Politics here and its complexities

Clockwise from top left: Awolowo, Akintola, Tinubu and Abiola

By Wale Adedayo

We’ve passed this road before, especially son of man. And, the writings of some Yoruba on this subject would be making others elsewhere believe that our people are overrated in terms of seeing the other side of the picture. Many of the negative comments, if not all, that I’ve read about Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu were clearly off mark.

There is a naive belief among many out there that a Saint is somewhere in the South-West who’ll bell the cat of Nigeria’s politics. That is certainly a fallacy. From Pre-independence, First Republic, aborted Third Republic to the current Fourth Republic, we’ve NEVER had ANY Saint among us. What we’ve always had were Robin Hoods, who greatly assisted Yorubaland to be well ahead of others.

Barack Obama and Susan Rise

Many of these writers could be forgiven because they’ve NEVER been involved in politics, belonging to a major political party that can win or has won elections before. They depend on theories dished out by senior theorists, who know very little or nothing about the political world. Politics, in the real world, is not about black and white. There are so many grey areas that many will never understand till death unless they get involved.

Yes, Great Awo was a master organiser. He built two great political parties along with his friends. But not many among today’s theorists would understand that the monthly membership dues of supporters were not the funds used to oil the engines of both the Action Group and Unity Party of Nigeria. It was a major reason some of our leaders were jailed by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in 1984.

At some point, and just as these ones are doing to Tinubu today, some of our best theorists, who we praise after their deaths, joined Bashorun MKO Abiola to label Chief Obafemi Awolowo a thief during the Second Republic. They did everything possible to rubbish the old man and sought to unearth many things they claimed he stole. Abiola, who was just joining politics through the National Party of Nigeria at the time was supremely naive enough to believe he knew it all. The man was the unseen hand behind the failed attempt to rubbish Awo. He failed.

Son of man was also a political neophyte at some point between 2000 and 2009, when as a theorist I was behaving almost like these ones of today if not more. But looking back at how former US Assistant Secretary of State, Susan Rice, who is an African American, was used seal Abiola’s fate, I often shiver at politics, whether local or international. 

It is the same feeling I always have till date about how the first African American US President, Barak Obama, destroyed Libya and opened the gates of hell for the thousands of African souls who have perished in the Mediterranean Ocean and the Sahara Desert. Both were black people, who did what they had to because of what the international politics of Washington demanded.

I do not believe Tinubu is finished. It is my firm belief that he is on course. Yes, there are perceived challenges. But it is in the face of challenges that a man gets stronger. Besides, is it not time to stop this unholy business of trying to destroy our own, while worse elements are in other places? Abi, e ti gbagbe wipe nitori were ita la se nni tile ni?

Cracks will always come. Those who betrayed and messed up Great Awo were founding members of Action Group. Judas Iscariot was the closest to Jesus Christ. So, to this Ijebu Ife man of God, there is no big deal in all the writings you guys/gals have been doing. Practical politics is way different from what you read in books. A vain attempt to destroy one of our very best should be discouraged by genuine Yoruba sons and daughters. You’ll be losers too if that is achieved.