Politics and Power and Living – a Worrisome Enigma -By Jimi Bickersteth

“There’s no art to know the mind’s construction in the face.”
Shakespeare.

I have watched the contours and continuous deterioration of the capital for a while; for Abuja, the nation’s federal capital, the dreams and foundations of which were laid in extravagance, and whose deterioration began in the same extravagance and luxury.

Abuja’s slowly deteriorated in its attempt at becoming a modern administrative headquarters of the political and geographical entity known as Nigeria, wound its way to mediocrity, structurally and physically, and then finally to slum conditions.

Its hotels, bars, restaurants, ‘expensive’ boutiques and vulgar service(s) industries all earned it a ‘luxury tourist trap’ sobriquet; and also further deterioration, and still further on were the tenements blocks that stretched in a domino effect to as far as neighbouring Keffi in Nasarawa in its hinterland, housing majority of those who scratched up some kind of subsistence living. Today, again, I watched all of these deterioration with bored indifference.

A number of youths with sinister appearance completed the dastard pictures. They looked what they were: a typical product of instability, dissatisfied with their living and the way of life they have been consigned to by politicians, who carry-on as if governance South of the Sahara was rocket science.

The youths, nay, the nation kept groping, not knowing what they wanted out of what government dished out to them, unsure of themselves, but with a latent viciousness that could be sparked off should they encounter any criticism a la #ENDSARS.

With the girls, I was uneasy. Frigid? I couldn’t believe the sensuality that oozed off the gals under the Mary Kay cosmetics adorned faces, they were not reacting to the men’s charms, they were only reacting to the impulse and size of their purses.

There presently were depression, hunger, poverty and insecurity all around!

The spectre of deaths loomed even larger in the nation to those watching the tragedies from across the country and was a cursory reminder for the nation, not only that the nation must face the reality of death, but also that far too many Nigerians are dying from a negligent culture that destroys lives, families, communities and society.

It occurred to me that those that were slaughtered in the nation’s orgy of violence never planned for their sudden ends. At this point, goosebumps run up and down my spine and I shiver. I know parents have tried to shield the kids as best as they could from the awful details of the littany and long chain of violence in the country. But how do we explain that the adults around haven’t been able to fix the mess, and, that nothing has happened to make these horrible events stop? This should rouse the political leaders from their collective moral slumber, even as they produce effective forensic monitoring and efficient policing and heightened security around the nation and move in line with the rest of the developed world and the wishes, dreams desires and aspirations of the general population.

It broke one’s heart sincerely, and, I know I’m not the only one afraid of the nation’s tomorrow. The Kids all over the country were exposed to the television reports, newspapers articles, worried conversation amongst the adults, the latest tragedy in what was becoming an epidemic of horrible and senseless experiences involving schools and children and their parents.

What a nation! While the nation’s university’s gates have not opened in a long while, the political atmosphere of Abuja is so supercharged. I have seen people hunt for power in Africa and beyond, but not in this desperately, guts tearing, obsessive Abuja way. There was something extra in the urge, at this present state of instability, insecurity bordering on a failed state testimonials of the nation, a situation that was likely to sparkle violence on these desires.

There was great lamentations all around. The terrorist and banditry was unrelenting, the kidnapping for ransom and killings went on unabated, giving whatever little credit the PMB’s administration garnered some appreciable dent. The intelligence service was unable to conquer the subterfuges and blowing up bridges and disrupting enemies communications. It is becoming frightening. The state of insecurity in and around the nation becoming awe-inspiring. What was it? Damn it!

What was it that got the politicians enveloped, as they were wildly enthusiastic, but the people looked on them the way old dears look on movie stars and never went further than wondering with suppressed groan on what it was all about. What at the nation’s parlors state was so inviting to the political gladiators.

Now that the nation was agog with politricians jamborees, the crystal ball with a sad visage says that, the nation needed conscientious analysis and breakdown through intelligence gathering the believe that the nation can solve the many sociopolitical and economic problems that has continually and consistently robbed it of peace, security, and threatened its future wellbeing.

