Law 1: NEVER OUTSHINE THE MASTER


JUDGMENT
Always make those above you feel comfortably superior. In your desire to please and impress them, do not go too far in displaying your talents or you might accomplish the opposite inspire fear and insecurity. Make your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power.
-Robert Greene, 48 laws of power

TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW
In 1999, after many years of military rule, and Nigeria was on a return to a democratic form of government, Olusegun Obasanjo, an ex-general who had ruled the country about 2 decades earlier as a military head of state, appears poised to become the next elected president. Obasanjo had won the primary election of the leading political party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to become its presidential candidate; however, his emergence as the PDP’s presidential candidate was not of his own volition or prowess, but an orchestration of some top retired and serving military men from the northern part of the country, and Obasanjo who hails from the southern part of the country, knew quite rightly that he was in for a big treat – sooner or later, these unscrupulous northern power brokers would devour him like a meal. Even though himself was once an army general, and had ruled the country during his military years thus, could boast of some power sapience, he certainly cannot match to the cunning and scheming of these powerful Northern-Nigerian oligarch, whose region has been dominating the governance of the country since independence. Nevertheless, Obasanjo envisaged a means to counteract these northern schemers, and that would come from his choice of running-mate. As a southerner, since he is expected to pick his running-mate from the North, he would ensure that his would-be vice-president must be someone who is vast in the politics of Northern-Nigeria, and would make the most dependable ally off him; that way he could easily use him to checkmate the scheming of these Northern oligarchs, anytime. With that in mind, Obasanjo turned down all other persons from the North that were contending for the position, and instead chose a politician named Atiku Abubakar. To Obasanjo, he had seen everything he wanted in his ally in the man, Atiku Abubakar.

Prior to been offered the vice-presidential slot by Obasanjo, Atiku Abubakar, a retired customs chief and a shrewd politician had just won the election to become the governor of his home state, Adamawa State; that was not all, Atiku had also helped to get many other persons elected – Senators, Federal and State Legislators. Also, Atiku, being very wealthy (he had made quite a fortune during his days as a custom officer and subsequent business ventures) had donated substantial amount of money to finance Obasanjo’s campaigns; and even more interesting is the fact that Atiku was a close political associate and protégé of the late Major-General Shehu Yar’adua, Obasanjo’s deputy during his earlier era as a military ruler in the 70s. From all indications, the Obasanjo and Atiku’s alliance seemed to be the most compatible; and together they contested and won the elections with Obasanjo as president and Atiku as vice-president.

On accession into offices, however, Atiku soon began to hold sway in the government; influencing several important decisions and brokering many political appointments. He made the calls on who were to be made ministers. His friends and associates were given advantageous positions, and Atiku, himself headed several key and lucrative government bodies – facilitating contracts running into billions for his business cronies.

Meanwhile, Obasanjo in the early days of his coming to power busied himself globetrotting, trying to sell Nigeria’s new democratic image to the international league, thus leaving the bulk of running the new government to his dependable deputy, Atiku, who amply stepped into the limelight. He was commissioning public projects here and there, chairing executive meetings and having affairs with some of the most beautiful movie stars in the country. His name and photos frequented the media – newspapers, radio and TV stations, and with his flourishing influence, governors, senators and other political actors soon gravitated towards him. He was without doubt the man of the moment. As time went by, Atiku's prominence only rose. His flamboyance was eclipsing that of the president. He held more political meetings, and attended more social events. He carried himself with a kind of acceptation – the president in-waiting. Atiku was not all about the glamour, and being the sly politician, he had at the same time strengthened his political empire, and was almost just waiting for the moment to be pronounced the president himself; after all, he had vied for the position sometimes in the 80s.

In 2003, as the stipulated four-year tenure of the president drew to a close and another election approached, Atiku seemed ready to contest for president, and began making his moves. He already had several key political allies – governors, senators, and businessmen. Everything seems to be in concert with his designs – except the president himself, Obasanjo, who it appears that, was not ready to vacate the office. President Obasanjo begged Atiku, whose support he very much needed to let him run for a second term, after which, Atiku could then have his shot. It was even reported that Obasanjo, notwithstanding his position as the president and age, prostrated before his much younger vice, Atiku just to secure the man’s support. Eventually Atiku consented and both men were re-elected as president and vice-president. But then, those who witnessed the political intrigues of that moment, caught on to the notion that Atiku had become all powerful and indispensable to Obasanjo, so much that the president would have no option than to handover to him in due course. Atiku on his part, only sustained his game plan – winning more political allies, canvassing for support across the country. He even made strong international connections, including then South-Africa’s vice president Jacob Zuma and influential US congressman, Williams Jefferson. Glaringly, Atiku was in top preparation to take over from his boss, President Obasnjo very soon.

However, towards the end of their tenure, a series of events occurred that cracked the once amiable relationship between the president, Obasanjo and his vice, Atiku, culminating in President Obasanjo to outrageously declare the office of the vice president vacant. Obasanjo also publicly renounced whatever support he had for Atiku’s political aspirations. And during the elections, Obasanjo employed every means to thwart Atiku’s presidential ambition, finally forcing him out of their political party, the PDP into another party. From the other party, Atiku contested the presidential election and still lost. And ever since then, Atiku has been striving to become president and had contested all subsequent elections with no avail – that which he wanted the most, remained elusive.

