Politics is such a self-asserting, humbling undertaking. At a time you are on top of the world basking in the glow of the newfound power. Instantly, you become the toast and envy of others because of the resources under your belt. With power, you are a mini-god, an unquestionable being who’s above board. As a politician of note, people’s troubles, tragedy, and topsy-turvy become yours. And your moments of happiness, excitement, and sadness become theirs. In a poverty-stricken setting like ours where sentiment is rife and prejudice high; people would naturally swarm into your residence like bees to eat and feast; wine and dine, and cry at times of tragedy and misfortunes.
For a country like Nigeria and a state like Oyo, politics is more than service – it is an avenue to rise above the pack – while ultimately coming down to that pack. Humanity and humility might be politicians’ choice watchwords but those who believe them do so at their peril. In a way, those who get to power and forget its transient have a long, sorrsorrowfuln excruciating experience to learn one that will reset their heads – once the glitz and glamour of power fade away into thin air. Nobody stays in power forever. In part, because history is indeed interesting that it serves power brokers a delici0us yet poisonous delicacy – depending on which one they ordered.
Today you are relevant, tomorrow you are not. Today, you are influential, tomorrow; you are ordinary. In the grand scheme of things today, your share of the cake is as massive in the way the position you occupy is as relevant and significant. But in of months, the same tool that propelled your meteoric rise may also witness your spectacular fall. Of course, we all know the end of those who ruled with iron fists and high-handedness – and those who lead with purpose and genuine hearts. The past might be long but the events of history are as fresh. From the horns of Africa through the sand sea of Sahel, and the blistering sun of the Sahara, history is the same.
Brutal dictators, and great plunderers who mowed and railroaded their people are now dumped in the backstage seat of history. They are defined by the death and destruction brought to their people. They might be part of our distant past, we can only hope their mistakes remind those who till our resources and steal our patrimony of their tragic end. In Africa particularly, we have a history of dictators who become a law unto themselves. We still contend with their vestiges today. There are countries and states in our country where leaders have etched and entrenched that sit-tight syndrome into their people’s psyche. They have tweaked with their people’s will and have continued to clamp down on voices of dissent. But history has also been kind to us in ways never imagined. Throughout history, we now know that brutal dictators are as powerful as their enablers. Once those who backed them back out, their power and confidence dramatically tumble down. This is not always easy when the dictator is smart and clever.
As a dictator, once you know how to oil the engines of your backer, efforts to yank you off the seat of power will always hit the brick wall. But when your greediness is bigger than your selflessness, coalition against you becomes simply inevitable. Where I come from, we have a saying that those who kill by sword must die by the sword. In other words, those who get to power on account of a coalition only to throw such agreements under the bus also deserved to be frustrated out of power by the same coalition. For Governor Seyi Makinde, the chances of his re-election are quite slim. Masses are aware of his high-handedness, and emperor-like leadership style. He couldn’t have won in the last election without the massive and overwhelming support he enjoyed from across the board. In this current dispensation, he is the first politician to get to power and turn against those that helped him. He’s biting the fingers that once fed him.
He has shown his utter disdain for those outside his inner caucus. When the electoral booty came, he deliberated to cut others off. He is the only one in charge of everything. Where loyal party members were supposed to have a say, his imported yeomen hold the ways. He brought Platinum consult to manage state-owned tertiary institutions, to cite just one example. In an attempt to stamp out corruption, he has instead forced another cankerworm in replacing him. As of today, Platinum has turned intellectuals into beggars. We might not know the level of damage our state has sustained until they are out of the system.
Governor Makinde’s cough is powerful, that alone can send shivers down the spines of his local government chairmen and school principals – the two sets of people the Governor has publicly accused and shamed. But those local politicians in the Governor’s camp are revolting. We might not see more of them in the media for now for fear of retribution. The game in Oyo PDP is between members not outside of it. Those who carried the burden of marketing the candidacy of the Governor are blaming themselves. They have vowed never to return the man who took away everything. It was like the moment he won that election, he made up his mind to frustrate his enablers out of the house they all labored and suffered to build. Makinde’s performance made a coalition and political mergers inevitable. He has made it easier for them – albeit not simple. He has shown that people may not necessarily agree on a way forward, but when it comes to fighting a common enemy, foes can unite. Should the coalition succeed in unseating him, the Governor only has himself to blame and nobody else.
OYO101 is Muftau Gbadegesin’s Opinion about Issues affecting Oyo state, published on Saturdays. He can be reached via @TheGMAKing on Twitter, muftaugbadegesin@gmail.com and 09065176850
