Politicians in the Lagos APC do not understand what democracy is all about because they have never experienced, tasted or practiced it. Since 1999, they have been toeing the same path of “Bourdillon sọ pé”. They have been working for one man and one man only. Compare that to Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo, Osun or Ogun States where people removed their governors without having to take instructions from a lord who to vote or not to vote for.
In Lagos, no initiative or discretion is allowed. Every member of the APC in Lagos exists for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu only. They cannot “misbehave”. They are like chickens in a cage. They don’t have thoughts of their own. Unlike in other Yoruba states where a sitting governor may not even secure a Senatorial seat. Where the preferred candidate of an outgoing governor may not win. In Lagos, dictatorship rather than freewill prevails. No one dare argue with Tinubu. It’s strange, very strange to see anyone do so. It’s a taboo. That is why everyone engages in a rat race to curry the favours of the prominent couple on Bourdillon Road. This explains why APC members who see Osinbajo’s declaration against their demigod should be forgiven. They’re not used to seeing people express a different or contrary view to the one expressed by Asiwaju. To them, Asiwaju is God. Whatever he says must come to pass. It is not in their character to think for themselves.
If Tinubu shows interest in having any of their wives, they will gladly and excitedly offer to personally take the wife to any hotel of Tinubu’s choice just so they can see him even if he will still discard them like a rag. The Yoruba call such attitude “Atẹnujẹ”. Atẹnujẹ is a word for both the unreasonable and desperate man ready to take any insults just to feed as well as the gluttony who is ready to do anything for the sake of a filthy lucre.
They call him Jagaban of Borgu, a town in Niger State because he likes to be so called not because the title per se has any serious traditional meaning or relevant to the chieftaincy hierarchy of Borgu. “Throw corns to the chickens”. That’s how he addresses his spineless supporters and followers. Whatever he says or ordered reverberates and resonates within the party structure in Lagos so quickly that instant affirmation follows. Even if there are superior views, no one dare express them.
The tamed political followership in Lagos cannot fathom how a mortal being can argue with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is a taboo. It is unheard of. It is sacrilegious. Having been weaned from the political dogmatism of Lagos State, VP Osinbajo’s declaration, much as it is a soothing balm to most Nigerians, remains an effrontery to Lagos APC members. They can’t think out of the box. They are quick to point to ingratitude or betrayal.
Pray, does the public office of Lagos State belong to the Tinubu family from which Asiwaju dishes out favours as he wills? Are the public offices not funded by tax payers’ money? Was Asiwaju himself not helped, assisted and favoured by the likes of PA Abraham Adesanya, Ganiyu Dawodu and co. over the late Engr. Funsho Williams in 1998? Has anyone bothered to ask how he repaid those elders and with what he repaid them? Within 8 years, Asiwaju used nothing less than 3 deputy governors. What does that tell anyone about his team play?
Babatunde Raji Fashola was not to be given a second term ticket until Tinubu saw the handwriting of Lagosians (not Lagos ACN of the time) on the wall. He reprobates and approbates at the same time.
Because of his unquenchable thirst for primitive accumulation, Lagos State has lost all the gains of the Fashola years. The State now looks like a big chaotic scene of a horror movie where nothing functions. Don’t blame the Lagos APC members. They ain’t used to democracy. They are strangers to independent mindedness.
But they should be reminded, whether they recognize it or not, that the patronage Tinubu dishes does not belong to him or his family. It is a commonwealth. The man Asiwaju, does no favour without expecting quantum rewards in return.
This is the character the Lagos APC members want as Nigeria’s president. Take a look at Lagos where the sitting governor, who’s a general manager reporting to a CEO, can barely think of his own accord. Take a look at the dysfunctionality of the city of Lagos under his supervision and you wouldn’t want Nigeria to become likewise. (Published as received).
LATEST POSTS
- Afe Babalola gives conditions for truce with Farotimi
- Nigeria Will Become Leading Agricultural Export Nation By 2025 – Tinubu
- Pained by global rush for Farotimi’s bombshell, Afe Babalola sues to seize royalties, block Amazon, others from distributing judicial corruption bestseller
- When an Activist is Hunted by His Activism: A Case of Dele Farotimi
- Nigerian governor’s sister shot by armed robbers dies
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER NOW
TEXT AD: To advertise here – Email ad@matazarising.com