Bola Ige: Political chameleon?

By Olisa Adigwe  (EMAIL) Lowell, MA, USA Thursday, March 15, 2001

ach time I think of Bola Ige I think of a practical politician. A man who has being in politics virtually all his life and has under his belt a record of success and failure. Politics has also been good to Bola Ige. Also I think of a man who has been steadfastly inconsistent in his political belief and advocacy. Bola Ige was one of those heavyweight Yoruba politicians that founded the influential socio-political organization - Afenifere. Under the Afenifere platform Mr. Ige and others articulated a decent political agenda for the nation. They wanted a true federalism, wanted each state to have significant control of resources in their area and more importantly they wanted the convocation of sovereign national conference (SNC). This Afenifere agenda became the Alliance for Democracy (AD) political manifesto. Mr. Ige campaigned tirelessly for AD in the 1999 election. Even without a national election victory, Mr. Ige continued to advocate AD agenda. Being one not to shy away from the press he granted several post election interviews in which he reinforced his views. His utterances painted a picture of somebody who was unwavering and sturdy on his stand on these cardinal AD agenda - true federalism, resource control and national conference. But, a much closer analyses of those utterances also revealed a man who was seeking a position in government. AD had instructed all their members not to accept any positions in Obasanjo's government. I told a friend then that Bola Ige seemed intent on cornering a position for himself and if nominated for anything that Mr. Ige would be so happy to accept it. Soon after Mr. Ige was tapped to become the minister for steel and power. A great debate ensued in the AD party with some vehemently opposed to the idea that former presidential front runner in their party primary election would now serve under the PDP party which has a different political ideology. Others supported Mr. Ige's decision to serve believing that his political belief intact and that he would serve wisely perhaps would show the populace the kind of talent AD administration could have banqueted to Nigeria. Although Mr. Ige failed as minister of steel and power, he wasted no time to reassure those from his party concerning his influence on the administration when he stated that Obasanjo's PDP government was implementing AD programs. Was it true? The truth is that PDP government co-opted Mr. Ige. Now, as the Attorney General of the nation, Uncle Bola is suing southern states in an attempt to frustrate their efforts to control their resources, something contrary to Bola's earlier position and antithetical to AD's political agenda. What happened, Bola? In several newspaper articles he authored, Mr. Ige railed against sharia and quota system in Nigeria. These are decent positions because quota system mocks meritocracy and sharia is unnecessary state religion in a secular multiethnic nation. But a recent report stated that Bola Ige made a statement that sharia in Northern states is constitutional. Many legal luminaries have analyzed sharia in the context of a democratic secular nation and have concluded the unconstitutionality of sharia, and the cowardice of Obasanjo's administration to forestall its implementation in Northern states. We should wonder if Bola Ige was speaking on sound legal interpretation of the constitution or just out of political expediency in his attempt to be a faithful servant of his boss. One pertinent question; does Bola believe in anything or does he just stake a stand depending at the moment where he was 'eating'. One quality of many principled politicians is their core belief while they can compromise in many other things there are however things that are fundamental to them of which they can not waver. On that score Bola Ige is a consistently inconsistent politician, a man whose words today are different with his yesterday utterances, a man who lacks integrity and consistency of purpose. His words are always dependent on who is his current boss. It is incredulous and mind boggling that having advocated SNC for over 7 years since 1993 that Bola Ige would all of a sudden shift ground because he is in Obasanjo's cabinet. Obasanjo has never hidden his disdain for SNC, but that is no reason why an elderly statesman, Cicero of Esa-Oke, would shamelessly make a U - turn on an issue that he had spent so much energy advocating. This goes straight to the depth of a man's character. Hear his hypocrisy - "anyone who did not agree to take part in the 1998/1999 political transition and who never accepted the 1999 Constitution, is perfectly in order and consistent in demanding a Sovereign National Conference". and "anybody who took part whether partially or fully in the 1998/99 transition programme, cannot in all honesty, make such a call". Wow, this is a man who had repeatedly called for SNC and participated in the 1998/99 transition programme. Even after the election Bola Ige continued to call for SNC. Judging uncle Bola by his latest statement one question need to be asked; why did Bola continued to insist on SNC when he fully participated in the transition programme. And I would bet had Bola Ige not been included in Obasanjo's administration he would be out there shouting on top of his voice for SNC. Having been invited to 'eat' with the PDP, everything is fine, now Bola Ige is a born again sharia supporter and anti-SNC. It is only in Nigeria that a politician can show such effrontery and change color this quick. Those who have been watching Bola Ige for many years regarded him as a political opportunist and a difficult man to trust. Such perceptions were partially the reason why AD rejected him as their party standard bearer in the last presidential election. During the transition to the second republic the respected Chief Awo pleaded for Bola to step aside in order to allow another party stalwart to become the gubernatorial candidate for UPN in Oyo state. Awo even promised Bola a ministerial appointment in case he (Awo) won the presidency. Bola flatly rejected Awo's entreaty, saying in the process that he can not throw away certainty for uncertainty. Meaning that he was sure that UPN would win Oyo, and as a gubernatorial candidate he would then became governor, but was not sure that Awo would win the federal election. Many Awoists have not forgiven him for disrespecting the sage. One of the best writers on this site, Rudolf Okonkwo, called Nigeria a black hole where politicians start with decent political platform but always end up with a distorted ideology, gobbled up by the system. Of course the Nigerian system is intensely corrupt, her politicians intensely dishonest and selfish. Is Bola Ige different? No!