Interpretation
Over the years, Obasanjo’s vainglory became legendary. His inflated self-perceptive sense of importance and the relish of being touted as “the king maker” of Nigeria’s politics is unparalleled. His words and actions reverberate these traits of him, and he does not waste time in lashing out at those whom he believes owed him their ascendancy to a position. Some people opined that Obasanjo’s grouse with Atiku lies with the fact that Atiku refused to support Obasanjo’s infamous attempt to run for office for the third term (Obasanjo had plotted to have the country’s constitution altered, so as to enable him rule as president for a third-term, but failed). But then, even if Atiku had supported Obasanjo’s third-term bid, and he had eventually succeeded, it remains doubtful that Obasanjo would have let Atiku succeed him because, in choosing his successor, Obasanjo overlooked several persons who had wanted to – including many of his close and loyal associates who supported his third-term idea, but instead, he chose a man named Umaru Yar’adua – a modest, quiet and little known politician who had showed no interest in becoming president.

Years later, in a tell-all autobiography, Obasanjo chronicled Atiku’s misgivings with scathing remarks. The most revealing part was where he admitted that he had at the outset penned down Atiku to become president after him, but remarked that the man (Atiku) hardly let him settle down before making an overt move to take over his position. Apparently, while Atiku was engrossed with raising his political stakes, in doing so, he was inadvertently provoking his boss’s vanity, thereby incurring his hostility. President Obasanjo not only bypassed Atiku in choosing his successor, but relentlessly became a bane in the man’s political career, all because Atiku had imprudently outshone him. Atiku lost the most chance to become president because he had transgressed the first law of power.

Takeaway Quote
“Never take your position for granted and never let any favors you receive go to your head”
-Robert Greene

Excerpts is from my book “Transgressions and and Observances of the 48 Laws of Power in Nigeria”
available on Amazon Kindle.
Find it on Amazon with the serial number: B09S3YZ465

NB: If you require a creative ghost writer for your memoirs, autobiographies, tell-all-tales, reach me via
email: serrickbytes@gmail.com

Doesn't matter.

We igbos are strongly behind athifku as long as he will Peter Obi as his running so we have the position of vice.

Athifku is now a Catholic member and he is no longer from Adamawa but from Enugu state.

Afonja can continue to be slave to fulani, that's their business.

LeoDeKing:

Waiting

Same thing happened to Aregbesola
Reason why some people said vp can’t contest against Jagaban except Jagaban approve it
Power sharing is a game , you must learn how to play it else
Well
You can ask Ambode

jyz200:
Same thing happened to Aregbesola
Reason why some people said vp can’t contest against Jagaban except Jagaban approve it
Power sharing is a game , you must learn how to play it else
Well
You can ask Ambode

Ambode Transgressed Law 39: Stir water to catch a fish
Its all in the book, or follow me on medium, will post it there eventually.
indeed, you must learn the games of power

SerrickBytes:

Ambode Transgressed Law 39: Stir water to catch a fish
Its all in the book, or follow me on medium, will post it there eventually.
indeed, you must learn the games of power

What does law 39 says and how did Ambode transgress it , what about Aregbesola??

Jonathan broke all so chill.

qekng40:
Jonathan broke all so chill.

On the contrary, Goodluck Jonathan is actually one of the most skillful power players in Nigeria’s politics. It takes much more than goodluck to rise from obscurity to become president.
Warning: those who we underestimate are actually the most adept Machiavellians.
It’s all in the book

LeoDeKing:
Doesn't matter.

We igbos are strongly behind athifku as long as he will Peter Obi as his running so we have the position of vice.

Athifku is now a Catholic member and he is no longer from Adamawa but from Enugu state.

Afonja can continue to be slave to fulani, that's their business.

One day you are going to be the man that saves the igbo tribe somehow. You are doing well.

SerrickBytes:

On the contrary, Goodluck Jonathan is actually one of the most skillful power players in Nigeria’s politics. It takes much more than goodluck to rise from obscurity to become president.
Warning: those who we underestimate are actually the most adept Machiavellians.
It’s all in the book

OK na

[s]

alanto:

One day you are going to be the man that saves the igbo tribe somehow. You are doing well.

[/s]

Lovely write up. This is why I love Vladimir Putin so much. He understands the laws of powers and knows how to play his cards well.

But on Atiku and Obasanjo. Atiku would have become President in 2003 if he hadn’t listen to Obasanjo pleas in the build up to the election. Obasanjo went on his knees and begged Atiku. If Atiku has remained adamant he would have coast on to become President.

Nice application. Add observance of the law, key to power and reversal, and you'll have succeeded in localising the 48Laws

LordIsaac:
Nice application. Add observance of the law, key to power and reversal, and you'll have succeeded in localising the 48Laws

already posted the observance of the law here

https://www.nairaland.com/7038362/charles-soludo-1st-law-power.

The 48 Laws have been completely localized, with side notes. the eBook is available on Amazon Kindle. see the link below

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09S3YZ465

SerrickBytes:

already posted the observance of the law here

https://www.nairaland.com/7038362/charles-soludo-1st-law-power.

The 48 Laws have been completely localized, with side notes. the eBook is available on Amazon Kindle. see the link below

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09S3YZ465

Good job!

Story for the gods.

When OBJ tried to prevent Buhari from contesting for a second term in 2019, Buhari did not care. He went ahead and contest. Today it's history.

LeoDeKing:
Doesn't matter.

We igbos are strongly behind athifku as long as he will Peter Obi as his running so we have the position of vice.

Athifku is now a Catholic member and he is no longer from Adamawa but from Enugu state.

Afonja can continue to be slave to fulani, that's their business.

Make you no come kolo on top of Igbo matters...

Fvck 48 laws of power. The only law worthy of obedience is the law of the most high.
We are free birds, we do things based on love and convictions.