Nigeria’s Circus Of Sycophancy -By Ike Willie-Nwobu

The swift change of language and tone by some prominent Nigerians on the state of the nation and what needs to be done shows that sycophants are never far from the seat of power.

In politics, there are no permanent friends or  permanent enemies. Politicians are only agreed on the fact that politics is about permanent interest. As such, it is expected that those who play politics are to maintain their interests, ditching friends and enemies as political permutations change to enjoy the greatest benefits.

In the charged waters of Nigerian politics, friends have been known to fall out irreparably with each other. Political associates have also been known to fall out. In fact, politics in Nigeria, just as in other places, has been known to test the most tight-knit of relationships.

At 4.10 AM on March 1,Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, was declared winner of the February 25 election and Nigeria’s president-elect to bring days of bitter recriminations and speculation to a temporary end.

On May 29,maintaining Nigeria’s burgeoning tradition of democratic transitions, Tinubu was sworn in and charged with the near impossible task of rebuilding Nigeria.

With the swift but all too predictable change of guard in Nigeria’s highest office has come a change of language and tone for those for whom interest in Nigeria is about what they can get. Those who have swiftly changed tack are divided into two broad categories.

For eight years under the administration of  MuhammaduBuhari as president, while Nigeria steadily cascaded into dysfunction, Nigerians broke into two broad camps. On the one hand, were his sharp critics, while on the other hand were his strident defenders.

For eight years, across many channels, both camps fought for relevance, leaving the few neutrals in their wake. While for many of Buhari’s critics, the interest of the country drove their withering criticisms, there were still those who were smarting from political losses suffered in 2015 and 2019.

For Buhari’s strident supporters, however, who included many government officials, however, the criticism of the president were both unfair and destructive. Thus, they preferred that a country in the throes of destabilization added silence to her catalogue of woes.

For those who unsparingly criticized Buhari, Tinubu presidency is simply a continuum with the former Lagos Governor largely cut from the same cloth as the former president. For them, even if they are fair enough to give him the benefit of doubt, it is only a matter of time before they resume their vigilance, especially because they are already seeing cracks and creaks within the new government.

As for Buhari’s most strident supporters, it is simply a case of the evolution of their hypocrisy. While they largely and wholeheartedly supported the former president because their proboscis were dug into the skin of his inept and corrupt government, they are a bit uncertain over their fate under the new administration, especially as every administration in Nigeria is known to come with its legion of locusts.

Today, some of those who feverishly supported Buhari are desperately trying to ingratiate themselves to Tinubu. Some of those who never agreed that anything was broken under Buhari are now asking Nigerians to be patient with Tinubu to fix Nigeria.

It Is funny how people who never agreed that anything was broken in Nigeria are now asking for patience for Tinubu to fix Nigeria.

The question Is: When did Nigeria break to deserve to fix especially as they were content to insist that everything was well under Tinubu? Or does their sudden change of tone and tack have everything to do with the new sheriff in town and the need to curry his favour?

There is no doubt that of all the political diseases that afflict Nigerians the most, sycophancy  is the most prominent. Despite all the noise about speaking truth to power, at the front lines of public discourse and engagement are those who are more than content to play safe, especially when their pockets are lined just the way they want it.

Of these, President Tinubu must beware. He may only be a week in office, but the clock is already ticking with frightening ferocity. If he is to salvage whatever is left of his relationship with Nigerians, many of whom are yet to come to terms with the fact that he is their president, the former Lagos Governor must stop his ears at the words of those whose sweet nothings are more trap than truth.

The task of rebuilding Nigeria is a more urgent one and the man at the helm of affairs can ill-afford to lend weight to the words of those whose lips are lent to the highest bidder.

Ike Willie-Nwobu,

Abuja.