratorial elites against the deceived and docile populace which constitute their booty of war. It is a war of attrition armed viciously on tramping on the consciences of the sufferers with cash being the major arsenal, an irresistible condiment to the famished populace who are laced with programmed poverty. It is another war fought in the theatre of those who have spent and may be schemed out among the elites.  It is a vendetta by snuffing life out of the perceived or real opponents, the instruments of war this time is the army of the energetic unemployed who like a baited fish sink its gills in a deadly hook. Their lives are wasted as well as those who are the major targets of vendetta. The picture is a recurrent decimal at every election period in Nigeria.

Close to a year gone by now, no serious governance has taken place among the two of the three tiers of government in Nigeria. These are the Federal and State governments. The Local Government, the third tier of government are grossly handicapped. It is an appendage of the State Government, so they are not relevant in political discourse save that they the cows that are milked for the financial fortunes of the States that host them.

 Nigeria is broiling for general elections in 2023. This involves election into the highly esteemed seat of the President of the country, and into the two national Houses of Parliament - the House of Senate and the House of Representatives. Most States will be going into gubernatorial and Houses of Assembly elections. In fact, it is an election season. Very soon, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will clear the political atmosphere for campaigns in Nigeria. For now, it is the conduct of primary elections to choose various candidates who will stand to contest with other candidates of other political parties to determine who becomes what, in the final analysis, in the national political space. The final conclusion of all these will come to bear in 2023 general elections.

For the political parties to successfully elect a candidate who would be the standard bearer of the party, each party would choose its system of primary election; that is, they would choose between direct or indirect primaries. In direct primaries, all eligible voters within the political party would queue to elect their candidates but in indirect primaries, delegates would elect the candidates of the various parties. This is like electoral college in a Parliamentary system. It is one of the avenues for the elites to sell Nigeria by buying of votes.

The elites who have ‘ruled impeccably well, and preserved our common heritage and patrimony without any iota of corruption issues’ are coming back in full force to continue their divine assignment of governance. These politicians must burrow holes like earthworms to get the ticket by all means. For instance, the former Governor of Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria, Mr. Ayodele Fayose is gunning for the presidency under the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party. Meanwhile his son, Joju Fayose has already secured the ticket to run for the House of Representatives under the same party. He will represent Ekiti Central Federal Constituency 1, if he wins in the general election. This is not new, anyway. It is just adding to the catalogue of those making Nigeria a Monarchy, by extension of their selfish and greedy political ambitions. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, is also gunning for the Presidency, he will meet his wife, Mrs. Remi Tinubu, who has been a Federal Senator for quite a number of years now. So, husband is the President and the wife an ‘eternal’ lawmaker. In Delta State, former Governor of the State, James Onanefe Ibori has pleaded with Deltans to vote for his daughter, Erhiatake Ibori Suenu who is gunning for the House of Representatives. She will represent Ethiope West federal constituency. She will continue to make the Ibori family politically relevant in Delta State. This is how governance goes in Nigeria. It is now by heritage, graduating into monarchism.

More intriguing in this parade is the manner in which these contestants secured their tickets. For instance, in Kogi State, it was alleged that some aspirants into the House of Representatives shared motor-cycles worth N370,000 to each delegate, some got deep freezers worth N120,000 while others received $200 each. An aspirant was even alleged to have shared N500,000 to some delegates. Meanwhile, a new dimension was said to have been added to the vote-buying, the buying of Nigeria by the elites family. In another dimension, it was alleged that a representative who contested for the House of Representatives under the PDP gave a computerized pen to each delegate to vote for him. Unknown to the delegates, the pen which would be used to write his name as they voted for him, automatically records the name of the contestant on it. This was to ascertain who actually voted for him or not. But to his chagrin and anger of the contestant, some of the beneficiaries did not vote for him, therefore the pen did not record his name on it. He therefore, in an unfeigned anguish and anger, collected back his pens from the deviants. About fourteen of those who defaulted returned the pens - by force, with the accompanying N500,000 each earlier attached to the pens.

