South-West leaders insecurity criticism grows as public debate intensifies over alleged inaction amid worsening security challenges in the region
“We cannot continue like this – we just cannot!”
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“Like what?”
“Are you asking me? Did you not see the catastrophes that befell Oyo state? The gory sight of…”
“Save your breath! I couldn’t even summon the courage to watch…”
“The hostages are still with the terrorists – school children, toddlers and all. And life goes on! Only God knows what happens next…”
”I understand your anguish. I also feel your pain even though I am not from Oyo state…”
“Is this a question of where anyone cones from? The way the government appears impotent in this matter beats imagination! You mean our so-called leaders can sleep in their water beds, eat and move about while hapless citizens undergo ghoulish treatment in the hands of heartless terrorists?”
“Why not? Our leaders still go about, feeling unconcerned! The politicians are even conducting primaries – as if nothing happened! They are busy selecting who will rule over both terrorists and their victims! Like terrorists like our leaders! It is debatable who, out of the two, is more heartless, but…”
“But what?”
“It is said that the Oyo kidnapping incidents may have some political undertones…”
“You see what I mean? You are already introducing politics into a very serious matter – something that strikes the very heart of the Yoruba nation!”
“Yoruba nation ko, Yoruba nation ni! Gone were the days when the Yoruba had leaders, but no more! I was only trying to tell you what they are saying already…”
“And who are the ‘they’?”
“They, now! They said the Oyo state kidnap incidents mimic the Chibok girls kidnap incident which was used to frustrate the re-election of Jonathan…”
“And how does Chibok blend with what is happening in Oyo state? You mean enemies are trying to use it to frustrate Tinubu’s second term ambition?”
“That is one angle. The south-west is Tinubu’s homebase; once they embarrass and unhing him there and he loses support, he becomes vulnerable. And the second…”
“I now understand! The Chibok girls incident was the final nail in Jonathan’s political coffin. You think the multi-pronged terrorist attacks across the south-west can similarly dent Tinubu’s second term chances?”
“It can, but that is one side of the argument. The other side is that the incident might also be an attempt to find work for Gov. Seyi Makinde and distract him from his alleged ambition to contest the 2027 presidential election…”
“Aa-haa? Is Makinde contesting? And will that not adversely affect Tinubu’s chances?”
“You see what ‘they’ mean? Whether or not Makinde is contesting; if they find work for him – if they thoroughly embarrass him and dent his popularity in his home base…”
“I want to believe you are only speculating! You mean some people with blood and flesh can think and act the way you are suggesting?”
“Either of the prognosis is possible. Have you not heard them say that our politicians have eaten the head of a tortoise? Between them and the terrorists, it is difficult to say who is more heartless”
“Come to think of it, what are Makinde’s chances if he contests the presidency?”
“Nil!”
“Why then contest?”
“Too much money pushes the owner; especially if it is easily and readily available. Then, of course, politicians contest elections for bragging rights, to improve their CV, and to stand a good chance to negotiate…”
“I don’t understand!”
“What don’t you understand? Someone has remained the only PDP governor standing. He has also been vociferous in his opposition to Tinubu’s l’eekan si campaign. Don’t you know they can call him in at some point for negotiations? Besides, the fear of EFCC after immunity is gone…”
“EFCC, yes, but I don’t think Makinde can remove one single strand of hair from the Jagaban; not even in Oyo state…”
“He can! If the 2027 election goes to the wire, a candidate can win or lose by the smallest of margins. Smart politicians don’t take chances”
“I see! The kidnap incidents in Oyo state, then, is a two-edged sword like they are saying…”
“Yes, depending. It cuts Tinubu and it also cuts Makinde, but Tinubu suffers it more.”
“The president, then, must avoid the banana peels that were Jonathan’s undoing”
“Exactly! Fortunately, Tinubu himself has said they are trying to use insecurity to derail his government…”
“But who are these ‘they’? Why are we always afraid to mention the names of evil doers?”
“If the president is not bold enough to mention their names, who are we? The enemies are within his government and they are also outside of it. It appears he is trying to circumvent them rather than take them on headlong…”
“Because he is afraid of them or what?”
“I cannot say, but he who wears the shoe knows where it pinches. The president recently appointed a Special Assistant in charge of Homeland Security…”
“That sounds very much like a USA nomenclature. Is it because the Americans are here boots on ground and guns-a-blazing like their president boasted?”