To be effective and successful, any cure must surely address:
i. the root causes of the troubles not just the symptoms.
ìì. in battling banditry, security and crime issues, strengthening the nation’s policing system and police reform in decentralising, appointments, discipline and promotion as at when due.
iii. modern Munitions and smart vehicle, Tucanos and sound intelligence are measures, and while they may be effective to some extent, they do not address the underlying causes. After all, behaviour usually, reflects attitudes, beliefs and desire,
iv. Investment in infrastructure as well as human capital are keys to increasing productivity and national growth, there is a vicious cycle by which underinvestment, ironically, can exacerbate the nation’s present debt crisis. While trying to achieve sustainable infrastructure investment through crowding-in the private sector with particular attention to robust project and financial structuring and limiting risks to government from related contingent liabilities.

The critical element is that investments must be preplanned, prioritise, procured and implemented transparently and based on sound economic principles – and within the framework of an asset life-cycle approach. The absence of which were principally responsible for all the angst, anger and pent up feelings of the citizenry. The way out of the quandary quagmire the nation has found itself is for the government to be on the front line of its statutory responsibilities, and should be seen walking a very fine line.

As I was concluding on this treatise, a Siberian wind blew through my mind, that the foregoing were issues that should give the political class a massive shot of hormones, while taking clever and ruthless decisions in the interest of the nation.

I looked through what 2023 could look like and the picture of a VPYO came up from the slide in my mind. I see an Osinbajo, short, small black eyes, peering out from its frail bastions, they were like jet beads, sparkling, lively, cunning and shrewd. Well read and there his claims to statesmanship ended.

He certainly was not being sincere on his observation and postulation on the shapeless mess of squiggles the nation has became and under his watch as the sitting VP. In the words of the sixteenth century poet John Donne: “Death, thou shalt die.” It is easy to pontificate and speculate about the future to those who are undergoing adversity, and about 200 million Nigerians are in that bracket.

The nation pays #4 trillion on fuel subsidy in 2022. The Dangote refinery costs #4.1 trillion to build with an installed capacity of 650000bpd, why can’t Nigeria build one such refinery to deal with this subsidy scam. The nation must be freed from its shackles. However, to get the supreme will to face these challenges squarely is another matter.

I have a serious doubt if the VP has the mien, grip, grasp and the political clout, to handle this people, hence, he couldn’t be the one the nation was looking for. You don’t have to know why, because I’m not telling. All I’m saying here is that, he has no passion for Nigeria’s politics. He is only being cajoled by some of his ‘friends’, and has bought into the borrowed script of ‘if you don’t ask, you don’t get.’ Hence, the blind plunge into the contest. Yes, governance is not rocket science, but he is politically a neophyte, not having a serious experience of a state governor, for instance, and a viable political structure, it is a matter of conjecture how he intend to win the contest and navigate the storms.

The Siberian wind blew even harder, and I thought, the VP’s camp should realise that those asking him to run has a deeper and more cunning motive behind it. I’m not spelling that out in capital letters either. But I know politics is like rolling dice, you never knew what would come up. Quite uncertain! Even though, I detest routine myself. I’m sure the opposing sides would certainly, hit at Osinbajo’s generating system so hard that it’ll be singing alto. The dice was loaded against him. You may consider that as mere speculation. But the way he dismissed the Southwest political leadership and family with a wave of the hand was something else, it was an uttermost end that may come back to haunt him.

With Osinbajo being the chair of the economic team and Tradermonie, it showed that, PMB was philosophical enough to know that a good workman could use a politically inferior tool if he had to.
Here, VPYO’s cool exterior, calmness and remote efficiency. PMB, couldn’t go wrong with a not too strong personality that attracts. Well! In politics it isn’t personality, it’s money, a blind scrawl that crawls and floats in and out of focus here and there, but this was vain enough not to believe.

