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Those who had placed bet on the likelihood of Osagie Andrew Ize-Iyamu of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) winning the just concluded gubernatorial election in Edo State, were totally ignorant of how politics is being played. There’s no sentiment in the game of politics and there’s no saint there either. If you want to see saints, go to church!
All over the world, incumbents hardly lose elections, especially in places like Nigeria where rules are hardly followed. So, it’s sheer bunkum for anyone to have imagined that Adams Oshiomhole would easily sleep on guard and allow the PDP to take over the state. It could only have been a Jonathan! Politicians also do not care how many people get killed in their quest to grab power. They shed no tears for such things because it’s part of the game. And as someone had rightly said: “It does not matter who you vote for, the government always gets in.” Come to think of it, the incumbents have all the instruments (believe it or not) – they have the cash; the security, the agencies and in control of the territory – and you want to challenge them? It is only a Jonathan that throws away a golden opportunity. If you’re a lily-livered why go into politics?
A Greek playwright said: “You have all the characteristics of a popular politician, a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner.” So, when you are not equipped with the above particulars, what would you be looking for in politics? People are shouting about rigging in the Edo election, but rigging has always been part of the game. It is only the man that is rigged out that cries foul, but it is all fair when he rigs someone out. We hear that figures were changed at night, and it wasn’t the first time such would happen. Russel Wayne Baker (1925), American columnist, said: “The dirty work at political conventions (ELECTIONS, emphasis mine) is almost always done in the grim hours between midnight and dawn. Hangmen and POLITICIANS work best when the human spirit is at its lowest ebb”.
Didn’t the Bible say that the good man sowed a good seed and went to sleep and the enemy went back and sowed tares? Then what are we talking about?
Don’t forget, we, the ordinary Nigerians are not in their picture when they are seeking power; they just use us to achieve their aim. Ambrose Bierce (1842 – 1914) American writer, said: “Politics is a strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles; the conduct of public affairs for private advantage.” And you must realise that there’s no better politician and no better party, they’re the same.
William Penn Rogers (1879 – 1935) American humorist, said: “The more you read and observe about this politics thing, the more you’ve got to admit that each party is worse than the other. The one that is out always looks the best”.
Are politicians saints? By no means. John Webster (1580 – 1632) English dramatist, said: “A politician imitates the devil as the devil initiates a canon; wheresoever he comes to do mischief, he comes with his backside toward you.”
So, they are all the same, don’t expect to see a Jonathan all of the time in the ring.
How the cookies are crumbling
Last week Nigerians woke from their sleep to read and hear the news about an ultimatum handed down by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, to quit his office. Nigerians were taken aback because they thought it’s too early in the day for APC to be drifting into such a wholesale crisis, which is also believed is a sign of many bad things already happening in the broom association. Tinubu accused Odigie-Oyegun of going contrary to progressive principles of the party by taking an unpopular decision in the Ondo State APC gubernatorial primaries. He pointedly told the Edo-born former governor to give way for a progressive mind to step in. Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president and chieftain of the party, the other day lent his voice, putting his full massive weight on Tinubu’s observation, and the Turaki Adamawa called on Oyegun to retrace his steps. He said it was not good for the leadership of the party to make rules only to discard the rules while the game is still in progress. Well, we heard the matter had been taken to President Muhammadu Buhari’s court, we are waiting to hear his judgment. Some people are already doing “tatafo” that some people are up to something because they are not happy with the goings on in the country.
Idle talk!
These politicians think they can always deceive us. I don’t blame them; they have always had their way with us. Look at them. We were on our own, struggling, suffering and smiling, they announced to us that we have hit the recession mark. They began to explain and explain; they pointed fingers at those they believed caused our misery. And following their announcement, all the hotels in city centres including Abuja are now being fully booked on a daily basis for those who congregate to debate recession. Fly-by-night analysts are doing their thing. Tune in to any TV channel or radio station, or turn to the pages of newspapers people are talking about recession, recession, recession causing more panic. Government people told us they were sending a bill to the National Assembly for emergency powers to combat the recession; they told us they want to sell Nigeria’s prime assets to pull us out of the mire of recession.
Now, the emergency powers have not been granted neither have the assets been sold, how come the Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, announced that we’re already getting out of the recession? Or was she trying to pull a wool over our eyes or trying to make us feel good? Please, madam minister, we are still feeling the pain, wishful thinking does not solve any problem, but conscious efforts and practical steps at doing the right thing will do us a world of good.
Worthless naira!
Although Nigeria is not in a war situation, everything appears to be in a bad shape. It was during the civil war popularly known as ‘Biafra war’ that people experienced the type of hardship that is prevalent in the country now.
At a point during the war, people were eating lizard, rat, frog and other unimaginable things to remain alive. After the war, to rub the pain of defeat in, the pounds being used by Biafra was as worthless as the paper on which it was printed. The government at the centre at the time ensured that the Biafran currency prostrated before that of Nigeria. It happened that a few people who were basking in the euphoria of the huge pounds they had came to instant poverty after the draconian exchange ratio of Biafran pound to Nigerian pound.
Today, the official currency of Nigeria, naira, is a laughing stock in the comity of its peers even within the sub-region. A few years back, some citizens of those countries around us would need many sacks to carry their currencies changed for just ten thousand Naira (10,000), but not anymore. Today, Naira is exchanging for N490 for one poor American dollar.
Just as our leaders are prostrating before American leaders, our currency is also doing the same. What an inferiority complex! We have come to a point where people are selling their children for a bag of rice; people kidnap their children, wives, husbands and relations to get money to buy food. We also hear about people staging their own kidnapping all in a bid to buy food, pay house rent, pay children’s school fees and other sundry expenses. Which way Nigeria?
Agomuo Zebulon
