RE: LAGOSIANS RONU

Hakim Adisa argues that the writer is mischievous

The above title should attract the attention of any well- meaning Yoruba man when juxtaposed in relation to the author of the original article for the following reasons. ‘Ronu’ is a Yoruba language word that simply means think; secondly, the author of the article calling on Lagosians to think is Sonnie Ekwowusi, a thorough-bred Igbo man; thirdly, what would have really interested an Igbo man to deploy Yoruba word to convey his message this political season if not for an ulterior motive? It would not be out of place to describe Ekwowusi as being creatively mischievous in his use of ‘ronu’ and seeming intellectual misinterpretation of the word freedom and democracy hiding under a supposed statement issued by a faction of Afenifere, a Yoruba socio-cultural group.

Obviously, Ekwowusi is not in any way concerned about any worthy principle or ideals but obviously working for a paymaster that the contents of his article had easily divulged. And one of his paymasters is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State. It was the PDP that, ab initio, that started the sophistry of slavery/freedom and democracy in Lagos State. Shockingly, they erroneously felt the best way to garner the support of the people of Lagos is to insult them by saying they have been in political and economic bondage since 1999. Now, they missed the point because Lagosians are too sophisticated a people not to realise that they are not in bondage since the state remains one of the most free and tolerant states in the federation.

Ekwowusi made no pretension about his mission, which was to justify whatever might have exchanged between his paymasters when he went all out, befuddled the public with essentially the same jejune arguments that have become the hallmark of Jimi Agbaje, PDP’s governorship candidate. It may not be out of place to conclude that Ekwowusi is obviously one of the antediluvian closet strategists for the Lagos PDP that is just coming to the fore.

The author’s excuse for writing the piece was the statement by a faction of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, on why it endorsed PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar. In the statement, the faction said it rejected Buhari because of his sins against Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Pa Adekunle Ajasin. I laughed at this because Awolowo’s grand son-in-law, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, is Buhari’s running mate. Also, Awolowo’s grand-son, Segun Awolowo, is playing a key role in this government in which he is in charge of export promotion. Ajasin’s children, to the best of my knowledge, have political affinity to the APC, and not the PDP. For the author and his desperate Afenifere faction, this is simply crying more than the bereaved.

As expected, the author dragged APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu into his ‘roforofo’ piece. Tinubu’s sin according to his jaundiced view ‘is that he is forcing Buhari on Lagosians.’ He is also accused of forcing Babajide Sanwo-Olu on the state. For me, the accusations are insulting to Lagosians who, I believe sincerely, have a discerning mind and can choose for themselves and they have been choosing for themselves since 1999. It is just coincidental that their choice tallies with Tinubu’s. Stop feeding the weeds and starving the flowers.

Ekwuwosi also accused Tinubu of denying Lagosians the right to political association and freedom of political expression. The word ‘freedom’, which is Agbaje’s campaign slogan, appears to me to be the author’s favourite word, hence my suspicion of his being, once again, a pointed closet strategist to the Lagos PDP governorship candidate. How on earth can Tinubu be accused of depriving the people of the right to association? Did he force people to join APC? Did he deny PDP members the right to vote for their candidates? Just how did he curtail the freedom to choose?

But I console myself with the knowledge that during electioneering periods, not a few lose their soul for pots of porridge. They are just out for mudslinging. If you scratch these mudslingers, you will find out that the songs they are playing are not theirs. They are only mouthpieces of politicians, whose pecuniary interests are being affected by the objects of the attacks.

If there is something I was sure of and is still certain, it is the fact that the premises of the piece are faulty and jaundiced. I could not but cringe about the aspect concerning Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and his predecessor, Babatunde Fashola. It simply confirms the jaundiced nature of the article.

I am baffled that any lover of democracy will attempt to rubbish party supremacy, which is what has been at work in Lagos for decades. A political party should be able to determine who flies its flag. I wonder why anyone will have problem with the party deciding the fate of its members. Castigating Tinubu for allegedly entrenching a ‘personalised style of politics’ makes me wonder what the motive of the author was. You do not put people down for the fun of it.

I wonder what the author’s definition of democrat is when he attempted unsuccessfully to rubbish Tinubu’s democratic credentials. He claimed that Tinubu arrogates to himself the power to determine the political fates of others. More laughable is the author’s condemnation of Tinubu’s support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid. The man has a right to his choice.

Let me educate the author a bit: The world over, including advanced democracies, incumbent presidents always enjoy right of first refusal. In the U.S., which all of us are quick to make reference to, incumbent presidents are never challenged within their parties for presidential ticket. The author really needs to show us those who wanted to run in the APC and were blocked. Party members simply decided to honour the president by not running against him.

I must point out that Sanwo-Olu was not forced on APC members; if he was, all will not be quiet in Lagos. If party members were short-changed in the process, there would have been misgivings. There is nothing of such. All have queued behind Sanwo-Olu because he was their choice. Please, permit me to tell this author that it is curious he chose to rubbish the gains that have been recorded in Lagos since the return to democracy. It will be uncharitable to divorce the governance in Lagos from its being the fifth largest economy in Africa with a GDP of $136 billion. While I will not say all Lagosians are doing well, I must point out that there is inequality all over the world, including the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Lagos has tried and is still trying to reduce the inequality gap. The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and other schemes are ways through which the government has made available grants and loans to ordinary folks to build their businesses. If the author lives in Lagos, he should be aware of this, except mischief is his other name.

ust add that if the author is expecting a repeat of the scenario which saw the late Michael Otedola of the defunct National Republican Party (NRC) becoming Lagos State governor, I am sure he will wait till eternity. It appears that the author is anxiously waiting for Agbaje to take over. It appears to me that the likes of the author of the piece under reference are simply attempting to consecrate Tinubu by giving him powers he does not have. Those who know him and are following him are doing so because of qualities they have not been able to find in others who lay claim to political leadership.