He has been goaded on the binges of the entitlement claim that the presidency was his for the asking. A presidency he has been derided as offering useless advice(s) as a deflated spare. A little nudge, a touch on the steering wheel, he reacted in the right way. That was a man who had had the world believed he as a VP was living in a vacuum. But in a conflict of dream and vision, his sequestered impersonal declaration in a background of the Savannah says so much. What would you say? It is worth a try. He sounds good, erudite with an intimidating CV, but shouldn’t be wet behind the ears. CV’s don’t rule.

This is a gamble! A gamble that has left the Southwest as a bloc vague and undecided. Things have fallen apart and the centre could not hold in the geopolitical axis political family. However, one is of the opinion that it is not a time to go strictly by the books, but, to awaken and rekindle the steely determination, can-do will, warm, effervescent spirit inherent in the people and resolved collectively to continue the culture of excellence and perfection -the primordial instincts and innate sense of style which were the intrinsic features for which our forbears were widely acknowledged.

In the Southwest Nigeria’s politics today, the refrain is ikú tí ó p’ajá n’ífá mú, wọ́nní ko lọ́ m’ẹkun l’oyẹ fi bọri. Strictly for the deeps. What an enigma! Kí l’oyin fẹ fi safara! Who were the kingpin of the VPYO’s operation, without whom the whole plan would collapse. Osinbajo must not be angry and frustrated when he woke up to realise that, although, he’s the arrowhead, his own pan in the subterfuge plan was of vital importance, he has such a small active part to play without his own political structure. He’ll be treated soon the way movie stars would treat a bit part player. It may riled him.

I’m of the view that the absence of the exchange of confidences between him and the leadership of the Southwest political family, of course, did not amount to a betrayal, and that aside, he’s now edging out on thin ice, he can’t change his mind; may be! In someone’s debt I’ll have it on my conscience like forever wanting to repay. Well! That’s me. In VPYO’s case, he’s had slammed shut the door of friendship and the life of VP, opening a new life for himself as a prospective chief tenant at the house on the rock.

He has just been used by some elements with unlimited megabytes and like a performing ape who answers to signals. He had not hesitated to hook his foot around the ankle of the SW APC, upset it, sprawling it on its back, flailing! One feels uneasy about vpYO because his backers had more confidence in him than he has in himself. But, the payoff would be worth it, if it all turned right. The refrain ‘what you put in, you take out!’ Read one way, it was a dirty snigger: read another way, it was a philosophy of life. But, Love not reciprocated is a huge loss!

With a wry grimace, I realised all mortals are living on borrowed time. I believe we should do everything we want to do now. Grab at every opportunity for it may be too late to wait. Opportunity is not a door, it is a d-a-r-e. Que Sera Sera! One can cheat destiny by not waiting. Thinking about the crowd of political gladiators angling for the 2023 presidency made my heartbeat quicker and turned my mouth dry.

In a drowsy stupor, I thought of the intrigues that culminated in the episode tagged “Wild Wild West, the 1979,1983,1999,2015/2019 elections. Why was I feeling uneasy? In politics as in war, all is fair. VP YO backers would sooner than later become impersonal, so different from the trashing, moaning gathering crowd who had clung to him, uttering little cries of pleasure and building his confidence.

The president whose palms scalloped the entire political horizon in a conspiracy of silence cast a thick shadow, as thick as the bland blackness on the nature of things to come, its own substance was only a thin and intermittent hem of phosphorus offered a landmark, that bissected reality from reflection that told you there’ll be party primaries, and that the election will held in 2023. Yet, nothing was certain. The political gladiators including of course, the VP were in ineffectual desperation, as one runs through sand in a nightmare. To them there was altogether too much darkness and silence in this now unfamiliar world.

Second base. Until VPYO’s won at the primary and at the general election and he’s begin to do and act right, I won’t congratulate him.

#JimiBickersteth

Jimi Bickersteth is a blogger and writer.
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