Nigeria - Pre-historically, the world has seen kingdoms come and
go. Indeed, one of the numerous philosophers that history has known is
said to have prophesied that, “no kingdom lasts forever.” Perhaps, that
saying, if correct, might be coming true for a novo-prince Nigerian
politician in the southwestern climes.
This “prince’s” story sounds like a typical Indian movie-yarn which was a
popular fare at a town in Lagos known as “Pen Cinema” where this same
self “impostor” has allegedly converted to a personal estate, demolished
and built up condos, shopping malls and banking halls et cetera today.
He wants to be known as “Leader of the Yoruba” race after the venerated
Obafemi Awolowo but the tides are turning.
Perhaps, Alhaji (Ja-gaba-n-somewhere in the north, Chief, ‘Asiwaju’)
Bola Ahmed Tinubu might spare a few moments of his “very boogey time” to
reminisce upon the historical antecedents of one of the world’s
numerous political dynasties, which boomeranged. It is about an Indian
of humble beginnings who failed to heed the creed that, whose palm
kernel-nuts were cracked for them by benevolent spirits, must not forget
to be humble!
It is about the Shaishunaga dynasty. Shaishunaga, or Susunaga, the
founder (ofobscure origin) may have initially served as a mere orphan.
Gradually he came to be associated with the early Magadhan capital ruler
and re-established an important city of in the northern Indian province
of Bihar. However, during his “reign” he failed to be humble and
eventually got “brutally murdered” politically because of his greed.
That sounds like ‘Asiwaju’ Tinubu’s story, but let us look at another
scenario … of the Yoruba group of the Nigerian people who ‘Asiwaju’
Tinubu, in mere wishful thinking, considers himself as “leader.”
Perhaps, this is not only because they number possibly 20 per cent of
the national population, but also because the Encyclopedia Britannica as
lists them scattered in “significant groups” in countries as far-flung
as Cuba (North America/Caribbean), Brazil (South America), Benin
Republic, and Togo (West Africa).
That encyclopedic entry says something profound about Yoruba women
(a.k.a. persons cultivated by others to be “domesticated”): Yoruba
“women [or “acquired” numbers] do little farm work but control much of
the complex market system – their status depends more on their own
position in the marketplace than on their husbands’ status.” It is
simple to understand: the “cultivated” among certain classes of people
(employees, political associates, or even protégées) must not always be
taken for granted.
Herein lies the miscalculation – no I did not write “folly” – of
‘Asiwaju’ Tinubu’s serendipity. He forgot to be humble and now he has to
force himself to eat the proverbial humble pie!
Has anybody noticed that, Tinubu, since badgering the national polity
about being the cosmos that brought about the emergence of the ruling
All Peoples Congress (APC) and so must dictate all trends therein, has
suddenly gone silent since President Muhammadu Buhari obviously clipped
Tinubu’s wings? Case in point is the much awaited #TheList.
One is intrigued that, a whopping 83 senators, dominated by no less than
59 APC of whom Tinubu claims to be “national leader,” have passed a
vote of confidence on their President, Bukola Saraki – a name that
Tinubu never wants to hear as Senate President. Mind you, there are only
108 senators currently, given that one died before inauguration.
Take a mini-census: literally all the people Tinubu put up for
“safe-zone” posturing (positioning for personal Tinubu power) in the
National Assembly have been chalked out politically and legally
including Ahmed Lawan, George Akume and lately Kabir Marafa … keep
counting.
Oh, it was to be Lawan for the Senate presidency or nothing – certainly –
not any Bukola Saraki according to the Nostradamus alias ‘Asiwaju
Jagaban’. But, that was not going to be, perhaps, because a more
pragmatic and brilliant politician in Saraki, says so. Surely, the
“Jagaba-n-Bida” does not seem to have noticed. In the Hausa language
predominant in northern Nigeria, the word “jagaba” translates lead but
the attached “n” represents the word “of” in the English language. So
the Jagaba-n (which most people misconstrue as mythical) is just like
saying, for instance, the “Jester-of-Borokiri.”
But, back to germane national matters, against all avowals as to who
Tinubu liked, wanted in, favoured or cared most about, virtually all
have been shorn of respectability by Buhari and the APC. Note that,
never did Tinubu ever wish that any word sounding like “Fashola,”
“Fayemi,” et cetera could appear on anything tagged “ministerial list.”
Now, all those and more “non-Tinubu” words are prominent there on.
Or, did any person expect that both President Buhari and the APC (the
party of which Tinubu’s domineering influence is anything now fast
diminishing) could so ignominiously ignore the self-aspiring leader of
the Yoruba?
Indeed, even in Tinubu’s South-West political zone where claims to be
king, it is no longer anything as politically rosy as he sees his
spurious dynasty. Instead, most of people he claims to be his foot
soldiers politically are beginning to read the graffiti and getting used
to aligning with the realities of the times: the the man is suffering,
perhaps, from an aggrandizement of self far larger than the political
image he paints of himself. It is not only the manner in which both
former President Olusegun Obasanjo and sitting Ogun State Gov. Ibikunle
Amosun shot down Tinubu’s plans for the Federal Cabinet, but also in the
manner in which Obasanjo (especially) dashed Tinubu’s hopes to thwart
Saraki’s Senate presidency. Perhaps, Gbajabiamila is learning the bitter
lessons of blind followership.
Meanwhile, one is tempted to encourage the very erudite propagandist
Alhaji Lai Mohammed to similarly see the light and stop bickering over
his misfortune of becoming governor of Kwara State instead of Bukola
Saraki (many years ago) in different political party tags at the time,
and now concentrate on being confirmed minister of nigeria. Blind
followership is simply over: anybody who is honest with him/herself can
see that Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s political ascendancy has gone the way of
all earthly kingdoms. Exile beckons, perhaps
Harold Adebola Smith is a political commentator.
In
a sudden turn of events, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and
Public petitions has announced the suspension of the petition against
former Rivers governor, Rotimi Amaechi.