The question is how did they get all these monies, especially those who are civil servants? Why are they so desperate to get to that seat? What is so special in being a “Servant-Master” that should command such desperation if not that these people are set to finally ruin this country with untamable corruption? Local newspapers are currently inundated with the story of how former NIMASA  boss, Basiru Jamoh has allegedly looted the sum of N1.5 Trillion, $9 Million, while an Oyo-born Ex-Accountant General of the Federation,  Otunla  has allegedly refunded  the sum of N6.3 Billion to avoid prosecution. Meanwhile, the recent Accountant-General of the Federation also, Ahmed Idris, who is currently under suspension has been accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of looting the sum of N80 Billion. All the aforementioned are civil servants. Only God knows how much these present crops of politicians who are even ready to exchange their private parts for votes would embezzle if they eventually get to these exalted and coveted political positions.

 Nigeria has been shared by the politicians who are running this country. It is now run like a monarchy where each ruler steals for himself and his generations unborn, while those visibly living could go to Hell for all they care. Each State is ruled by a particular family of Descendants. Which way, Nigeria? Which way, the electorates?

 OBASEKI, TAIWO AKERELE AND THE NUJ'S MISSING BUS DEBACLE by JOHN MAYAKI

SOURCE: johnmayaki.com

The Edo State Government, under the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki, has continued in its recklessness and infamy of hiding behind slanderous lies, and propagandistic claims that inadvertently advertise its incompetence and dysfunctional state, to avoid responsibility for its ever-increasing failures.

Two full years after offering his resignation, the government has only realized that its ex-Chief of Staff, Mr. Taiwo Francis Akerele, purportedly left with 10 vehicles belonging to the state government, including one assigned to the state’s branch of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and another, to the Correspondents chapel.

Curiously too, this convenient recollection and latter-day angst over a supposed act of official plunder was made at an engagement with ranking members of the NUJ who, like all other associations and institutions in the state, are displeased that more than five years in the saddle, the Obaseki-administration has failed to meet any of its promises, both big and small.

If Taiwo Akerele indeed went away with a fleet of cars purchased with taxpayers’ money, why has the state government kept mum on the matter and only surrendered the information as an excuse to the leadership of a protesting union two years after the fact?

Given its self-proclaimed status as a government fighting against phantom powers in the interest of the people, a government that has made its success about keeping the state treasury from the reach of some unseen hands – never mind the fact that senior members of the administration continue to be caught with their hands in the till; then it beggars belief that it could watch a member leave with what is essentially an entire garage of state vehicles.

Where is the evidence of a formal report lodged against Mr. Akerele with the Police or any of the anti-corruption agencies over this alleged illegal act? Surrendering items and tools purchased with taxpayers’ money is a fundamental obligation all members of the public service must meet upon the expiration of their tenure – whether statutorily or abruptly. It is a process explicitly defined and protected by the public service rules. The government has the means and wherewithal to prosecute an erring individual – especially one that left in a circumstance that was certainly not cordial.

But no report was lodged, and no effort made, because no vehicle was taken. Mr. Akerele has not been in hiding. He has continued with his public policy engagements across the country and beyond. He was even sighted at a state function in government house during its 5th year anniversary last year. Yet he has received no petition nor invitation. Such a petition would be based on facts and evidence, not fiction invented by a self-styled Pastor who lies more than he breathes in oxygen.

The sad truth is that the Obaseki-administration is a rapidly unfolding disaster. It has reached the end of its wits, has lost the plot, and is no longer capable nor willing to manage the compounding problems of the state. When confronted with incontrovertible proofs of its failure at every turn, it invents the strawman and places the blame at the feet of others.

Now it has gone full circle, desperately digging and mining the past for individuals to blame. Mr. Taiwo Akerele is the reason the NUJ is denied what should have long been awarded despite leaving the government two years ago. Can the government at least do the people the honors of presenting respectable lies to them? And for responsible journalism, the task to unravel this blatant and brazen lie raises a deluge of questions about the profession.

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Source: Greg Baker

THE SUBTERFUGES OF THE POLITICIANS IN PRE-ELECTION PERIODS IN NIGERIA.

by SHABA MAFU.

