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toksogunbiyi@hotmail.com London, England

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JUJU IN NIGERIAN POLITICS

he events in Anambra State which culminated in the attempted coup against the government of Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige highlight amongst other issues, another aspect of Nigerian politics which is often not properly considered - I refer of course to the use of juju, otumokpor or to the English-speakers amongst you, "black magic" (I am not talking chocolate here!). The godfathers of the good doctor-turned governor it was alleged had asked him to swear at a shrine, an oath of loyalty to the godfathers. The Nigerian is ofcourse deeply spiritual. A plethora of local deities are believed to guide and guard every facet of life amongst the various ethnic nationalities. Yoruba have Sango the god of thunder who is believed is able at the request of properly briefed priest to visit in an appropriate fashion, the enemies of a person whose dignity has been injured, no need for any learned trial judge here! Among Ndigbo the guardianship of Chi or the ancestral spirit of a person is well understood and no less than Professor Chinua Achebe assists our understanding in Things Fall Apart.

It should therefore come as no surprise that although Nigeria is fascinated with western democracy and has a sophisticated educated elite some from the finest academies all over the world, there is occasional recourse to the application of "other means" for enhancing the democratic process as well as other aspects of life. In the well understood belief that where the usual human processes fail, then the gods cannot fail if they are asked to intervene. Those who recall the politics of Western Region as it was remember that the late Bode Thomas, AG Deputy leader died in circumstances that remain unexplained till today, but which many will swear was due to the secret means of dark forces employed by his political enemies. What makes juju in politics such a fascinating subject is that it does not fall within the realm of rigorous scientific inquiry with a clear demonstration of cause and effect. As such it provides a fertile ground for rumour, innuendo, whisper and gossip - all of which are perfect bedfellows with politics.

The late Chief Awolowo narrates a story where he was offered "additional means" to fortify himself during the adventurous days when he went to prison. He assured the person who was so concerned for his welfare that he had no need for these alternative means since he had made sure of his own security himself. In so saying I can well accept Awo's view that as a practising Christian he had no need for these 'other means'; but in order to reinforce a myth about Awo and indeed every other politician, the public at large would assume that it reinforced their belief that no politician went about with "ordinary eyes".

In his biography Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe confirms his membership of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity which incidentally was founded by the Late Reverent TAJ Ogunbiyi, the Highway Missioner.

Perhaps the most high profile case of the use of juju in Nigerian politics was the case that prompted the commission of inquiry into the Owegbe cult in then Midwestern Region. The allegation was that Chief Humphrey Omo-Osagie, Iyase of Bini was using the Owegbe cult to intimidate people and coerce political support for himself and his political party, the NCNC. This inquiry regardless of the outcome consolidated in the public mind what many suspected but no one could "prove" that indeed no Nigerian politician went about his (or her?) business "empty-handed". Part of the evidence that emerged at this tribunal of inquiry was that the Owegbe cult was formed as a counter-weight to the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity which was thought to be pro-Yoruba and pro-Action Group.

Earlier this year, in the House of Assembly in Abeokuta, a minor constitutional issue raised a member's hackles. Representative or is it Member Ogundele produced an egg from his agbada followed by a small pot both of which he smashed to the floor in the Ogun State of Assembly and along with incantations, (no doubt supplied by the self-same spirits, who Achebe reminded us came from ant holes in the ground and spoke with guttural voices) proceeded to invoke curses on his enemies (other assembly men and women) A good recollection of this story with commentary is provided by Akin Taiwo on nigeriaworld.com of 6 February 2003.

I have already alluded to the case of Dr Ngige and the political godfathers of Anambra who it is alleged asked Dr Ngige to swear his allegiance and loyalty at a shrine to assure his political godfathers that he would keep his word to resign 25 days after ascending high office. That the good doctor reneged on this agreement with the godfathers and lived and is still living to tell the tale is important not because of the serious constitutional issues involved, oh no the constitution does not matter in this instance! What is important in the whole Anambra imbroglio is that it tests the efficacy or otherwise of the alusi at which the doctor-turned-governor swore his allegiance. That the doctor trained as he was in western medicine should renege on his agreement and refuse to carry through with his resignation gives the impression that the well-ordered world of juju and other dark arts might after all be all bluff and bluster and no substance. Indeed if the alusi was that powerful should not his excellency by now be convulsing and writhing in deepest agony as the alusi extracts due vengeance on him. That to my mind is the issue that should arrest the attention of the defenders of our constitution. Did not our own President Obasanjo (as General Obasanjo) a few years back support the deployment of such dark arts in dealing with the recalcitrant apartheid regime in Pretoria; as we all remember apartheid eventually collapsed under the weight of its own internal contradictions, the blood sacrifice of South African youth and the desire of their Western supporters to preserve their source of profits. But even so who can say that the diviners and priests of the various deities in the backwaters of our vast country played no part in achieving this monumental feat? In the forthcoming fight in Liberia, such powers could still be relevant? Did not even Adolf Hitler use these dark arts?

My own experiences with juju go back to my days in both primary and secondary school. I cannot remember how many times WTC Practising School, Enugu would lose at football to more accomplished opposition only for me to return home and declare to my family what I had heard and accepted with conviction that the opposing side had achieved their victory with the aid of "other means". My views were never challenged as no one could prove otherwise. The utter stupidity of my views did not prevent me from carrying them through to Government Secondary School, Owerri where Trinity High School, Oguta always proved our nemesis at football. On the occasions when we won it was clear to me that our skill was the key factor. At Government College, Ibadan, it was the boys of Methodist High School, Ibadan in their crimson jerseys and shorts to match and who entered the field of play backwards, who absolutely 'confirmed' the efficacy of juju in human endeavours especially as they won time after time on the football field.

But in the field of politics who would take chances and rely only on the prayers said bynthe clergy at St Barts, Asata or the Holy Ghost Cathedral, near the level crossing? Everybody in Enugu at the time knew that whenever the then Premier, Dr Okpara went on his campaigns he was preceeded by a strong-arm man who rejoiced in the appellation, 'Manchester'. That Manchester was feared and respected was not just due to his ability and ready willingness to cut up rough with the opposition; but everybody knew that he also had 'means'. Indeed to prove his powers it was not unknown at Christmas time for the masquerade from one part of Enugu say Ogui to be 'pinned' by the masquerade from another part which for the sake of argument could be Coal Camp. That this masquerade or nmuo could be successfully pinned and only released upon special pleading by the pinned nmuo confirmed the 'power' of those behind the superior nmuo. That Manchester did not live in Coal Camp or have association with any particular nmuo was a minor and often inconvenient detail. As rumour and whisper were a good accompaniment to any interesting story it was agreed that the superior nmuo paid obeisance to the court of Manchester.

The traditional beliefs of the African are a part the proud culture of our people. The mis-application of aspects of our culture to issues and processes that require scientific analysis leading to logical conclusions constitute one of the draw backs to the attainment of full political maturity in our country. Why should we take recourse to 'powers' that are not divined through transparent and easily understood processes? Can we be taken seriously and our democratic institutions respected in the comity of nations when it is possible for an elected member to resort to these 'dark arts' as a means of settling arguments and issues that belong in the realm of logic, analysis and proof? In the main the use of juju raises a titter in many quarters but nevertheless has the potential of casting a derogratory eye on the status and stature of our nation and its institutions.