Tinubu, Oyetola, Aregbesola and the seat of godfatherism (I)


By Busy Brain


In Nigeria, politics is one of the most chancy professions. To attain political power, it is a survival of the fittest, politics is evil and money is the root. The routes to political offices are laden with sharp thorns, like the general maxim, one who wants to eat the yoke in the rock would not mind the edge of the axe.

The mantra of no permanent friend; no permanent enemy in politics is no more a convolution. Best friends today become worse enemies tomorrow. Best cliques and caucuses are now subjects of tantrums and ridicule. In politics, eniti ko niya Kii bawon de Igbo, meaning that ‘he who doesn’t have a mother would not follow others to the forest.’ The political forest in Nigeria is thick with conglomerations of malignant apparatus.

The superiority war between Tinubu, Oyeyola, and Aregbesola is not the first of its kind in Nigeria. We have had the case of Akpabio and Udom Emmanuel in Akwa Ibom, we have had the case of Adams Oshiomole and Obaseki in Edo State, we have had of Tinubu and Ambode in Lagos state among many others. These crop of leaders were allies. They wined and dined and took part in the decision-making of their respective states. Unfortunately, their relationship turns sour

One thing that usually stirs the fights between political warriors in Nigeria is superiority war. To political gladiators, the place of the godfather is sacred and should not be tampered with. Once that sacred position is tampered, the war is imminent. For sure, Aregbesola does not want his legacies to be tampered with in Osun State. He wants his one-time chief of staff to continue with all his legacies forgetting that, some policies cannot stand the thirst of time. Now that Oyetola is the number one citizen in the state of Osun, Oyetola as Chief of Staff will be different from Oyetola as Governor. Oyetola has his plans, goals, and agenda to achieve and to achieve them, he has to act like a governor and not as one time Chief of Staff. He did nothing wrong.

In my opinion titled: ‘What Wrong Did Oyetola Do” as published in Nigerian Tribune, I opined that Aregbe should embrace Oyetola’s policies as his idea. The reality remains that Tomorrow’s loyalty is not guaranteed.

The open tantrums and derogatory remarks against Tinubu’s personality by Aregbe was because of Tinubu’s support for Oyetola. Aregbe expects Tinubu to call his cousin to order when he changed some of his legacies. Tinubu’s refusal to caution Oyetola from reviewing some policies spurred the public denigration. Of course, Ogbeni can not deny Tinubu’s impact on his political career but his loyalty to Tinubu stumbled on the way. Aregbe decided to put his strength to test, he sponsored a candidate against Oyetola in primary election and the results were eyesore. Aregbe fought a lost battle as his revered sacred temple is being tampered. Better still, the time is still fresh to retrace his steps. The room for disagreement is allowed. What transpired is one of those things in politics. It is the irony of life.