One of the common characteristics of politicians in Nigeria is their programmed and conscious deceitfulness of the general public, the voting populace. What amazes me is the ease of success they normally achieve during the periodic festivals of lies and deceit. I may truly wonder whether it is an oath they secretly undertake that they must be unrepentant liars. Jocularly, someone said that they are like some of the Nigeria Police personnel who engrave bribery and corruption as part of their Curriculum, and statutory responsibilities.

If one goes through some roads in Lagos State at present, especially the Trunk C roads which belong to the Local Government and LCDAs, one would observe some construction works going on there. It baffles a reasonable person to observe that it is only when elections of whatever sort are coming up, that these so-called infrastructural developments begin to resurrect. The construction of these infrastructure is usually in tandem with the printing and campaign posters of those intending electoral positions in all the nooks and crannies of a mega-city. Did I just say a mega-city? Whether there is an actual correlation between the political positions contested for at different levels in the polity, these politicians work in synergy, in subterfuge to earn their ‘victories’ in next elections through well-coordinated deceptive programmes to hoodwink the electorates.

They would begin with the road constructions. Later, it will be graduated to sharing of gifts (conscience-destroying bribes), returning of out-of-school children back to school, paying both WAEC and NECO fees for those whose lives were originally mortgaged by the same politicians, through their penury-inflicting policies. All the piety displayed by most Nigerian politicians are only bracketed in hypocrisy and self-righteousness. They ventilate deadly political gimmicks to perpetually enslave the already decapitated and battered electorates.

Unless there is a synergy, yes, synergy and mass mobilization like the #ENDSARS protests among the enslaved, to demand their freedom through legitimate participation in the electoral processes, most Nigerian politicians are not ready to jettison this age-long, fertile political crookedness. Every adult should exercise his civic rights of the suffrage to vote out or bar deceivers from gaining power. We must endeavor to get our Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), participate in non-violent electoral processes, monitor all the processes and ensure transparency of the entire system. The electorates must be wary of their enemies who wake up for spontaneous road constructions as a deceptive means to garner votes for their selfish ambitions. The issue of collecting bribes should be consciously and vehemently resisted even though the electorates have been made poor so that they could not be able to resist the temptation of accepting bribes.

Unless we elect to take our destinies in our own hands, these so-called people’s representatives will continue to wet our sacred heads with fermented urine at all times.

EDO STATE ELECTIONS AND THE GIFT OF DEATH FOR THE PEOPLE. - by SHABA Mafu.

 

Picture:courtesy of Vectoral graphics

No matter how hotly contested an election is, it will certainly come and go. The most ideal and important thing in all such situations is that the players at any levels outlive the electoral processes so as to enjoy the expected dividends of democracy. Many elections have been conducted in Nigeria. Some people who wanted to die for their country in the most dishonourable manner have gone with the elections while those who were wise and desired to live have stayed alive. Nigeria, as a country, and the component states will always outlive any elections. This should be the pivot on which all issues revolve, particularly to those who are courting violence in the forthcoming Edo elections.

Barely three weeks from now, Edo people will be filing out to choose who will lead them in the next four years as the Governor of the State. Precisely on the 19^th of September, Edo people will surely decide between the top contestants of the race. These are Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Peoples Congress (APC) and the incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). On the 31^st August, 2020, The PUNCH newspaper (online platform) authoritatively reported an arms build-up in Edo state as the gubernatorial election gathers momentum. The Newspaper under the caption, “POLLS: Parties clash as IG fingers politicians in arms build-up”, reported that “the IG stated that the Election Security Threat Assessment Report submitted by the Commissioners of Police from both states in a meeting held on August 25 also revealed the use of inciting statements during political campaigns and a high likelihood of violence and possible cross-attack by political opponents.

