The brouhaha over the article: “Bola Tinubu: The Fall Of An Emperor at Lekki toll gate”, will continue to generate different reactions from friends and foes, probably till 2023, when the manifestation or otherwise of this fall shall become evident before Lagosians, Nigerians and the world at large.
There is nothing unethical or ethnical about unveiling the masquerade, named Jagaban, who has in over two decades learnt and perfected his dancing skills and performed eye popping somersaults to the admiration and envy of his admirer and foes respectively. The people have the right to discuss their leaders, rulers and ruiners.
Growing up in Ibadan, the political headquarter of western Nigeria, and by extension Yoruba nation, I have nostalgic feeling of Ibadan as one of the homes of masquerades. How they are celebrated for their dancing steps to the beats of ‘bata’ drums. A Yoruba adage says, “Bi egun eni ba jo o re, ori aya atokun e”. If one’s masquerade dances well, its Director will be excited.
The markets often times are the scene of masquerades’ dance, though they are occasionally done at three road junctions, (oritameta). The idea behind this is that the more the audience they have the opportunity of entertaining, the better for their popularity and acceptance. Moreover, the applaud of the crowd is a necessary impetus to each participating masquerade as they seek to outdo each other.
Masquerades are usually dressed by men in their covens (igbale). Bola Ahmed Tinubu a relatively unknown masquerade who though many alleged had bore so many names before 1992, was dressed by SDP leaders headed by Chief Dapo Sarumi, for the big dance at the ‘political market square’. He entered with a fresh beautiful dancing steps that attracted roaring applause from the crowd of Nigerians Students and masses in general. He stole the show. The dance ended well. This Masquerade like the ghost that mythology bestowed on them joined other masquerades to inspire their captivated audience (the Nigerian people) to chase out the military, the then enemy of the people back to the barack in 1999.
Dr Bolaji O. Akinyemi
Bola Tinubu has not ceased to dance since then, he dance so well against the then President Olusegun Obasanjo and was nicked named “the last man standing” as Lagos State was about the only State in the hand of the opposition. Tinubu became one of the pan-Yoruba leaders, or so we thought. It wasn’t out of place to dress our masquerade for a big show in Abuja. He led the Yoruba nation to the ‘Dance of Change’ in 2015. What a thrill it was. The Yoruba nation responded with applause in their multitude. It seems the Yoruba nation have finally found a replacement for the Big Masquerade from a little town called Ikene that once danced majestically well on behalf of the Yoruba nation. But, we found out to the contrary, as opportunities to project the general interests of the Yoruba nation were always subsumed for his personal interest, aggrandizement and ambition each and every time these interests clashes.
The seat of the Speakership of the House of Representatives in the 7th Assembly exposed him. The two foremost candidates were Aminu Tanbuwa from Sokoto and Mulika Adeola from Oyo State. The position would have afforded the Yoruba nation the Number 4 citizen seat in that government. What did our self centered Masquerade do? He pull his structure to support Aminu Tanbuwa, against a bonafide daughter of Oodua. No Yoruba was in the first ten office in the country for that four years. Again, between two Yoruba sons: Yusuf Suleimon Lasun and Femi Gbajabiamila, instead of intervening in the overall interest of the Yoruba nation, the masquerade preferred one of his drummers and canebearer to Lasun. That singular ‘misstep’ and political miscalculation is the reason APC could only have won
2018 Osun State Governorship election via remote control.
There was applause across the Niger when Mulika was traded off for a political alliance with the Northern oligarchy who fools itself that it is their exclusive right to seat upon the throne of Nigeria as they are born to rule, nay, ruin the country. Our masquerade was celebrated, redressed and renamed Jagaban. The craftiness of the power mongers who preys on the inordinate ambitions of our greedy, self-centered politicians, carved a title unknown to their Party Constitution for our masquerade and the ‘a o merin joba’ song was chorused for his now sored dancing feet. He is eager to dance but deaf to the drum’s message and blind to the pit on which the throne was murderously placed.
Since then, the steps of this Masquerade has been back and fort, throwing every other interest off board because of his Presidential ambition, though he is entitled to his ambition. But must it be by trading us off.
A Masquerade that came to National limelight as the leader of the Yoruba nation but now could not add his voice to call for regional policing, who fooled the nation with a promise of Restructuring the federation during campaigns in 2015 and who could not use his influence (or whatever is left of it) to end the incessant attacks on his people’s lives and properties.
Muhammadu Buhari has not for once hid is identity as a Fulani nor his bigotry in appointment, our masquerade has lost his voice to call and seek for moderation in appointments inspite of laws to support such call.
