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Babs AjayiFriday, April 11, 2014
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Gatineau, Quebec, Canada

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FANI-KAYODE LIVING UP TO HIS NAME, OBANIKORO WORKING AGAINST THE PEOPLE

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wo different people made unusual news in Nigeria this week sharing one thing in common - me, myself, and I, and opportunism to the bargain. It is already an established way of life in the political arena in Nigeria that many will do anything and everything possible to draw attention to themselves by securing relevance in the public space, taking advantage of the acquired relevance to attract patronage and political appointment to themselves, and then go on to justify their appointment and inclusion in whatever government/regime they were invited into. Some newspaper writers and columnists who used to be well respected critics of the government of the day are now no more than forlorn figures since they lost the respect of the masses who no longer look up to them but now scorn them. I am beginning to realize that the only people who can - without expectation for anything in return - defend the interest of the Nigerian people and demand constructive change while criticizing government are those who are far away from the nation (either physically or mentally) and have no interests whatsoever in any political appointment or patronage. Of course, there are still very few who are also truly committed to demanding improvements in the lives of our people, but I am tempted to say that most critics are there seeking what they can get, and survival is to blame for this, which is why what is uppermost in their minds is self-survival and opportunities for themselves. Just look at the media guys who are now followers and prot�g�s of Bola Tinubu, even the self-styled radicals among them.

I am probably one of the people who are not surprised that Femi Fani-Kayode went to visit Goodluck Jonathan in Aso Rock. Femi is just the true son of his father, the late Chief Remi Fani-Kayode, aka Fani-Power. An opportunity must never be allowed to pass by unclaimed; it must be taken full advantage of and maximally embraced and used. Femi Fani-Kayode has been a staunch critic of Goodluck Jonathan and his inept government forever. He faulted Jonathan in everything and condemned his government in virtually every article, but today Femi is of the view that Jonathan is "wonderful." That assessment is in itself fearfully worrisome and dubious. Femi Fami-Kayode was a minister under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and he used that platform to throw insults and jibes at every critic and opponent of Chief Obasanjo. He continue to attack every real and perceived enemy of Obasanjo even after he left office. With a case to answer for corrupt practices and with evidence of huge money lodgments to the tune of millions of naira in a commercial bank in Apapa, Lagos, Fani-Kayode's corruption case has not been going in his favour and there are indications that he may lose the case and face a heavy sanction in court. Then the opportunity to meet Jonathan suddenly came and he took it with delight. And, just like that, Jonathan became wonderful! The wonders of the Nigerian world!

We must not be surprised if the EFCC show no more interest in continuing the prosecution of Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode and we must not be shocked if all Fani-Kayode knows about the All Progressive Congress (APC), of which he was a member up until his visit to Aso Rock, is provided to Jonathan and the PDP in the not so distant future. By his action and visit to Jonathan Mr. Fani-Kayode has effectively ended his relationship with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo since he cannot be with Obasanjo and at the same time be with Jonathan. No man can be with Okun and still be with Osa at the same time. Obasanjo made Jonathan and threw power at his feet - an action which he now regret so badly - but Jonathan has not been a loyal prot�g� and a dependable godson either. Despite his huge failure in improving the nation and inability to positively impact the lives of the people Jonathan must get credit for easily mastering the dirty tricks and mucky waters of Nigerian politics, the very same poli-tricks that have been at the root of the nation's political impotency and drawback for decades. I used to tell people that the fear of the EFCC is often the beginning of political brinkmanship and a quick change of heart. Fani-Kayode has gone into the lion's den and found that the lion, though weak yet hawkish, is not in short supply of the ability to bite and secrete venom. The greater advantage will come to Fani-Kayode now that he has successfully maneuvered the danger that the EFCC represent and will also earn for himself a new ministerial opportunity/federal appointment and respite.