First, I would like to submit that whoever agrees to collect a gun from any politician for the purpose of perpetrating mischief is the greatest fool ever living on the soil of this great country, Nigeria. The question is how many of the politicians’ children carry guns for the elections for their fathers? How many commoners do you see being chauffeured away in Armoured Personnel Carriers or a standing helicopter in the face of violence, being ignited by same fleeing politicians? Come to think of it, who Is actually your political opponent? Your kinsman? Your next-door neighbor who have lived peacefully with you at least for the past four years, who belonged to another political party of his choice. This person was your neighbor until campaign started, and a ‘stranger’ came and talked ill about someone who ordinarily had not personally offended you. With his oratory power like Lucifer deceived you to the extent of such hatred that you agreed to collect a gun to terminate the life of your neighbor or at least a human being. Sadly, after the killings, these deceiving politicians never fulfilled their electoral promises. Once elected into that office, the same politician becomes invincible. Whilst they campaigned, the door of access was thrown open to them by the so-called commoners in every community or town they chose to enter. He is accompanied to campaign grounds with drums and dances with special songs composed in his name, but once elected and becomes an ‘Excellency’, you need to write series of letters begging him, praising him in order to fulfill his electoral promises he freely gave during campaigns. Kings and high personalities have to pay courtesy calls to pamper this political colossus striding the political heath of the state, an individual who someone was murdered for his sake. You become more a commoner to this exalted principality. When he is asked to give account of his stewardship, he turns around to brand you an enemy, and deploys all his executive might to finish you up. This was the same person someone was gunned down for. None of the candidates is worth the blood of ordinary goats, not to talk more of a whole human being created in the image of the Almighty God, a member of the human race. Which politician is worth even the stale blood of an animal? Who?

History has proved that most politicians do not love his people (his constituency). They only flash their teeth like a British harlot, during their campaigns. They satisfy your IMMEDIATE needs like food, drinks and go ahead to hatch personal agenda hidden in the basket of flavoured lies. Having shown you a fading and fake love, you will be recruited to their assassin squad. No human life can be quantified in monetary terms. The prospective hoodlums to be recruited must know this clearly. If the lives of these hoodlums have been made worthless by the same politicians they want to kill for, the lives of other people remain very sacrosanct and very useful to the owners.

The security operatives must be up and doing to nip any criminal intent on the buds. The Police have already taken a proactive step by virtue of the information flowing to their domain on the possible violence and “cross-attacks of political opponents”. They should ensure that they are not compromised by financial inducements. Any compromise could be very suicidal.

Regarding the use of violent speeches during campaigns, politicians should be mindful of what they say. Apart from the fact they are capable of inciting damning violence, they are character-assassinations and hate speeches which this present government has seriously frowned at. No matter the violence by the politicians, we still have a common irretrievable denominator, an indisputable oneness; we are still from the same State, Edo State. If not for the left-handed politics of Nigerians, brilliant and productive individuals from other political parties could be invited to form a government to give the best for a people. Unfortunately, the systems of rewards have always beclouded the political system.

In my conclusion, it is very possible to conduct the elections in Edo State with all civility and decorum without any threats to public peace, not to talk more of threats to the lives and properties of the people of Edo State. All the stakeholders, the politicians and their followers, the Police, the electoral umpire, the traditional rulers, the media, etc should join their hands together to ensure a peaceful election in Edo State. The National Orientation Agency should also wake up to her responsibilities during this volatile period.  Edo people must deliberately reject the gift of death by self-serving politicians. They are humans like you, and in no way better save just the privileges they are exposed to, which privileges you may be favoured with, sooner or later.

BETWEEN THE GULLIBILITY OF THE NIGERIAN ELECTORATES AND THE SUBTERFUGE OF THE NIGERIAN POLITICIANS - by SHABA Mafu.

 “The rain that beat Africa began four to five hundred years ago, from ‘the discovery’ of Africa by Europe, through the trans-Atlantic Slave trade to the Berlin Conference of 1885. That controversial gathering of the World’s leading European powers precipitated what we now call the Scramble for Africa, which created new boundaries that did violence to Africa’s ancient societies and resulted in tension-prone modern states. It took place without Africa’s consultation, to say the least. Great Britain was handed the area of West Africa that would later become Nigeria, like a piece of chocolate cake at a birthday party”.  (Achebe C: 2012, There Was A Country.).