“Forget! Nigerians are yet to enjoy the fruits of that boast. If anything, the coconut leaves of terrorism have gotten hardened instead…”
“And can you blame the Americans? If we ourselves are afraid to name and shame, will the Americans cry more than the bereaved? Sometimes I even think we are unnecessarily putting more focus on the Federal Government – what of the state governors? What are they doing?”
“My brother, that is ‘no-go’ area for now! We have the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria; what are they doing? Just collecting salaries like civil servants? When the South-west Development Commission was established, many of us shouted ‘Euruka’, but what are they doing? Running after white elephant projects in the face of insecurity? AFENIFERE leaders, the Kabiyesis: What are they all doing? Not less than five Kabiyesis have been killed by terrorists, yet, mum’s the word from the Ori Ades…”
“You know the one that pains me most? We have an Are-Ona Kakanfo who only pontificates and genuflects while terrorists and bandits run riot and ravage the territory he purports to defend…”
“Are you surprised? Gone were the days when we had real Are-Ona Kakanfos. In those days, they didn’t sit idly by in cities, parading in white agbada all over the place, but their locations were the trouble spots to ward off aggression against Yorubaland. It is either they win or they commit suicide…
“Why is it different these days? We have trouble spots that warrant that the Are-Ona Kakanfo spring into action…”
“Today’s Are-Ona Kakanfos are merely for ceremonies and decoration. Cosmetics! They sit in so-called palaces, eat jollof rice, drink exotic wine and are surrounded by a bevy of beauties! Jesters and courtiers whom they install as Otun-this and Osi-that mill around amusing themselves. So it is a huge joke these days…”
“ Pity! But why did you say the governors are a ‘no-go’ area? They collect humongous amounts as security votes every month…”
“And who told you it is for security purposes?”
“But is it not called ‘security votes’?”
“The US$2.2 billion Dasukigate under Jonathan, was meant for the purchase of arms to fight insurgency, but was it not diverted elsewhere?”
“Oh my goodness! Why are we always like this? Yes, I remember the so-called arms bazaar. If the right things had been done at that time…”
“And if the right things are even done right now! Let’s not cry over spilled milk. We can still redeem the times even now, but will they?”
“Why won’t they? We keep talking of ‘they’, ‘they’, ‘they’. Your sense of pessimism galls me…”
“It is realism, not pessimism! Our governors are busy elsewhere right now…”
“But securing life and property is the first duty of government…”
“When logs fall on logs, our elders say you first remove those on top…
“I don’t understand…”
“We are in the season of elections; south-west governors are neck-deep in election matters. Ogun governor just won an epic battle to dislodge the sitting senator, Gbenga Daniel. He must now focus on how to win the Ogun East senatorial seat. Makinde in Oyo state is consumed by his own ambition and anti-Tinubu, anti-Wike vibes. Ekiti state’s Gov. Oyebanji just flagged off his campaign for second term, which comes up on 20th June while in Osun state, the dancing governor, Nurudeen Adeleke, has his own date with destiny on 15th August. In Ondo state, the governor is neck-deep in how to scale the legal hurdles of whether or not he is eligible for another term in office after the current one…”
“I see! And once election matters take the front seat, everything else takes the back seat!”
“Exactly! First things first! It is the law of self-interest…”
“But what we were taught in the university is that self-interest, if it is not to become selfish and destructive, must be enlightened self-interest…”
“That was in the universities! Today’s street-wise politicians have no stomach for turenchi. After the politicians of the First Republic, Fela aptly captured the turnaround of things in his album titled ‘Upside Down’…”
“You are always quoting musicians!”
“Yes, the philosophers and prophets among them. Are things not “Upside Down” like Fela sang? Are things not disorganized?”
“I see! What, then, is to be done?”
“If you don’t mind, I will quote another musician, this time Bob Nesta Marley: ‘Get up! Stand up! Stand up for your rights! Don’t give up the fight’! Disappointed on all fronts and with help seemingly coming from nowhere, the people of the South-west must take their destiny in their own hands however they can, stand up now and fight not just for their rights but also for their life!”
“Akika!”
Also read: The Trinity of State Decay (II): Inside the Loop of Insecurity
NB: Compliments of the season to all my esteemed readers! Barka de Sallah to our Muslim brothers and sisters! Peace be unto Nigeria and prosperity unto its people!
* Former editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of its Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-chief, BOLAWOLE was also the Managing Director/Editor-in-chief of The Westerner news magazine. He writes the ON THE LORD'S DAY column in the Sunday Tribune and TREASURES column in New Telegraph newspaper on Wednesdays. He is also a public affairs analyst on radio and television.