I am not so sure Chief Olusegun Obasanjo will be happy about this development because many of his supporters and sidekicks have either been kicked out of their positions/offices in the PDP or have been bought over and brought into Jonathan's group. What does it really take to buy over a Nigerian politician? A political appointment, a contract, a special dispensation, what more? We all know nearly everybody wants to eat and envy those who are looting while they are sidelined, a looting spree that has been a way of life for the PDP since 2009. I do not even think Fani-Kayode will be bold enough to call the former president or call the leaders of his political party, the APC to discuss his visit to Aso Rock with them. He said he went to Aso Rock to pay homage to Jonathan. You will wonder why this political animal waited for more than four years before seeing the need to pay "respect to the wonderful people that are here" in Aso Rock. Were these people wonderful in the eyes of Fani-Kayode last month or last year? Are the people inside Aso Rock doing things differently and improving the lives of the Nigerian people now? Have they fixed the aviation industry for which Fani-Kayode had written and condemned them in the last two years or so? What exactly are they doing differently? The only thing I see and that is different is the respite that will come to Fani-Kayode because the EFCC will no longer pursue his prosecution vigorously again and he will benefit in some way with this new-found romance with Goodluck Jonathan. Jonathan must expect something back in return from the ease he will be granting Fani-Kayode. I am not just sure what Jonathan wants from Fani-Kayode and can only hope that will be revealed soon, but Fani-Kayode must justify his inclusion and sudden patronage. The story he told journalists about moving the nation forward is just from his rich and fertile imagination. For now, respite has come but that is surely not the end of the story.

As for Musiliu Obanikoro, a recent appointee into the ineffective cabinet of Goodluck Jonathan, he is already trying very hard to justify his inclusion into that lame cabinet. Obanikoro was said to have led some soldiers to occupy some land and sites earmarked for housing development projects in Lagos State including the Housing Program in Ilubirin, Lagos Island. The housing project is now being stalled and work halted by the reckless action of Obanikoro. Obanikoro just has to show his paymaster in Abuja that he is ready to be used, willing to be used and prepared to fight and win votes for Jonathan in Lagos State. He is probably deluded that he will win Lagos State for Jonathan when it is clear that the average person in Lagos State (and Nigeria too) will choose Fashola over Jonathan today. But must Obanikoro stand in the way of the dream of many citizens in Lagos State who desire to own homes and are anxious to collect their keys to their new homes? Is it wise for Obanikoro to fight the people and stand in their way just because he wants to show that he is an obedient errand boy? How do you occupy lands meant for housing projects and why would he molest construction workers using armed soldiers who are paid by taxpayers to do so? Obanikoro demanded for proof of ownership and the title of the land from the workers rather than taking the democratic and legal step of seeking court intervention.

Whatever happened to decency and due process? I don't think thugs and miscreants care so much about due process and the rule of law when the boys can be called out to roughen things up a bit. If Musiliu Obanikoro is seeking publicity of any kind, then I think he got it and he will live with the shame of his reckless action and wanton stupidity for a long time to come. He has written his own political obituary and finally come to the end of his political career. The truth is that if it was certain that Obanikoro was only doing what he was sent to do by Aso Rock, then he should be told that Jonathan will simply use him and then dump him, and the head employed in breaking the coconut will not partake in it. I wonder who put an area boy in charge of military men. Surprises are never in short supply in Nigeria, surprises of the very grotesque kind. Where else on this earth do you see a civilian leading military operations? I can only imagine Obanikoro in his agbada ordering the gun-tottering men in uniform to follow him, "Common, common, follow me, quick, quick, let's go." The we-will-show-them-who-we-are mentality has hindered many from seeing clearly and rubbished whatever claim they have to creativity and intelligence.

An overzealous hireling and mischief-maker like Obanikoro tend to follow dumbly and without thinking things through. Are the courts still relevant in our democracy? Why bring the military into matters that are essentially civilian in nature and which the courts are established to deal with and adjudicate upon? Opportunists hardly ever rely on wisdom; they feel safer trusting their heart and the desire to pay back and justify whatever benefit they are getting. But for how long and for what end? Musiliu Obanikoro is now an enemy of the people of Lagos State and he should not expect the people of the state to be kind to his party, the PDP at the coming poll. He failed the first time around and now he has sealed his defeat and the humiliation of the PDP in the 2015 election.

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