Our Masquerade must be contented that he has had his last dance on the 20th day of October 2020 at the Lekki Toll gate now a.k.a TOLL OF BLOOD. The Jagaban put his right leg of insatiable greed and left leg of inordinate ambition out on that fateful day. On the day, it was not business as usual. His deceitful dance and summersaults did not move the audience. No applause. The audience began jeering. The masquerade sensed the end beckons. But he is not ready to leave the stage without a fight. He weighed the options: support or suppress the people? He chose the latter. He went on his abracadabra that has hypnotized his audience for years but that didn’t suffice either. As a last resort he called on his true ‘ally’ to help wound and kill his unimpressed audience. Deploying family and official to put out the light at the toll gate setting the ground for the shameful dance to preserve his hold as the ‘landlord of Lagos’ by whose influence all market are subject to his daughter whim and caprises. Where his son is the Lord of the outdoors advertising in Lagos. Highbrow area such as Lekki toll gate are ceded to his son’s company: Loatsad Promomedia Limited. It was this company that brought the darkness under which the imported killer machine murdered our armless youth protesters. In sane clime, Loatsad Promomedia Ltd would have had their contact with Lagos State terminated for its role in what the world witnessed at Lekki, but ours is far from been normal.
Loatsad and people behind it put out the light on a political strength which our youths represent. With this, Loatsad and those it represnts stands as unwilling enemy of masquerade Jagaban. I know the youth will reward him accordingly come 2023.
His unappreciated allegiance to Muhammadu Buhari against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Nigerians is another political misstep only the future will reveal that indeed the Emperor himself ended his empire with unholy trade off of his people.
The masquerade communication indiscretions will continue to alienate him with the Yoruba nation no matter how his drummers and canebearer try to shout otherwise. In his bid to please his Fulani killers, he displayed loss of control in pen and tongue, writing to the Yoruba leader whose daughter Fulani herdsmen gruesomely murdered, he wrote:
‘Funke and I shared a happy and close relationship. We regularly exchanged ideas and advice to each other. We could speak to each other freely and honestly because of mutual respect that described our relationship. These talks enriched me. I shall miss them. Showing her fine personal character and gratitude, Funke wrote the following words to me which I wish to share with you now to illustrate the goodness of her spirit: “Thank you so much for your help. I appreciate your help. You helped me to get another opportunity to live. Mo dupe. Best regards and with all respect.”
He was so insensitive to go on the rooftop to publish the deseased personal message to him: “Just to appreciate you once more. I am here Sir. The treatment is progressing. I am trusting GOD. Thank u for making it possible. Mo dupe Sir. May you continue to grow in His Grace. Amen.”
Very unfortunate and distasteful to turn a period of mourning to self aggrandizement. Why should the assistance given to a married woman in her moment of struggle against cancer become a condolence massage before her father and during a public visit? What does this masquerade wish to gain from this shameful dance? This is a sure political debit.
Only the Arakunrin family could tell the embarrassment of the vomit his pen and words might have caused.
Further, in his letter, Masquerade Jagaban wrote: “this is a time for consolation and genuine condolence”. But when the opportunity of a physical visit provided Asiwaju the opportunity to practise what he preaches, he chose to be a hypocrite. His vestipuration disparaged the Igbo nation, he needlessly pointed accusing finger at the Igbos, citing Evans the kidnappers as not being a Fulani man, and it was therefore wrong to hold Fulani herdsmen responsible for the murder of Olufunke Arakunrin. As said earlier, the masquerade will always want to please his murderous Fulani and he won’t give a damn whose ox is gored. He berated is rating as a national leader as investigation later confirmed the initial suspicion of the Yoruba nation that it was the Fulani herders and not the Igbo that killed Olufunke.
Like a masquerade who has been given too much alcohol under the scorching sun, Jagaban’s embarrassing inconsistencies on Yoruba and national issues came to head since that black Tuesday 20:10:20, when the gun of the military was turned at Nigerian youths. His words has kept changing like the climate of the day, with one thing said in the morning, and another in the afternoon. He even have the indecency to suggest the need for victims to be queried on what they were doing out at what is now TOLL OF BLOOD .
Critics like me cannot be welcome around Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what we represent and stand for. It’s nothing personal. We remain unrepentant lover of the Nigerian State and of all in love with her. It will be most unfortunate for Asiwaju to view us as his enemies. We advise him to go and find his enemies from: the people he has helped to power who are now hell bent on destroying him, the sycophants around him before whom he is infallible, his suffocating hold on and management of Lagos State like a family business and lastly his failure to stand for all the Yoruba nation interest rather than representing his few supporters.
The Lord does not want the death of a sinner but his repentance. May be this masquerade will look back and reflect on issues raised from not-so-friendly quarters and embark on personal turn around exercise. God’s mercy can still avail and a new Dawn of selfless service devoid of deceit can be birthed.
The People First.
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Bolaji O. Akinyemi
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