In Their Genes: Obasanjo, Okupe, Mark Lose Children to Opposition Parties
How they became vanity’s puppets
In pursuit of affluence, even the children of the rich become vanity’s puppets.
Little wonder, heirs and heiresses of Nigeria’s filthy rich are deserting their parents’ fading lights, leaving them in darkness, like forgotten foundries with their own black wreath.
Recently, sons and daughters of Nigeria’s hitherto powerful politicians and statesmen have developed a knack for ditching their often humbled and irrelevant parents, to pitch their tents with perceived meal tickets and deep pockets.
This new-found vanity of the affected wards has become embarrassing to their parents.
First, it was former president, Olusegun Obasanjo’s son, Olujonwo, that called his bluff to join incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC). From Gbenga to Iyabo, and now, Olujonwo, the former President’s wards seem to have turned betrayal to an art form, they exhibit no qualms disgracing their father in public. Olujonwo Obasanjo’s resolve to pitch his tent with President Muhammadu Buhari, a candidate whose second term bid, his father, Obasanjo, is working publicly and spiritedly against, astonishes both friends and foes of the Obasanjo family.
For a fact, Olujonwo has blatantly displayed that his political choice is at variance with his father’s; coming from a culture that equates one’s father with one’s hero, Olujonwo has also shown that he lacks discretion in great proportions and should not be associated with native intelligence, according to pundits. Then, ex-presidential adviser, Doyin Okupe’s son, Diran, also expressed his support for Buhari. Diran, whose father was the former spokesperson to former President Goodluck Jonathan, has asked Nigerians to call him a bastard if Nigeria does not experience economic boom after President Buhari is re-elected in 2019.
Subsequently, Blessing Onuh, daughter of the former Senate President, David Mark, officially dumped her father’s platform, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to pitch tent with the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), after securing the ticket to run for Otukpo/Ohimini federal constituency of Benue State. Onuh, who moved from the PDP with over 15,000 members, was received by a large crowd of supporters at the brick-wall and later drove to the Ochi’ Idoma’s palace to seek the blessings of the traditional ruler.