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The emotive political messages of entitlements beclouding our presidential campaigns have obstructed many from seeing the illuminating new political leadership emerging from the ruins of our agonizing current experiences, resulting in missed opportunities. This failure to closely and detachedly study the intricate socio- structural foundations of this political shift, has produced and resulted in genuine but misplaced anger. In the coming day, we shall witness a brutal but firm and reinstatements of political relations in Nigeria and the horrendous errors of Senator Bola Tinubu and its consequences.
First, a little digression. Between 1840-1843, in the twilight of Oyo Empire, just after the demise of Alafin Abiodun, Awole the new Alafin, weakened by the raging civil wars, was forced to abdicate and commit suicide by the powerful military chief of the Empire, Afonja of Ilorin, The Are Ona Kakanfo, who thereafter proclaimed independence from the collapsing Empire. In the resultant revolt against his rebellion, Afonja sought outside help, and collared Malam Alimi, the Fulani cleric for support. He got the needed support, but was overwhelmed and overthrown by his guests, inaugurating a new reign of independent political leadership in Yoruba land.
That incident has no parallel in planning, intensity, structure, and consequences, until recently, in 2015, when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, tired of his efforts to overwhelmed and decimate the PDP aligned with Gen. Buhari’s CPC to form the APC! A political marriage, conceived in Ilorin and delivered in Abuja. He was praised to high heavens, with ululating words, the English dictionary spared detailed meanings.
He became the undisputed National Leader of APC; Undisputed leader of Yoruba Nation. The King Maker. The Asiwaju. The Jagaban. The most powerful political leader in Nigeria. He was given free hands to choose any of his protégés for political glory, from Councilors to Vice President. His words were laws. Ambassadors waited to see him. Area boys shouted themselves hoarse in Thanksgiving. In 2018, In demonstration of his strength, he singularly demanded the removal of the National Chairman of his party, over the Faleke Slight. It was complied with. Ogun State was his breakfast. Osun State his lunch and Lagos State, the centre of aquatic delights his dinner. Lagos woke and slept with him. His good night refrains before jumping into bed to his fawning aides, was “ Eko fe lo su!” Lagos want to sleep! He was and still is the “ Ajinde” of Lagos. There’s nothing his heart desired that was not provided for him, until he started nursing presidential ambitions. Boom, the bubble bust and the Alimis of Aso Rock stripped him naked and drove him and followers away from the rocky fortresses of power. They doused his glowing and flowing ropes in nozzles of carbolic fuel. They seized control of the party and turned it into a directorate in the Villa. These were all calculated but firm signals of rejection of any plan to transmute from chieftain to royalty. Impervious to these messages, he rebuffed with Emilokan stating the stage for Afonja Treatment. In the next few days, the Alimis of Aso Rock, will show to Tinubu that a Pygmy standing on the shoulder of a giant may temporarily see more than the giant,even with commanding views of iniquitous power, but he is still a political Pygmy and that nothing, absolutely nothing will change the Alimi’s history of punishing ethnic betrayals and pursuing national political power as a survival strategy. In the next few days, something dramatic will happen that will totally and effectively shift the balance of power in Atiku’s favour. Jonathan is my witness.
Jefferson Uwoghiren, Esq.
4th February, 2023
Benin City.