Columnists
Doctrine of Necessity: The Metaphor of Emilokan and Awalokan -By Richard Odusanya
To those of us with analytical perspectives, it was a masterpiece. I don’t have to agree with him to recognise the feat! BAT, told the whole nation that it was his turn to be President. To me that is courage and no matter what some people think, that to me, shows that this man can sit with the World Bank and IMF and win an argument ( Mahatia Mohammed of Malaysia comes to mind in this regard.
The doctrine of necessity is a rarely used political concept or utilitarian idea and is used to define and validate extra-constitutional issues that fall outside the purview of the constitution but are necessary to preserve political stability. The fundamental objective of the doctrine is to satisfy the exigencies which have been created by certain situations outside the contemplation of the constitution or the rule of law; and its significant feature is the deliberate circumvention of the constitution or some aspects of the rule of law in order to get out of political quagmire.
The words ‘emi lokan’, ‘eleyi’, and ‘olule’ meaning ‘it’s my turn’, ‘this one’ and ‘beaten down’ respectively were used by the former Lagos governor while speaking with an emotional outburst at the gathering of APC stalwarts which had Governor Dapo Abiodun in attendance. Tinubu, in June, while canvassing for the support of his party members in Abeokuta, Ogun state before the presidential primary election which was held on June 6 and 7 at Eagle Square, Abuja uttered some Yoruba words that have been subjects of debates since then. émilokan’ is a new coinage of Yoruba words created by the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu. It is an addition to ‘vocabularies’ into Yoruba political dictionary.
Metaphorically, the coinage of Àwa ló kàn (It’s our turn), fits the bills, circumstances and aspirations of our compatriots from the Southeast of Nigeria. It is the turn of the south-east to produce Nigeria’s next president, but it is not the auspicious time for the region to do so. The national tenor today is unfavourable for the emergence of a president of south-east extraction. We may have the moral justification to demand the zoning of the presidential ticket by the top-tier political parties – the APC and the PDP – to the south-east, but the ‘’time and chance’’ we do not have. It is our turn – but it is not a perfect timing. Some few days ago, I deliberately shared my thoughts about national cohesion and rebirth with a very close friend. I’d emphasized the need for fair play, equity and justice by writing a short piece that ended with “Awalokan after emilokan”
Interestingly, at about 1994, some Nigerian patriots conceived an article of faith and principle of rotation of power that guarantee equity and inclusiveness for all the diverse components of the country. Thus, Nigeria was structured into six geopolitical zones; namely, south-south, south-east, south-west, north-west, north-central and the north-east. Therefore, if you don’t play your politics right, you may be holding the wrong edge of the stick all the time. That is what appears to have been the lot of the East. I will be too happy if an easterner becomes the President through popular votes, but for me, it is more of strategic relationship than emotion and morality. This is where the “Mandela option” becomes inevitable.
Flowing from the foregoing, it is safe to say that strategic thinking like that of, Orji Uzor Kalu, a Nigerian politician and businessperson who is a Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District. The current chief whip of the 9th Senate had eloquently posited: “It is my desire and intention to run for the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am committed to this pursuit, but I can’t make an official declaration to this regard without the full support of other regions. Everywhere in the world, politics is situational and that of Nigeria is exceptionally situational.
“The situation in Nigeria is that without the support of other regions, it would amount to a shadow chase for a South Easterner to be President. This is the reason I have been in the frontline of the call that the two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should zone their presidential tickets to the South East as they did for the South West in 1999. In the absence of this zoning, I shall return to the Senate and stay away from the presidential contest.” The position of the distinguished senator passionately resonates with some of us as well as many stakeholders. logically, it seems to be better than the current jamboree which is a product of emotion and sentiments.
Additionally, if an Igbo person can form viable alliance(s) with other groups, understand and respect others in a way that could endear him or her to the people outside his or her region and the people of Nigeria are convinced to vote for him or her, then I am all for it. I recalled correctly that Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (MKO), did it masterfully, handshake across the bridge and getting people from every region of Nigeria to vote for him in the aborted Presidential election of June, 12, 1993. I have immense respect for his achievement in that regard. That is the way to do it. This is the way to go, not the Obiagirlies mob actions, exuberance and gangsterism masquerading under youths restiveness.
I respect people with courage and those who are innovative in the face of challenges. For example, someone like Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT), has all the odds against him, including from within his party as their parties primaries approached d-day. He deviced ingenious ways of triumphing over the odds and emerged as the flagbearer of his party. To those of us with analytical perspectives, it was a masterpiece. I don’t have to agree with him to recognise the feat! BAT, told the whole nation that it was his turn to be President. To me that is courage and no matter what some people think, that to me, shows that this man can sit with the World Bank and IMF and win an argument ( Mahatia Mohammed of Malaysia comes to mind in this regard.
Finally, I like to be very blunt and I say that this country must not be one that you relegate merit and promote sentiment. Personalities make difficult things happen, not ethnicity. Let the best man do the needful, build courage and contest for the election to win. That is the job of the politician. You and I have to take on difficult tasks and deliver in our chosen endeavours, if you cannot get Nigerians of all kinds/types to vote for you, then you have no business contesting for the Presidency of this complex country. It is important to note that the Igbo had a fair representation in the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. Furthermore, Aguiyi Ironsi, from the Nzeogwu-led coup (both Igbos) jettisoned the federated regional structure that gave autonomy for parallel developments and the constitution that backed it to form the unitary government that the Igbos are now complaining about. We must ask what the motive was when they performed that act. The issue is not the person in Nigeria, but that of a system that does not serve the people.
NIGERIA IS NOT FINISHED! NIGERIA SHALL BE VERY GREAT AGAIN IN THE WORLD AND THE WESTERN PEOPLE WILL BEG FOR A VISA TO VISIT.
Odusanya is a Nonreligious African committed to Humanitarianism, Emancipation and Egalitarianism