The above assertion about the enduring pains caused by the European enslavement of Africa through their many programmes of underdevelopment has stood the test of time, as Africa, Nigeria in particular, has not recovered from the devastating effect of the European’s manifest atrocities. The violence and lack of proper thinking bequeathed on the Nigerian society have also stood out as one of the heritages of the properly orchestrated evil of the serial oppressors. This ‘legacy’ has birthed untold hardships on the citizens’ psyche in nearly all the endeavours of life till date. Prior to the needless incursion of the European explorers and exploiters, Africans lived in communalism, in peace and harmony fostered by nature and ageless tradition. But since the ‘discovery’, yes the “discovery” of what had even transcended the existence of Europe, by the Europeans themselves, most of the atrocious legacies bequeathed by the usurpers may have been eroded with time save that of gullibility by the impoverished governed and by the subterfuge of those who govern. This is now the replica and the elongated indigenous faction of the European system that trended in the era of serial iniquities of the European overlords, targeted against the “Black, uncivilized and uncultured Africans living in a dark continent”, in their own definition. Nigeria was carved out as a principal victim of this continental absurdity.

The typical Nigerian politician is as crafty as those who brought modern politics to bear on the African soil. Their subterfuge has advanced to the level that they now tutor those with the patent right of this deadly machination. A Nigerian politician cannot be termed as a true politician if he does not apply a sophisticated level of deception on those he is craftily looking for their support in the bid to gain power to steal from the public coffers. Those who, like the devil had craftily employed this whim have been applauded for years for their ‘political dexterity’ because they could successfully swindle the impoverished minds of the electorates. A typical Nigerian politician is as slippery as the eel. There was a popular man in Ibadan, South-West Nigeria, who was very good in this artistry. He was highly manipulative and talked with the two sides of his mouth almost simultaneously. Despite the demise of this man, his name and fame remain unequalled to this date when it comes to manipulative expertise in the political space. Despite the fact that he was semi-literate in Western education, his manipulations brought him enormous wealth. His name has become a proverb in the political parlance in the country. Whoever can successfully swindle others to get a particular political advantage (obviously to the detriment of the voting public) was usually called that name. More unfortunately so, crafty souls in Nigeria’s political world are also revered and called Maradona. It is a common knowledge that the legendary Argentine Diego Maradona, one of the world’s finest footballers, scored a football into a goal post during the 1986 FIFA World Cup competition in the most cunning way, that it took the deployment and application of highly sophisticated scientific gadget to unveil his “divine” craftiness. When he was eventually caught, he defended his action and ultimately branded his ill-gotten popularity by craftiness, as the “Hand of God”, that is, it was the Hand of God that scored the goal. This is comparatively the level of decadence the politicians have grown into in Nigeria. They mystify, glorify and deify their evil deeds.

On the other hand, the Nigerian electorates have been so pauperized that the only option left for them to survive is to be dragged by the nose by the politicians to do the latter’s bidding. The pauperism of the voting populace has become a deliberate policy of those who rule so as to whittle down any possible revolution or to prevent a dire quest for accountability of their stewardship. Close to election periods, candidates of political positions, particularly those who seek a second term in office deliberately (but tacitly) commit abominations to those they intended to imprison further if elected for the second term. One of the atrocities usually committed against the populace is that, besides placing an embargo on employment upon assuming their positions after winning the elections on their first term, they would wittingly stop paying the salaries of those who were ‘lucky’ to be in their employ. When another round of elections is drawing near, and particularly during their campaigns, they climb the podium and tell their employees who are part of the voting populace that they (the contestants) have directed the Ministry of Finance to release three months salary arrears which is part of the twelve months salaries owed the workers, to be paid with immediate effect.  The immediacy applied in the circumstance would appear if they had the best interest of the electorates at heart. But it is actually grand deceit from their twisted minds and consciences. Regrettably, the spontaneous claps that will rent the air and the ovation that would greet these deceivers by the electorates will beat the imagination of a normal discerning heart … but this has become the avoidable fate of an emasculated populace, dejected employees, and ravaged victims of political rapists. This has also further revealed how hollow and empty the citizenry have been left to be. The politician will continue by making empty promises of what he would do when he is again elected. He then goes on to emphasize his seriousness on this by raining thunderous abuses on his opponents to score cheap political points. After the noises, he directs those with the official parcels brought to the campaign ground to dole out some packaged grains of rice, and possibly some few Naira notes to his castrated victims in order to seal up their present and continuous doom.

