THE May 29, 2023 inauguration of a new set of power wielders highlighted once again the transient and ephemeral nature of political power. Political power is said to be transient because, like a candle in the wind, it is fleeting and impermanent.

It is there one moment with all its glow and beauty, and gone the next twinkle of an eye. It is ephemeral because its duration is quite short. Even if you were to hold an office for 20 years, it will one day come to an end, and the period in which the office is held will seem insignificant in the scheme of things.

Perhaps the recent suspension and detention of Godwin Emefiele, the CBN Governor from June 4, 2014 until he was relieved of the position by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on June 9, 2023, dramatises the transient nature of power. Emefiele became the first public official from the Buhari era that the Tinubu government went after.

In a statement by Willie Bassey, Director of Information in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, it was explained that Emefiele’s suspension “is a sequel to the ongoing investigation of his office and the planned reforms in the economy’s financial sector”. Emefiele was reportedly arrested in Lagos by the DSS and flown to Abuja. ......READMORE