By Princely Onyenwe,Imo
Professor Obiaraeri is a social critics in Imo state and he has this story about Nigerian government.
Happy reading:
Any Nigerian that does not know and understand the “godfather and godson” phenomenon is still a learner!
Open, sharp and bitter disagreements between “godfathers” and “godsons” are not new in Nigerian political history but the latest and updated version is the one that just played out in Edo State on big screen and perhaps relayed live on the dreaded 5G network.
Peace is the cheapest commodity in life while inclusiveness is the most beneficial strategy in politics but many selfish and oversabi politicians will argue otherwise and will not learn from history.
Even for purposes of emphasis, in practical politics, partial peace is by far bettter than total war- an eye for an eye can leave everyone blind.
Alas, those who “eat and chop from crisis” via stoking embers of disaffection and provoking misunderstanding between powerful people, political camps and power blocs will be put out of job if there is concord and harmony in the polity.
Man must wack nah- some people truly survive best during political crisis although this is a story for another day!
Fights between godfathers and godsons are caused by sundry reasons that include but not limited to greed, selfishness and insatiable desire to be in exclusive control of the public treasury and or political patronages.
Of a truth, the constant locking of horns between a godfather and godson very often has little or nothing to do with disagreements on how to improve the welfare of the common man or do public good.
Many godfathers are egoistic, unrepentant bullies and control freaks who listen too much to gossips and rumours peddled by crisis marketers and hence suspect every move made by the godson.
Literally, the godfather wants to be marching the brakes while the godson is the one riding the bicycle.
Na from dia the problem dey always start as godfathers easily forget the archaic golden rule of power that “if you make a King, you bow!”
On the other hand, with respect to godsons, in plain terms, many of them are ingrates and they bring out their true colours (as soulless and thankless mortals) only after riding on peoples’ backs to power.
There is an African adage which says that it is not to give water to a thirsty monkey that is the problem, the real issue is how to retrieve the cup from the monkey.
Hence, not a few godsons behave like the proverbial thirsty monkey that climbs on top of a very tall tree with the helper’s cup after being given water to drink.
A little fear of GOD, a little gratitude, a little give and take, a little deference, a little open-handness and inclusiveness, a little remembrance of the days of humble beginning and days of looking up to the godfather as Messiah or destiny helper would save a long narrative of the uncountable gbege or wahala or troubles godsons go through to retain power or remain relevant in politics whenever there is a fight with a godfather.
Anyways, the roguish game of politics can be likened to “monkey business” as it is full of mischievous or deceitful behaviours.
Deception is a potent strategy in power hunt and you must go to a godfather with bended knee pretending not to know your left from your right if you want his sponsorship.
Those who are truthful, bold and courageous are seldom patronised by godfathers.
Yes, power politics is monkey business because you never can say with certainty which political relationship can endure or the one that will go bad and at what stage!
The popular Warri saying “Monkey smart, monkey smart na because tree near tree” is better explained with the aftermath of the avoidable, deadly and costly fight between Oshiomole and his now estranged godson Obaseki.
It was a fight to finish- tears, sorrow and blood flowed freely!
Truth be told, after a political fight between a benefactor and beneficiary, no one side can claim complete victory because every side must lose something.
However, the quantum of losses occasioned on either side is the issue as they are never the same.
If history is anything to go by, the degree of loss or number of casualties recorded is usually heavier and higher on the side of the godfather should he lose on the imbroglio.
In this trending “Edo Royal Rumble 2020”, the epic schism between a godfather Oshiomole and a godson Obaseki has ended with the dramatic result that the erstwhile powerful godfather National Chaiman of a ruling political party was ignominiously sacked from office (even as he is still on suspension in a party he once called the shots) and reduced to a struggling ordinary booth leader.
How are the mighty fallen!
This was avoidable as godfathers lose everything when they lose to a godson!
When a godfather loses in a political brawl with his godson, he is completely deflated and reduced to a political talakawa, a yesterday’s man of power, a sorrowful nonentity and empty barrel.
Oshiomole himself aptly described the quantum of loss facing a godfather in an interview with Channels TV a few days to the September 19 Edo guber election when he asked the question,”how can a political lizard claim that he will end the political career of a lion”?
