Adams Oshiomhole, The Chairman Who Came, Saw But Could Not Conquer – By Tife Owolabi

Political power in Nigeria involved something one desperately get and keep, else it slip away. So was the fate of the comrade chairman who undermined the dynamics of politics in today’s world where soft power of culture is displacing the hard power of armies.

Comrade Adams Oshiomole, the erstwhile Chairman of the ruling party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, failed to know that there is an end to power and it is transient. Though he acquired via election by getting to the chairmanship seat of his party, he used power for the common good of his party whilst he incurred some enemies via his actions and inaction, he kept it for a while when perceived enemies wanted him out but he lost it with carefree attitude forgetting that power is spreading and long-established, big players-politicians are increasingly being challenged by newer and smaller ones. 
Mr. Oshiomhole allowed his godson, Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki to determine his fate due to ego. Though was ousted by his party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, that was nailed by Victor Giadom, his main challenger but the actual person who put him in the coffin was his godson.

He became a Hercules that was slain by a poor virgin. He taught he was mean but being mean does not fix anything forgetting that it is easier to get political power if the tide favours you, harder to keep but easier to lose to opponents. 

He overrated himself as the Al Pacino of the model Nigerian political leader trying to enforce and instill party supremacy but little did he know that same party supremacy will consume him totally.

A man once dreaded during his activism and gave General Olusegun Obasanjo sleepless night. He was a nightmare during his days as the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, to Obasanjo that many thought we had two presidents in the country because his words were action and Obasanjo could do nothing but to comply with his demands or else incurred the nation’s wrath. Today,  he fell like a pack of cards because he took his ward suspension for granted.

Mr. Oshiomhole misunderstands and overlooks the magnitude, nature, consequences, and transformation of power by undermining a smaller group. For those who wanted him out won at last because he had had highly estimation of himself like the Lucifer in the Bible.