FEATURE ARTICLE

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Forwarded by SEGUN FAJEMISIN

THE DILEMMA OF A FRIVOLOUS SCHEMER

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am not too keen about dabbling into the controversy about President Olusegun Obasanjo and his pact with his galaxy of northern friends. The reason for this is because of my belief that both the accused and the accusers are only playing to the gallery. They are birds of the same feather that have been flocking together for ages. It is meaningless poking my nose into a matter between the black kettle and the ebony pot.

What is more, all the noise that we hear daily about agreements, pact and signatures are meant to serve a notice to the accused (our own President Obasanjo) for renegotiations and a supplementary bargain. Once the president is ready to play ball, swallow his pride and is willing to fulfil the last paragraph of his covenant that he will not seek a second term as president, the "over-heating of the system" will cool down, Insha Allah.

Now that all these "expensive jokes are being carried too far", let us all pray that no harm befall our nation by the time these "partners in crime" decide to settle scores in the open field. The ominous sign is here, thirty-two new charges have been added to previous allegations. When a handshake is going beyond an elbow; it is no more a sign of greeting but evidence preparatory to a kung fu fight. Let us pray for God's intervention in earnest, I mean before it becomes too late to appeal for peace.

While fasting and praying like our president did sometime ago, let us quickly have a mental examination of this subject by plotting two story lines that will reveal to us more clearly the make of President Obasanjo.

Act 1 Scene 1:

A man decides to stoop low, prostrate for some dwarfs for the purpose of getting power out of them. After getting it, he stood tall and put his foot down, doing what is ideal and just. Now taller than the dwarfs, this man took total control of all components of power that made the dwarfs look strong, authoritative and supreme than the rest able bodied men in the colony. He cut the dwarfs to sizes without depriving them of their legitimate entitlements in the society and reengineered his manifestos and programmes for the well being of every citizen concentrating more on the poor and have-nots.

Act 2 Scene 2:

A man wilfully enters into an accord with some dwarfs, promising "juicy" ministerial posts such as Finance, Petroleum and Defence in exchange for support having portrayed himself as an orphan with no home base. He got the assistance, becomes the president and thereafter fulfilled seventy percent (70%) of the agreement. He often times dances to the tune according to the dictate of the dwarfs, protecting looters from probe, setting free known criminals from the zone but wanted to back out on the remaining thirty percent by re-contesting the presidency.

Of the two men above, one is wise and the other is the opposite. It does not require the wisdom of Biblical Solomon to know that Obasanjo has concentrated on his personal hobby of touring the world rather than consolidate the mandate given to him by Nigerians. Now that his northern friends have turned foes, let us hope that his southern enemies will become his friend at this hour of his needs.

I admire the wise man that knows what to do with power and admonishes a man who keeps bad company because he wants to keep the presidency.

The dilemma now is how do you throw your support for a man who does not know how to keep his friends and have never bordered to court the friendship of his enemies? This obviously is a 'double whaala' for a man that has an over-exaggerated opinion that he will always win all battles at all times and so care less about a looming danger?

By the way, does it require three years for President Obasanjo to own up and tell Nigerians that in his quest for power, he has wined and dined with some representatives of Lucifer in a hotel room in Abuja? Why would a man that rode on the back of a tiger (to get power) not expect his waterloo that one day, he will end up in its belly? It amazes me when people build their castles on mere sands and still hope to sleep in it peacefully. Obasanjo is the man I have ever seen sitting "Kampe" on a keg of gunpowder, leaving dangerous and poisonous snakes on the roof while snoring in a room. I have never seen an arrangement of a secret pact with devils that yields everlasting positive result.

Rather than a belated appeal to emotion at the eleventh hour, If I were Obasanjo, I would work more and talk less and where possible, exercise restraint in my utterances. I will refuse to be dragged into a peculiar mess targeted at distracting my attention from my intentions. I will wait on the Lord and allow his wish on me to come to pass.

During the waiting time, I will ensure the liberation of the masses from poverty, hunger and ignorance and above all deliver them from political hawks that see government and governance as business as usual. I will let my work do the talks for me and allow the masses in the North, East, West and South to judge me on my personal merit based on my laudable achievements.

I will fight corruption truly, improve genuinely the live of the masses through gainful employment that will rid the society of armed robbers and go on with an agenda of one Nigeria. These ways, the masses that form the bulk of the electorates will be my bodyguards and the Almighty God my shield against the few Northerners and their acolytes that wanted to gag me.

Alas! What we have in Obasanjo is a president that has no style and has never pretended to have any identifiable political technique. He has learnt nothing, sees nothing, and remembers nothing, not even from his personal past experience or history. He has been enjoying the company of hordes of sycophants and recycled old men he keeps as ministers and advisers.

Here is a man who has not realised that yesterday is like a cancelled cheque that is of no value while tomorrow could be likened to a promissory note that has no hope or assurance. Today is like cash in hand that is purposeful, meaningful and useful. A judicious and good use of it today could earn a better tomorrow; this is my perception of power, which our president in his majesty is misusing.

The late Chief Bola Ige relied on his "second coming", (the usual hope for a second term) in the old Oyo State to prosecute some programmes but in a funny way never got there to fulfil his desire. Save for the memory of some good pasts, he would have had an everlasting regret of his life. His unbreakable past record of achievement gave him leverage and relevance until enemies of progress permanently extinguished his shinning star.

Who knows tomorrow? Who told Obasanjo that Nigeria will break if tomorrow the people he leaned on edge him out? If however it breaks (which can never be on peaceful terms) his name will go down in history as a ruler whose tenure wreck havoc on the nation.

I want to ask, how many of the jesters that urged him on in Ota few months back are still speaking well of him today? If he is in doubt or wants to test his popularity, let him go back to Ota and call for a repeat performance the drama popularly known as ''Ota charade''. He would be convinced that he is alone, all his friends have gone: to your tent O Israel. There is no permanent friend in politics, so also in life. If still in doubt, let him close his eyes and feign dead to see how many of his friends will shed tears. These are food for thought.

I hope it will not be too late for Baba Iyabo to know that only he can save himself from all his friends, God I believe has for long been taking care of his enemies for him. The best example is late General Abacha who "yamutu" on the eve of when he concluded plans to execute Obasanjo and others.

If I may ask, how come all these problems started rearing their heads the very moment Obasanjo got God's approval (so he claimed) to carry on and re-contest the presidential election in 2003? Considering the present scenario and the headache it is giving Baba, who I understand has also lost weight, and is been forced to stay more at home, I am anxious to ask if indeed God really spoke to him to seek a second term. Perhaps what he has heard was devil's hallucination preparatory to a disgrace. Let us wait and see as events unfold.

God, save my country.