The electorates go back home chanting and deifying the rogues who have stolen their future in advance. The insults hurled on the opponents would be turned to a melodious song composed by an Artiste, a member of the voting population and would be sung throughout the campaign period.. This is where we have found ourselves in Nigeria and in our politics.

Until the electorates consciously demand serious and periodic accountability from these politicians who hold public offices, who carry about the emblem of public trust, Nigeria will continue to be in disarray, and in the dismal bliss of underdevelopment. Until the electorates refused to be fooled by the studied subterfuges of these crafty elements, reject their policies of deliberate pauperism, and their Greek gifts to soil their consciences, public funds will be siphoned by this few who deceive the masses. Until sentiments and emotionalism are reduced on the side of the electorates and thorough comparisms of candidates done irrespective of political affiliations, they will continue to fall into the hands of these sworn swindlers.

The bulk of this kind of political revolution lies squarely in the shoulders of the electorates. They must use their voting rights and powers to determine their future and those of their children. The electorates must be wiser this time around and refuse the temptation of being bribed. They are to determine the political climate and the tempo, and block the possibility of sharing the commonwealth among only the politicians, like the British who shared Africa like “the chocolate cake on a birthday party”. The electorates must bear in mind that a bribed man is a weakened man. Bribery blunts a hitherto sharp conscience. Let us rise up and enjoy the commonwealth together. The wealth does not belong to only the politicians whose main methodology of doing things is through their subterfuges. Take responsibility!

NIGERIAN POLITICAL SYSTEM AND GODFATHERISM by SHABA Mafu

The concept of godfatherism is morally regarded as a misnomer in the public sphere. But looking closely, the concept assumes another nomenclature in other areas of life. For instance, godfatherism is in the issues of admission into higher institutions of learning. Godfatherism is also noticed in the areas of employment in the name of nepotism. On a milder and more subtle masquerading of the concept, a godfather may also be called a mentor. In the academics or social life, the word mentor could objectively mean well because the mentee may never have seen or benefited directly from his mentor. He only aspires to share the same qualities of his mentor. For instance, many would love to speak and write like the literary icon, Professor Wole Soyinka while having nothing to benefit directly from the academic guru. This is the semantic difference between a mentor and a godfather.

On the political scene, a godfather is the one whose ‘offspring’ is tutored, held by the nose, and led around to tacitly do his bidding while the offspring pretends to serve the generality of the people when elected into an office. Godfatherism is one of the indispensable factors in Nigerian politics.  It is a deliberate sign-up to the slavery of the beneficiary of this ill-driven concept. The offspring of a godfather is most times an unqualified candidate by the normal standard, picked up from nowhere to stand for an election in the midst of other qualified contestants. This beneficiary is usually someone who is adjudged to be pliable in the hands of their slave-masters. He is pulled out of the blues and initiated into the ‘cult of the elites’ and meant to possibly undertake a secret oath of loyalty - first, to the godfather and his cronies, then subsidiary loyalty to the electorates. The beneficiary is made to basically implement only the policies and programmes approved by the godfathers, therefore perforating his independent mind and thinking of this victim of imperialism. Like a typical new recruit to a secret cult or a new student of an institution, the beneficiary may not know the long-term implications of the oath of secrecy and loyalty he is entering into, by agreeing with the deal of the political ‘imperialists’. If I may quote Pastor W.F. Kumuyi in one of his messages, he said that “most people do not know the future consequences of their present actions” – this is the lot of the slaves of godfatherism. On the other hand, like the typical fetish African priests, the godfathers see the political end from the beginning and therefore craft their ways to arrive at such ends, with surreptitiously deadly dispositions.

