How good the sound 'Nigeria' seems to echo in the mouths of we the noble citizens. Call her whatsoever name you chose to, she remains the same and evergreen as our motherland. No matter how loud the voice of the echo might be, the question of who owns this country more than the others remains a contest. While the north claims to have 100% entitlement to all the oil wells and other mineral deposits in the country, the West sees themselves as the custodians of intellectual prowess and democracy, the East as the economic hub of the nation and the South as the breadwinner of the country. That notwithstanding, whichever way you choose to look at these claims which at some point represents the general interest of the average Nigerian and at another angle does not. Yet, there are these other groups of people whose claims to the nation and all therein is phenomenal and they are the "godfathers" who believe in the mafioso code of loyalty. The men of the 'La Familia' organization whose brand and services to the people are nothing but loyalty. Dead or alive, the loyalty code must remain unbroken.

The Nigerian politics, lifestyle and everything has been established and built on the godfather's philosophies and psychologies. thus, it's not surprising to see Nigerians having godfathers in the music industry, godmothers in the church, Nollywood and other spheres of life. The real question is godfatherism a good thing or not? Yet, we cannot forget to ask what is godfatherism? While the later means different things to different people, the former is what is paramount in our discussion. According to William Shakespeare who said 'Nothing is either good or bad but thinking makes it so'. In answering that question, we must consider the factors that lead to the idealism and lifestyle of godfatherism in Nigeria. Also, we must not forget that godfatherism is a lifestyle that is enshrined into the subconscious mind of every Nigerian. In our political sphere, one of the founding factors of godfatherism is 'control'.

Every godfather in the world always has this crazy sense of entitlement and ownership over things and people. They always tend to create and establishes influence over the people and their anointed sons and daughters. They do this to continue to gain control over the godson directly or indirectly and sit on the affairs of the state. In some climes, nothing big or small meaningful happens without their endorsement. They always have the power to set things in motion, upset the balance of power, dethrone and enthrone Princes and Princess to continue to gain mastery over the affairs of the state and the people. Also, it's profound to note that the godfather control is in two dimensions; first, control over the head of state, governor or their anointed son and secondly control over the tides, events, resources and the people.
Also, the second founding factors are 'Trust and Loyalty'. In the mafioso world, betrayal comes with a heavy price both for the one betrayed and the betrayer. When a godson has been able to prove beyond all reasonable doubts to the godfather, that he can be trusted and he will ever remain loyal to the godfather, the godfather then anoints him into power and as far as that trust and loyalty remain the power and influence remains. In a non-committal way, how long and well the anointed son or godson will enjoy that power depends on the trust and loyalty flow between the godson and the godfather. No godfather will ever anoint a candidate or individual that cannot be trusted and that has not shown loyalty. Most times, the godfather will test his loyalty because according to Al Capon 'a solder (capon or candidate) must be loyal and continues to remain loyal and its always the duty of the Boss (Godfather) to continue to test this loyalty from time to time’.

The argument from the moral thought of the puritan is if godfatherism is good or bad for the Nigerian political climate is baseless. First, what is wrong with absolute and centralized 'control’? Apart from control, the godfather has a way of protecting their godsons from wolves in sheep clothing and friendly-lions. Every Godson or anointed candidate must understand that the security or military apparatus at their disposal is not enough to keep them safe and protected.

Conclusively, it’s important we also examine the war between the godfather and the godson in the Nigerian political scene today. First, we must establish that the godson is a nobody politically without the godfather. He is politically made by his godfather. If elections where to be contested starting from the political party primaries to the main elections in Nigeria using the intellectual, emotional intelligence, Will Power and credibility as a yardstick which is by all standard as recognize for elective positions none of the godsons or anointed ones in power till date will be in power. Why? These are individuals who are either intelligent but lacks credibility, honest and credible but not intelligent, intelligent and credible but lacks discipline, thus showing all the signs of a fail-to-be leader who is not electable in any small or big capacity. Yet, because of the code of loyalty to his godfather, he reigns in power. Hold it! I know you might be wondering if the godsons who are now in power cannot have a free will to choose and do as he pleases, right? But you should also understand that the godson free will cannot and should never get him to the political power he has today. As a general rule, what your free will cannot give you or make of you, you do not have the same free will to keep or become. To be of a free will at all times in everything is to be vulnerable at all times to both friends and foes. It will take a disciplined will to understand what true security and safety are and that is where the godfather machandolism comes into play.

Lastly, in this pelican brief, we must understand the cold air of resentment that has to turn sour the palliative relationship between The godfather and the godson all in the name of being committed to all but bounded to none. The tasteless questions continue to face the scholar in the face which is 'should a godson be loyal to the state and the people or to his godfather who broke all rules of morality to bring him to power. Or why should godson's continue to revolt against their once beloved godfather who without them they are nothing politically in the hands of time and tides? Also, among the punitive questions are how does the war between a godfather and godson affects the state the godfather rules over? What happens when a godson successfully revolts against his godfather? How do party affiliations affect godfatherism and set the pace of a truly democratic process for the Nigerian populace? These and many others will be discussed in part 2 of the Pelican Brief and the Nigerian godfatherism series.

– By Anthony Eferhirhie Abugu