POLITICS OPINION: NIGERIA POLITICS: JOGGING ON THE SAME SPOT

By Femi Abulude 

The question on the lips of well meaning Nigerians and friends of the country is “Is

Nigeria Jinxed?” The   reason behind this question is not far fetched. All positive efforts to make the Nation work had always met brickwall. She got her independence in 1960 from the British Colonialists after several years of agitations by some patriotic elements on the political landscape then. The enthusiasm was infectious. The new nation had all what it needed to be great.

This hope for greatness was cut short few years later by military adventurists. Thus the political gladiators of the first republic were shot out of existence. Civil war ensued, many lives were loss and since then it has been stories of woes. Along the line, mother luck smiled on Nigeria, she struck crude oil in commercial quantities and we started spending money like the biblical prodigal son.

After years of political acrobatics, democracy was re-instated for the second time in 1999 instead of serving the people, the “New Breed” politicians started milking the populace. The unfortunate thing is that most of the fire-brand Gadflies who fought the military government to stand still could not make it to the political driving seat. The fortunate ones are the military apologies whom the military leaders were using as cannon fodders during their regimes.

Several political parties fought for elections in 1999, PDP got the highest votes; they won the presidency, most of the states and the two Federal Houses; Senate and House of Representatives. This was the commencement of the period of the jackals. It was free for all. Everybody was in-charge; there was no respect for party supremacy. Impunity was the order of the day. Democratic norms were thrown overboard. Nigeria became a pun in the hands of PDP for about sixteen years. Things eventually fell apart and the centre could not hold again for PDP, the self praised largest political party in Africa. Despite the federal election that was drawing near then, the broken china of the PDP were scattered all over the place and nobody could gather the pieces.

It was at this period that All Progressive Congress (APC) came with the “Change” Mantra with want of credible alternative to PDP Nigerians fell for the “Change” Slogan. Yours truly enthusiastically composed a song then. It goes thus:

“This wind of change

That is blowing in our land

Let it touch us all

Positively for that matter

Lets feel it oh!

Chineke meh

Abasi nbo

Obangiji

Metalokan o!

Let it touch us all”

The slogan worked. Table turned and APC won the elections at the centre. It unseated the sitting President, Goodluck Jonathan and Gen Mohammed Buhari got convenient majority members in the Senate and House of Representatives, the party won most of the states. That put an end to sixteen years rule of PDP. We thought Eldorado had come, how wrong we were!

Politic is a game of numbers. While in the quest for power, APC threw its doors and windows opened for all comers. This free for all entrance allowed the influx of dregs and disgruntled elements of PDP into APC. Most of the discredited former state governors and members who already had cases with Economics and Finance Crime Commission (EFCC) found their ways into the Senate and House of Representatives, some were even made ministers under APC. Within a short time, they became a formidable force within the party. They overpowered and over-shadowed the original owners of APC. Before we knew it, APC became Pseudo PDP.

It was their perpetual transfer of acts impunity and camaraderie that was responsible for the emergence of Ike Ekeremadu, a staunch PDP Leader as the Deputy Senate President. This was unprecedented in the annals of political history of Nigeria. This is pure evidence of APC being the two sides of a Coin. As if this was not enough, a Former PDP Chairman, Audu Ogbe, is the present Minister of Agriculture in Buhari government. The Senate President, Olusola Saraki, who has become a recalcitrant, was a two term Governor of Kwara State under PDP.

The unfortunate thing is that all positive efforts to move Nigeria forward by Buhari Government are being thwarted by these PDP elements in APC. They have seen APC as a safe haven against prosecution for their earlier committed financial crimes. These set of powerful elements in the Senate refused to approve, Ibrahim Magu, whom Buhari presented as the Chairman of EFCC. You can now appreciate why this war against corruption could not achieve much and the nation has been on a permanent state of stagnancy after more than two years of being on the saddle.

The crux of the matter is that our expectations are too high due to what we went through in the hands of PDP hawks. These expectations had beclouded our sense of judgment we are expecting someone coming fresh from the toilet to be smelling of roses. The home truth is that PDP has polluted APC to the extent that the venom has rendered it incapacitated that is why the wind of change could not blow. The President is always gasping for breath at the enormousity of the challenges, we are jogging quite alright, but we have not moved from the same spot.

The interesting thing now is that another election would soon come and the remnants  of the PDP are warming up. Even some decampees are returning to the party. You can now realize that the whole exercise is just personal aggrandizement and not service to the people.