When the political offspring is padded like a tubeless tyre into the political office, he is expected to begin to majorly execute the policies and programmes of the godfather in the course of governance. The beneficiary is usually treated to a dilemma when, having inaugurated an Executive Committee, dances between humans and the gods to fulfill expectations. While the Executive Committee might be bamboozled to adopt some unpopular policies crafted for the ultimate benefits of the godfather, some may not be comfortable with them because the policies may not be tailored or wired according to democratic dividends. The ruler blinks fast every time he attempts to convince his colleagues. When under pressure, he runs to the godfather for palliatives/ameliorations. He is usually under pressure from the both Executive Committee, Legislative Council, and his godfather himself. When he can no longer endure the pressure from the Executives or the legislature, there will be threats of resignations from the Executives or even outright impeachment threats from the sides of the legislature. The product of godfatherism especially in the political space of Nigeria is usually an unhappy leader. The problem of such an individual is when his shock absorbers are faulty or become weak enough to accommodate the travails associated with signing a deal with taskmasters. At the end of the day, the electorates brand such as an under-performing leader who needs a replacement. While that may be true to some extent, the leader was actually dancing to the music of a secret drum played by these ferocious godfathers.

The greatest undoing of beneficiaries of godfatherism is when they become naïve and amateurish enough to confront their godfathers maybe simply because they are opportune to access the fortunes and powers of the office. Such “ingrates” would unknowingly have been treading on self-planted landmines. For instance, in the current imbroglio between the embattled Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, it is common knowledge that he is a product of godfatherism. His political godfather is Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. In the process of time, the Governor fell off with his benefactor. He raged and did all he could do to rubbish his godfather. From a wise perspective, he would have treaded cautiously.  Suspicion is rife here that he may have bad advisers who propped him on for a very futile battle.

Fast-forward, he faced a Screening Committee of his political party for nomination into primary elections coming up on the 22^nd of June, 2020, with the same certificates that ‘qualified’ him in 2016 gubernatorial elections in Edo State. While his godfather who would give him the greatest political blow in his life was smiling at his amateurish foe, Obaseki in his childish innocence or ignorance rushed to the Screening Committee with his controversial certificates. He was woefully disqualified. Obaseki laid landmines for himself. He was blown off irredeemably with his wings of self-delusion. His predicaments could have been salvaged if he had not fallen off with, not only his godfather, but other critical stakeholders of his political party, the All Progressives Congress, the APC.

Ordinarily, there could have been two options fashioned out for Obaseki, by his political party if all was well with him and his godfather from time immemorial. These were: first, the All Progressives Congress, his political party could have asked him to keep his controversial certificates and presented only his Ordinary Level Certificate which would constitutionally qualify him as a gubernatorial candidate, scaling the primaries effortlessly. This they knew quite well, but Obaseki had to pay for his atrocities. He fought the gods and the godfather. On the other hand, if the APC as party would want to avoid the embarrassment they were treated to in the Bayelsa State elections where the Supreme Court nullified the results of the party’s candidate twenty-four hours to the inauguration, Obaseki would have been made to reach a gentleman deal with his party -  to step down for a more qualified candidate,  and then rewarded with a juicy political appointment afterward, either at the State or national level. But that cannot be in the present circumstance! He fought with the gods. He must pay for it.

The challenges of godfatherism in Nigerian politics are enormous. It cages the beneficiary, brings underdevelopment to the affected constituency and to the country at large. It encourages corruption and ineptitude in governance. While godfatherism cannot easily be expunged from Nigerian politics, it behooves the beneficiary to be highly diplomatic; an astute player of politics, and a “balancer” between his benefactor, the government, and the electorates. It takes a man who is humble or seen to be humble by his “employer”, to avoid playing into the hands of these taskmasters. Whoever benefits from godfatherism should learn to touch the two ends of the pendulum; if not simultaneously, then at least very close to it.

CORONAVIRUS SPREAD AND SOCIAL DISTANCING IN NIGERIA, by Mafu SHABA.

