Godfatherism in Nigerian Politics: Did Akintola Betray Awolowo? -By Olusoji Ajao

Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola never betrayed Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Though the defunct Action Group (AG) was the brand child of Awolowo. Akintola was one of the co-founders, that worked with him to build the party. It is also wrong to suggest that Awolowo godfathered Akintola, both of them have had political influence before coming together to form AG. Akintola has mass followers from Ogbomoso his hometown, he was very popular in his immediate community. Awolowo never directly assisted nor bankrolled his election. Hence Akintola’s electoral success cannot be attributed to Awolowo’s direct intervention.

The Man: Akintola 

Akintola was  a charismatic leader with oratorical dexterity. Before becoming deputy leader of AG he had served as the legal adviser of the AG.  He became  Awolowo’s deputy not by favouritism, but by merit via election. After the death of Bode Thomas, the post  of deputy party leader became vacant. Akintola and Arthur Prest contested for the post and he defeated Prest. 

It is also instructive to note that, while Chief Awolowo was the Premier of Western Region (1952 to 1959), Akintola didn’t serve under him in the Western Region. Akintola served at the Federal level as the Minister for Health and later Minister for Communications and Aviation and in the Parliament as the Action Group Parliamentary Leader/Leader of Opposition in the House of Representatives of Nigeria.

Godfatherism: From the First to Fourth Republic

In today’s Nigeria,  someone without name recognition, or pedigree, or a person so unpopular that cannot win a polling booth in his constituency would be hand-picked, imposed and financially supported by a godfather to win an election. This clearly depicts the difference between godfatherism in the First Republic and current Fourth Republic godfatherism manifestation. 

After winning the godfather demands and expects absolute loyalty from ‘installed’ godson. Chris Uba and Dr. The Chris Ngige godfatherism saga, in Anambra State, is the worst manifestation of godfatherism in Nigerian history. Uba (godfather) had forced Ngige (godson) to swear at Okija Shrine, that he would be absolutely loyal to him. Ngige was also made to sign a written agreement through which he declared his loyalty to his godfather. The Human Rights Watch has archived the agreement. In the meantime, part of the agreement is presented below: 

DECLARATION OF LOYALTY 

• WHEREAS I aspire to run for the governing of Anambra State of Nigeria under the platform of the People Democratic Party. 
• WHEREAS I am financially incapacitated and unable to fund myself for the said election.
• WHEREAS I have approached, belief (sic) Chief Chris Uba (Eselu Uga) and requested him to sponsor me financially and also support my campaign by handing over to me his teeming followers and political structure in Anambra State.
• WHEREAS Chief Chris Uba (Eselu Uga) have (sic)  accepted  to sponsor me in consideration of my exercise and manifestation of absolute loyalty to him.

NOW THEREFORE I HEREBY DECLARE AS FOLLOWS:

• That I Dr. CHRIS NGIGE shall at all times during my tenure as the Governor of Anambra State exercise and manifest absolute loyalty to the person of Chief Chris Uba (Eselu Uga) as my mentor, benefactor and sponsor.

When the Dr. Ngige, in good conscience jettisoned the  diabolical agreement with Uba, the Governor was kidnapped by the godfather. Could we tag Dr. Ngige as a betrayer?

Of course, it won’t be appropriate to call him a betrayer, because he stood for the general interest of the people against selfish interest of the godfather. 

In Nigeria today a godfathered governor would have the majority of his commissioners nominated by the godfather. He dares not remove any commissioner on the ground of non-performance or corruption. Doing so would be contravening th3 first law in the 48 Laws of Power, which states: “Never Outshine The Master”.

Having made conceptual clarification between classical and contemporary godfatherism in  Nigerian politics let’s return to the focus of this piece. 

Did Akintola  Outshine Awolowo?

The answer to the above question is capital YES. Akintola upon becoming the Premier of the defunct Western Region in 1960, having taken over from Awolowo who left his premiership position in his quest to become the Prime Minister of an independent Nigeria in 1960, ran the affairs of government independently without ‘taking permission’ consulting or seeking the opinion of his predecessor.  

Decisions as regards appointment into boards of government corporations, contracts and other political benefits and appointments were solely taken by Akintola. Awolowo felt that, as the party leader and poster face of AG, (Egbe Awolowo  – Awolowo’s party) he hadn’t been fairly treated. This is one of the immediate causes of conflict between them.

Is Outshining the Master, Tantamount to Betrayal?

This question cannot be answered objectively without anatomizing some inherent issues in godfatherism. To start with, if a godson outshines his godfather because of his commitment to ensuring greater good for the greater number of people, then such ‘outshining’ cannot be labelled as betrayal. This is because the godson has deprioritized the godfather’s interest, and instead elevated and prioritized people’s interest over that of the godfather.

This is what played out between Chief Lamidi Adedibu (godfather) and Chief Rashidi Ladoja (godson). Ladoja refused to release public funds for oiling political machinery of the godfather Ladoja was able to confront the godfather because he had affluence before going into politics, also he has political influence having been elected as a senator in the aborted Third Republic. 

What  constitutes betrayal therefore is context-specific. The context-specificity relates to the influence and affluence of the godson before entering into a transactional political relationship with the godfather. In the case of Akintola and Awolowo their relationship wasn’t transactional nor based on patron/client relationship. They were contemporaries who fostered collaborative political relationships leading to co-founding of AG for the realisation of their shared ideology.

As the party leader of the defunct AG, Awolowo had the power to choose another party member to succeed him, however according to the party hierarchy Akintola was the deputy leader, so he succeeded Awolowo, by right and deservedly. In a true sense of democratic norms, Akintola’s allegiance therefore should be to the Party as an institution/platform not to the party leader.

By not consulting his predecessor before taking critical actions and decisions, he might have outshone the master but that doesn’t constitute anti-party actions.

 Conclusion 

Akintola never betrayed Awolowo this is because, he has served the party passionately and meritoriously to earn the position of deputy party leader. He succeeded Awolowo as the Premier of Western Region, not because Awolowo hand-picked or favoured him, but because as the deputy leader he was naturally expected to succeed him.

Awolowo and Akintola relationship was like the one between Sir Ahmadu Bello and Sir Abubakar Tawafa Balewa, both of them co-founded the Northern People’s Congress (NPC). Bello was the party leader, and Balewa deputy party leader. Bello preferred being the Premier of Northern Nigeria than being the Prime Minister of Nigeria. 

The allegiance of Akintola was to the Party, not to the party leader. He never betrayed Awolowo. Recall that when the vote of no confidence was passed on Akintola, in 1962.  It was on the basis of anti-party activities, not based on his insubordination to Awolowo’s dictates. 

One of the anti-party activities levied against Akintola was his deviation from the ideals of democratic socialism which was the ideology of AG.

Olusoji AJAO is a Public Affairs Analyst. Follow him Twitter: @OlusojiAjao