The general consensus now is that we are tired of all these recycled elements. It is obvious that they cannot move Nigeria forward. They have got to their wit-end. They cannot perform more than what we have seen and experienced. They should give way or better still we should shove them aside and allow new and fresh idea to take over the political driver’s seat. The action should start now.

CAGED

By Femi Abulude

Peju was introduced to me as a business partner by Lasun. If his reputation with women was anything to go by, there would be more to it than just business associates. It did not take long before I was proved right. Peju was economically buoyant no doubt about it, and she used to dole out money to her close associates. True to type, she was enhancing Lasun’s business. When we became closer, she also showed interest in my business. She sent a sum of N250,000 through one of her friends called Tinuke. I called her on phone and expressed my appreciation. I also told Lasun and implored him to help me thank her.

Few months later, Lasun brought an invitation card of a funeral ceremony. He said the late Chief was Tinuke’s Uncle. I know this girl, she was the one Peju sent with the money she gave me, Lasun also gave me the cap material chosen for the party.

When we were preparing to take off for the party, Lasun advised that I should put on white coloured agbada Lace materials as he had done, I obeyed him. I later realized that Peju and her friend, the celebrant wore white Lace materials too. Come and see the spectacle. The four of us turned, out like two jolly couples, with purple head gear and cap to match.

Well wishers and invited guests were coming to exchange pleasantries with Tinuke. Some were even giving her gifts. I was hearing some of them whispering to her “S’awon niyen?” meaning “Is he the one?” insinuating if I was her husband. Surprisingly Tinuke was answering them in affirmative! I called Lasun aside and intimated him on this development. He explained that Tinuke had separated from her husband long time ago. That the guy had even travelled abroad and re-married. Since that episode she had been very wary of men.

 I felt a little relaxed, hoping that the play acting role would end after the party. How wrong I was? Few days later, Peju called me and said I should see her because she had a very important issue to discuss with me, what could it be? We have not seen each other after the party. It was only Tinuke that called to express her appreciation.

On the appointed date, I met Peju in her shop already waiting for me. I was ushered into her office. Everything about this lady smelt of wealth. After the initial pleasantries and appreciation for honouring her friends invitation to the party, she went straight to the point. “Mr. Olajide my friend said she liked you and would want both of you to start a relationship. Tinuke is a nice lady. “I’ve known her right from our secondary school days. Since then we had remained inseparable. She can never be a problem to you, instead she can add value to your life”. What answer should I provide for this poser? I asked myself .

Before I could say anything the door of the rest room flung opened and Tinuke emerged beaming with smile. “Ranti how are you? Thank you for the other day” Just like that! It has now become Ranti and not Mr. Olajide that she was calling me before. Peju just changed the topic. After some general gists, she called one of her maids and sent for food. She instructed her aloud to be fast. She came back in a jivy. When she set the table, the meal was arranged in two places, meaning I had to eat with Tinuke. That was how the relationship evolved.

Tinuke said she was looking for a more befitting house as the one she was staying was too small for her. She eventually got one at Mowe. According to the care – taker of the new house, the Landlord had given a stern warning not to give out the house to either a bachelor or a single lady. That was how I was drafted into the rent issue. She had to fill the form as my wife and I countered signed as her husband. It looked strange, “Mrs. Olajide” when the real Mrs. Olajide was at home! After some months, Tinuke claimed she was pregnant. I kicked against this and told her to terminate it. She refused and started calling me unprintable names. I stormed out of her house in annoyance and stopped picking her calls, I didn’t pick Peju’s calls as well.

When I told my friend Lasun about the development he thought it was funny. “Ranti, these ladies can take care of themselves, why are you bothering yourself over nothing?” He waved it off “Lasun, its easier said than done. See what you have caused. Can you face my wife and tell her what has happened and the roles you played or better still, if Peju gets pregnant for you can you look your wife in the face and reveal it to her? I now realized how stupid I had been listening to you”. I stormed out of his office in anger.

Out of desperation, Tinuke came to my house one Saturday morning. It was my wife that opened the door. I followed her to see who was at the door it was Tinuke! She brought out a sheet of paper and said she was looking for a certain number on the street. My wife told her that she has come to a wrong place. What an irony! Tinuke thanked her, gave me a cold look and left. I heaved a sigh of relief. I am already in a cage. Who knows what she would do next? Tinuke is at the verge of breaking my home. What can I do now?