As at now, the novel global pandemic known as coronavirus or COVID-19, holds a popular name like the “OMO DETERGENT” (a household name) which is used to call every detergent in the past, before some could actually identify that name as just one of the brands of detergents. I was discussing with a little child in our neighbourhood some days ago, and jocularly I asked her why she has not been going to school for some time now. She replied that coronavirus is staying in her school, and waiting to catch her. And that she will not step into her school until her parents told her that it is safe to go there. Meanwhile, she decked her face with a face-mask, befitting her size and age; and she dubbed it that everyone has become “lagbaja”, a popular musician known for covering his identity by wearing a facemask, in Nigeria. I laughed and when I was about to end the conversation, she advised me not to shake hands with anybody and that  I should make sure that I don’t get too close to anybody. I was genuinely shocked by her ingenuity. I still marveled at the intelligence of the little girl up till this time I am writing this piece.

The above background goes to prove that of a truth, wisdom is not by the number of years already spent on earth here. Some people have grey hair practically representing a good experience of absolute foolishness, arguing against what is glaringly and genuinely real. Grey hair on some peoples’ heads represents only a fool’s cap. The federal government in the bid to partially relax the lockdown as announced by the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, on the 27^th April, 2020, specifically mentioned social distancing and the use of face masks as part of the measures to curtail or reduce the spread of the deadly and infectious virus.

The lockdown expired at 11:59 pm on Sunday, 3^rd May, 2020. The following day, Monday, 4^th may, 2020, was to witness the people actually going on with their businesses and expectedly following the directives of the federal government. Contrary to wisdom and simple logic, many people across the areas hitherto on lockdown, specifically Lagos State, Ogun State, and the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja), aborted their maturity and carefulness, and did the unimaginable. They failed woefully to adhere to the simple directives of the federal government.

To start with, the commercial vehicles who were instructed to carry 60% capacity of the passengers, loaded their buses to full capacity, even with the Conductors hanging loosely on the buses like a stranded monkey in an abandoned zoo. More so, at various Banks across the areas, particularly in Lagos State and the FCT, there were thick crowd of people, typical of a Crusade programme, gathered at the premises of some of the Banks. Humanly speaking, this misbehavior might be expected. It is a spontaneous reaction of people who believed that they have been “caged” for a long period of five weeks. On the other hand, this reaction can’t be devoid of deliberate foolishness and recklessness on the part of the citizens. Not only was the social distance rule flouted, many did not even use their face masks. When some people speak, they naturally pour out some particles of thick saliva (though as involuntary action), a social problem that could precipitate the spread of this virus. This is one of the essences of face masking. The following day, being the 5^th of May, 2020, also witnessed the same level of carelessness and recklessness on the part of the citizens as well.  One would have expected that there would be some sense of decency and sanity than the previous day. But it baffles one that the people were steadily increasing in their folly.

I shared my observations with a neighbour and consciously probed why a child, sometimes, could be more reasonable than some adults. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had issued a medical directive on social distancing but the adults who ought to have a complete understanding of the concept flout it with reckless abandon. I also queried, on the Bank issue how much someone could withdraw at the deliberate peril of his own personal health and safety? She answered that many of the people who flooded the Banks do not have the Debit cards popularly called the ATM cards. I did not fully subscribe to the assertion, anyway. Those who had ATM cards complained of service-charges when they withdrew through the POS, she further opined. I simply told her that the people are thinking from an anti-clockwise position, which is basically compounded foolishness because even banks deduct various service charges from customers' accounts. 

I want to submit without any intent at all, to be pessimistic or sinister, that if social distancing is actually one of the potent ways of curbing the spread of COVID-19, which is been ruthlessly flouted by most Nigerians, the federal government may have lots of issues to grabble with in terms of infection, and possibly high rate of casualties in the coming weeks. It is more circumspect to adhere to the counsel of the Federal and State Medical Personnel than to be ignorantly and obstinately complacent to this supreme guide. It is better to be cautious and stay safe, alive, and healthy than to be anxious for living more comfortably. The common saying that Health is Wealth (and not the reverse) still applies in the present circumstance we are faced with. The government should review the situation and help the citizens from embarking on deliberate mass suicide occasioned by this recklessness of the citizenry. This is a danger to themselves, and also to the lives of those who are willing to live.