There are so many things I blame a person for; actions, inactions, decisions and indecisions, but common sense don’t let me forget the factors and systems that led to these humane errors. Humans are naturally the victim of natural order and system._ IAK
When I heard of the inglorious defection of the fickle- minded, vainseeking erstwhile loyalist of the Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki yesterday, my mind become encyclopedic, mulling the kernels of yet another political parody in our polity.
A hundred and one thoughts and opinions were jostling for attention at the centre of my mind. I was torn between rationality and irrationality; a part of me wanting to join the crowd in subbing and shaming him before rationality and sensibility prevailed, that there was more than meet the eyes.
It’s a common knowledge that Nigeria politics is just some step short of comedy in all ramifications. Everyday comes with these actors acting script of travesty, parody and comedy in their unpatriotic best. And In all honesty, Tejidini’s brazen defection do not deserve a post on Facebook book page talk less of an op-ED, it’s like a scene out of a thousand episodes of opera in the Pollywood. However for a mind that thinks, there’s more to his haphazard defection and in no time, there would be more Tejidinis sprawling on the floor for amnesty.
The mere thoughts and imaginations of these scenarios gives me goosebumps, and I am worried to the marrow how much damage Saraki’s ruling has wrecked in our society. The system is structured in a Machiavellian manner of subjugation and colonialism. The society and the people are so poor, immoral and unproductive. And the imports of these are not far-fetched in our political and socio- cultural polity.
Mr. Tejidini is the emerging symbol of the failed and fallen dynasty. He represents everything the system encapsulated; poverty- stricken, desperate, immoral and mentally enslaved. These are people who have become extricately used to the pecks and patronage of the government. Some have no means of livelihood aside the crumbs falling from the Leader’s leprous hands.
And this is why you find them crying and wailing more than the bereaved anytime their master’s hands are caught in the Cookie’s jar and you would be wondering how a group of people could be so primordial, parochial and prejudiced in their thinkings and dispensations. Let me give you the scoop: It was never lack of knowledge but dictate of the belly that made them act in such dishonourable manners, but sadly, they were just the exact prototypes the system wanted to make of them. Illiterate. Ill- literate. Uneducated. Hungry. Subjected lots.
This is why, the change in political order of the state, is percieved as end judgement, something like a death warrant by these people. The keys to the vaults are about to change hands and so do their bastion of dependency. So the mere thoughts of Saraki’s losing and abadoning some of these Vuvuzelas makes tremor and trepidation inhabitants in their idle minds. So it’s just about time you knew there was not really much Sarakites and Sarakism. What was holding sway in Kwara was ignorance, poverty and mental slavery before the tsunami of *O to ge* revolution. This is why I have always held a strong but controversial opinion that not every one holding chalks and marker in the classroom you consider an intellectual, some of them could be a Tejidini who was an opportunist of a political arrangement.
What is however stageringly disturbing to me, is the humongous numbers of hanger- on the system has made and how much it’s passing on to the incoming leaders, the governor most especially. These people would be filing in one by one to join the system for continuation of freebies. They have began with Tejidini, the biggest model of Sarakism you could have around. The next few weeks would be unveiling much of these to our chagrin.
But instead of us shamming, lampooning and ridiculing this people, we should see it as a parody that has come to stay. Saraki made a nonsense of our cultural and moral fabrics, Sarakism made Ilorin a centre of modern slavery. And we might not really know the magnitude of damage until he’s defeated. The unfolding events are most worrisome and alarming!
It calls for sober reflection if you were the one than thinks. Sarakism, if you ask me, was the lies we bought twice the price of truth. Deception. Deciet. Death of dreams.
There would be more Tejidinis in the weeks to come.
Ibraheem Abdullateef, a political analyst and social commentator writes from Ilorin.