Now that Edo people have spoken clearly via the ballot box and the “political lizard” has won, is the “political career of the lion” not ended and will the “lion” be able to stand up again?
That is the big issue now concerning Oshiomole’s political fate even as Nigerians, young and old, are dissing and bashing Oshiomole left, right and centre online and offline.
Tell me, what did Oshiomole not lose in this kwanta with Obaseki?
Failure is truly a big time orphan and to pick a “political spinal cord injury” at 68 going to 69 years of age as Oshiomole has done is not a small matter.
When a godson wins in a fight with a godfather, he enjoys a meteoric rise to fame and relevance but this is not comparable, in geometric terms, to what little he would lose if defeated by the godfather.
It is normal to expect a godson to lose to a godfather except where there is a major upset.
Afterall, he (godson) that is down fears no fall and person (godfather) wey dey beat person (godson) wey him strong pass dey teach am (godson) how to be strong- Benin proverb.
Anyone who sits down to calculate what things Oshiomole lost in this unconventional war (politics is war by other means) with Obaseki, will come to the inescapable conclusion that it was senseless for him to have embarked on such a perilous journey!
Oshiomole and his handlers must be full of regrets now.
Yes, Obaseki won but it was not without a huge price, if you like, at an exorbitant rate but it was worth it.
Any animal that can bite a dog to death must be a champion biter.
Obaseki is the new Heavyweight Political Champion of Edo State after dethroning Obaseki via TKO!
No victory over a sworn political enemy is a triffle.
Do you need to ask whether there will be loss of blood and pain whenever a dog is castrated without anaesthesia?
Obaseki has become a superstar because he shot down a star.
Obaseki is lucky to have won because a loss would have been fatal and ended his political career abruptly although that will not in any way compare with what Oshiomole has lost by throwing in his all to fight a needless fight because of not listening to his inner self.
Man is inherently selfish otherwise there is enough to share and go round in any political setting.
Political accommodation and tolerance is the nugget of wisdom here.
As we speak, notwithstanding the lessons staring everybody in the face in this Edo 2020 saga, many public office holders are busy spoiling for a fight and behaving like small gods instead of seeking peace and playing inclusive politics.
Think of wasted resources and time risks, loss of lives, limbs, bad talks, injured feelings and hurt pride, bruised ego, family divisions, lost friendships plus plus plus other echetram echetaram lost on both sides in this Edo Political War 2020 and agree that there is no substitute for peace.
There is no calendar for war anyway but some political fights are not necessary or should be avoided.
In politics, it is better to help someone to win and the person later becomes ungrateful than to support a candidate that did not win.
No need to throw in your all to prove little or nothing but godfathers would not listen.
If a godfather must fight a godson, let the godfather be sure to win or else he will be reduced from BABA to PIKIN…If you put Oshio na you sabi.
That is the dry message in that latest music waxed by Dino the troublesome Kogi guy on the Edo election.
Godfather and godson fight is like a dogfight.
When dogs fight, they are hard to separate.
Where a godson sees that he has no “energy” to prosecute a political fight with a godfather to a logical conclusion, he should better behave like former Governor Ambode of Lagos State and walk away quietly from the roforofo fight (apologies to Fela Kuti) while quietly licking his wound.
That is the most sensible thing to do because “you must kill me today” is no good fighting strategy as any person wey no know person wey pass am still be small pikin.
Everybody cannot be lucky like Obaseki to trounce his godfather.
Freedom comes with a lot of price and discomfort.
Obaseki paid lots of prices to free himself from Oshiomole and to become a force to be reckoned with in Edo and Nigerian politics.
Only Governor Obaseki can say what and how much it cost him to reclaim his seat but at any rate, victory over a deadly godfather is worth every expense.
Congratulations is better than sorry just like great politicians are magnanimous in victory because tomorrow is pregnant.✔️
Unfortunately, the dethronement of one godfather makes room for the rise of another godfather.
That is the most confounding part of the roguish nature of power politics in Naija.
End of a long story.
9News Nigeria (Owerri)
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