Let no one think that Fayose’s election for the second time is a breach of the age-long principle of his people. No! Fayose was widely believed to have been unjustly removed from office in his first time and thereby prevented from serving out his full term. Ekiti people will go to any length to remedy any perceived injustice done to any of their own. They hate betrayal with a passion, and are always irrevocably loyal to a common course; even if it will hurt a loved one.
In 1983, when Ekiti was still subsumed in the old Ondo State, Chief Akin Omoboriowo, an Ekiti man who was Deputy to Governor Adekunle Ajasin (who hailed from Owo) between 1979 and 1983; was seen to be rebellious and untrustworthy when he betrayed Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the UPN to contest against his party as the NPN flag bearer in the 1983 Ondo State gubernatorial election. It is on record that Omoboriowo’s kith and kin in Ijero-Ekiti were the first to warn him that “if he wins, he won’t be alive to rule.” When eventually Omoboriowo won the election allegedly through the backing of federal might, it was first in Ekiti that violence broke out, leading to burning down of houses and displacement of many people in a crisis that was later christened “operation wetie.” The trouble continued until the court nullified that election and restored Ajasin into office. Ekiti people, though loved Omoboriowo their son, would not tolerate his act of betrayal and repudiate their loyalty to Awolowo. They detest oppression, arrogance, rule by force; and have a long history that dates back to the Kiriji War and the Ekiti Parapo War in the 1880s; of an unusually resolute stand to always fight a common course.
Similar scenario was just played out in Ekiti on 21 June 2014. Fayose’s supportive roles in the court-ordered Ekiti governorship re-run election in 2009, and in the legal battle thereafter to reclaim Fayemi’s mandate; were widely noted. So, the refusal of Fayemi to support Fayose’s senatorial bid on the platform of the then AC was in the same vein widely seen as an act of betrayal. In the case of Bamidele, who remained pertinacious inspite of his ACN associates’ advice to drop his gubernatorial ambition and allow Fayemi have an unchallenged second term, and consequently defected to LP to run against his friend and incumbent governor; Ekiti electorates also gathered at his various campaigns but decided on the election day to give him the Omoboriowo treat. This fervent cultural hatred by the Ekitis for betrayal, cheating, in justice, only-me-syndrome, demigod illusion, and their penchant for always trying to correct such were the reasons why Fayose carried the day, and defeated Fayemi, Bamidele, all APC stalwarts and the other seventeen contestants even in their various local governments. Fayose was therefore massively voted as the next Ekiti governor because the people love him, but not because they love him more than they love Fayemi or any of the other contestants for that matter!
There are lessons in all of these for us to learn, as Ekiti indigenes, Nigerians, and students of political history?
One: INEC must not be deluded into believing that the success of the election was made possible by its ingenuity or mere competence. That was not so! The success recorded of the poll was as a result of the electorates’ determination, guided by their invariable principles, to speak with one voice irrespective of the inducements flowing from the various political camps. So, as the Osun gubernatorial poll and the general elections approach next month and next year respectively; Prof. Jega and his team must gird up their loins if they are to gain the trust of Nigerians.
Two: Those who are congratulating Fayemi for his rare spirit of sportsmanship though are doing the right thing, must stop calling on all politicians to follow in his footsteps in all future elections no matter the case. This will not work in all situations. Fayemi did not just accept defeat with magnanimity; he was able to do that because the mandate to govern Ekiti for the next four years was seen to have been freely and fairly given to his opponent. Remember it was not so in 2007 when he engaged Engr. Segun Oni (now his political ally) and the PDP in a three and half year legal battle. So, potential election riggers who are advocating for unconditional surrender by all “defeated” contestants in future elections should have a re-think.
Three: The PDP in Ekiti should stop bragging around town about the victory so far recorded. They should, instead, get down to brass tacks and begin to plan with the governor-elect on how to make great strides in the state in the next four years. They must not forget that one political party has scarcely won election in the state for two consecutive times. They should ponder on the events of the 2003, 2007/2010, and the 2014 Ekiti gubernatorial polls.
Four: Fayemi should remain in his current state of maturity and magnanimity in defeat. He should note that like he has said; “he has fought a good fight and kept faith.” I have known him long before he became governor through news of his pro-democracy activities and especially from his intellectual works and various scholarly essays on human development; fragility and conflict; and global peace and security. His wealth of experience will be needed even out of office to further move the state and indeed Nigeria forward.
Five: APC should forget its grievances, and like its candidate, allow peace to reign in Ekiti. This should be a time for sober assessment for the party and not unnecessary altercation. A period to re-strategise on how to come back stronger, tomorrow.
Six: Bamidele should not be discouraged and neither should he loose hope. His wealth of experience too is needed in developing Ekiti. He must learn from Fayose by staying with his people and not become an Abuja or Lagos politician in the next four years. If Ekiti people can be assured of his loyalty again, they will rally around him next time. I see in him a future governor of Ekiti.
Seven: Fayose must know that he is a child of great destiny being the only person ever to have defeated two incumbent governors in elections. But he must not allow this to delude him with the sense of a demigod. He must see himself as the people’s servant, not lord. As someone who is ‘repeating a class’ here, I want to trust his level of maturity and experience. It is good that he has said that his administration will continue with the developmental projects of the outgoing government. This will enhance the development of the state. The incoming governor must also surround himself with only aides who will be sincere, selfless, and are knowledgeable enough in analyzing situations and proferring solutions to them; and those who will tell him the truth without hypocrisy. With these, the “Osokomole” will have written his name in gold in four years time. I wish him the best.
In conclusion, those who are commenting on the Ekiti election, especially those expressing shock and bitterness, or blaming certain persons for what happened or failed to happen are advised to rest their case. This is because Ekiti is a nation of a peculiar people, and their politics is a tale of the more you look, the less you see – A mystery for the esoteric mind.
Oluwatoba Oguntuase
