A one-time presidential aspirant in the United States was asked, if he loses the primaries, whether he would accept to be the running mate to the victor, but he quipped: “I hate all vices, including the vice-president!” I, too, hate the vices of godfathers and godsons. We should not condemn one without condemning the other since both are two sides of the same coin. In the Nigerian political system of today, it is one kind of willing seller and willing buyer market. In a similar fashion, when we condemn vote-buying, we must also not forget to condemn vote-selling. There can be no vote-buying if there are no willing vote-sellers. It fits perfectly what economists call the law of demand and supply. Both legs must stand before the law can work. I am not unmindful, though, of the argument that one can be a victim of the other, but victimhood should not totally absolve anyone of blame if we admit that everyone has a responsibility, and duty, to act as agent of change if we are to stand any chance of building a just and egalitarian society. The victim, like Karl Marx posits in the opening words of “The Communist Manifesto, must understand that he has nothing but his chains to lose. He has a duty, and a price to pay if he must move in that direction. Otherwise…
Nothing exists that does not serve a function or purpose; otherwise, it would not have existed in the first place. Look around and see if you can find one such thing not serving this or that purpose and for this or that person. What you abhor or adjure is what someone else embraces and enjoys. When governments were pulling no stops to wipe out marijuana use was when Peter Tosh sang “Legalise it, and I will advertise it!” Political theorists posit that even corruption exists to perform some (inescapable) functions; otherwise, there would be no corruption. How many traffic offenders in Lagos state, for instance, will choose to go the way of the law and have their vehicle impounded, go for psychiatric test, and then pay a whopping sum of money when they can easily part with a paltry sum as bribe and go their way?
So, when prescribed penalties for minor offences are stiff, we inadvertently create loopholes for law enforcement agents to exploit, not to enrich the State but for their own selfish benefits. I have heard people quote Jesus Christ (specifically in Matthew 5:25-26 and Luke 12:58) to kind of support this; akin to how Antonio, William Shakespeare’s character in The Merchant of Venice (Act 1, Scene 3), described Shylock as “an evil soul producing holy witness.”
And Jesus said: “Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou has paid the uttermost farthing.” (Matthew 5: 25 – 26, King James Version). Oh-ooo! So who does that?
Most godfathers are taken in by the deceit of their godsons; it is impossible to believe that anyone will back another person for high office if he knew he would be stabbed in the back afterwards. Many godsons are like Shylock, in Shakespeare’s work quoted above, who use “piety for deceitful purposes”. And like Anthonio warned his friend Bassanio concerning Shylock, they are “much like rotten apples with a goodly outside.”
I doubt if Nyesom Wike would have supported Siminalayi Fubara if he knew that what he has turned out to be is the kind of person the Rivers state governor is!
But if, ultimately, a political solution fails in Rivers state, the law should be allowed to take its due course.
Is there anything good with godfathers insisting on choosing their successors? The answer is both “Yes” and “No.” Yes, because this is a practice not limited or restricted to politics; even in the private sector, it is widely practised. In social clubs, alma mater organisations, it is the same thing. Successors are selected well before time and are groomed to take office, and this is well-known to everyone. To ensure continuity. To ensure that the right hands are those allowed to take over. Sometimes, if you allow for so-called level-playing ground, the best candidate may not emerge.
As Jesus Christ again said in Luke 16: 8: “And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” (King James Version). Why is this so? According to a preacher, it is because the children of this world “are most times more intentional.” While the children of light are still prevaricating and counting the cost, their worldly counterparts would have quickly made up their mind and seized the initiative. Before anyone could say “Jack Robinson”, they would have grabbed it, snatched it, and run with it! Does that sound familiar?
So, if the purpose of godfatherism is to ensure continuity, prevent the unworthy from grabbing, snatching, and running with it, so as to ensure that good governance and the dividends of democracy percolate the polity, then, it can be looked upon with favourable eyes. But even at that, a pool of the best candidates must be allowed to contest and contend. And the process must be transparent, fair and just. Let it not be a one-man decision or an imposition. Worse, it must not be the imposition of someone who cannot emerge as one of the best in a free and fair contest. And the purpose must not be for godson to cover the odious tracts of godfather or pander to his vainglorious wishes in such a way that the very purpose of good governance itself will be defeated.
In other words, godfatherism becomes an aberration and an anathema where the best candidate does not emerge; where it is an imposition; where the objective or goal is not continuity for good governance but pandering to the wishes of the godfather, good or bad; and where the interests of the governed are meant to take the back seat, if any at all.
The problem of most godfather-godson relationships in Nigeria – the Rivers State example inclusive – is that they fail most or all of the litmus tests stated above. So, the blame must be spread evenly between godfathers and godsons. A man who, with eyes wide open, climbs the back of a tiger only to think of disembarking on his own terms without considering the consequences cannot, in my view, be reckoned as a man of wisdom or integrity. Agreement is agreement, they say, and even among thieves there is nobility.
In my opinion, Fubara knew – and planned – from Day One not to honour whatever agreement he entered into with Wike; his interest and goal was simply for the latter to railroad him into office as governor. Use-and-dump! Wike will have none of that! Armageddon!
This is why Rivers state is on the boil. The state is said to have a chequered history of godsons betraying their godfathers; yet, they have not learnt any lesson. Instead, they have taken it as given. That must be the reason why efforts, up to the presidential level, to help bring peace to that state have floundered. Is violence in their blood? Is “wahala” in their DNA?
Some actions of Fubara make me cast a ponderous look at the “short-man devil” again and again. Wike’s, obviously, suggests he made a very bad choice of a horse to back and should have himself to blame. Some have said this is Karma knocking on Wike’s door!
I marveled when Fubara chose to run the state with only 3 or 4 legislators of the state House of Assembly supporting him, passing budgets, screening and approving appointees. That is egregious.
He bulldozed the state House of Assembly, pretending he wanted to rebuild it! Wasteful! We operate a democracy and separation of powers between the three arms of government – the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary – is one of its fulcrums. According to Baron de Montesquieu’s theory of separation of powers, which has gained universal acceptance and applicability, each of the three arms of government is equal and co-terminus. In addition, the Legislature performs oversight functions over the Executive arm of government. The Legislature cannot be so denied and we still claim to be a democracy. Tinpot dictator!
The Rivers State legislators are right to insist that no state governor may operate a budget not passed by the State House of Assembly. But since the budget in operation in Rivers State at the moment is the one approved by the National Assembly for the state of emergency period, and the budget is still expected to run till later this year, I submit that the Rivers State legislators should get hold of the budget and scrupulously scrutinise it to ensure that it is what Fubara is implementing. Any deviation from that budget by Fubara without legislative approval is illegal.
Therefore, any impeachment move against Fubara and his deputy – on the issue of operating a budget without legislative approval – should be held in abeyance for now. The last time the House did move against Fubara, a political solution by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, couched in the form of a six-month state of emergency, saved the day. But if, ultimately, a political solution fails in Rivers state, the law should be allowed to take its due course.
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