₦airaland Forum

"Give a man power, and his character shows up."
— Lincoln knew.

Nigeria's activists don't fight oppression.
They wait for their turn to become it.
The pattern is almost textbook,the fiery critic of power becomes a defender of the very system they once fought, once they get a seat at the table.
It perfectly mirrors Nigeria's so-called unionists and activists. They came to limelight through their persistent struggle against the oppressed in Nigeria.but faded away the moment they acquired power



The Gallery

· Oshiomhole — Labour leader? Please. Now he's the establishment's loudest cheerleader. Sold the working class for a chair.
· Keyamo — Human rights lawyer turned government pit bull. Barks for the highest bidder.
· Shehu Sani — Went to prison for democracy. Went to Senate for cash. Went silent for survival.
· Bosun Tijani — Critic turned Minister. Same man. Different master. Suddenly, everything he hated is "complicated."
· Soyinka — Oracle? More like political weather vane. Blows wherever power sits.
· Uba Sani — Another activist who lost his tongue the day he got a car with a siren.
.Rauf Aregbesola — Progressive firebrand who became an APC enforcer. Now defending the very prisons he once protested against.
· Kayode Fayemi — Intellectual activist who traded his pen for political office. Now speaks like every other politician.
· Bola Tinubu — The godfather himself. "Anti-military" activist who became the military's beneficiary and built a empire on political patronage.
· Atiku Abubakar — From pro-democracy advocate to serial defector. Chases power like a drug, principles be damned.
· Rabiu Kwankwaso — Radical governor turned establishment politician. The fire is gone. Only ambition remains.
· Peter Obi — Ah, the "new" messiah. Yet he was in power before. Where was the revolution then? Now he's the opposition's darling, but his record says otherwise.
· Dino Melaye — Activist turned clown. Went from fighting corruption to fighting for courtroom photo ops. A court jester with a Senate seat.
· Ben Murray-Bruce — Silverbird man turned "common sense" senator. Loud on Twitter. Silent on real issues. Performative activism at its finest.
· Oby Ezekwesili — #BringBackOurGirls warrior turned presidential aspirant. Fought for justice until justice became inconvenient.

Why do they flip?

Because integrity is heavy.
Power is light.
And they chose comfort.
And the poor?
Left with empty hands and broken trust.
Their champions didn't fall.
They sold out. At a discount.
Lincoln tested character.
Nigeria tests price tags.
And these men?
They were cheap.
Shame on them.
Shame on the system.
Shame on us for still believing.


cc
Myndd
Nlfpmod
Dominique
Fergie001

Morality don't exist in politics. Better to stay away from it and be discussing it afar

E don tay na..U forget to write the late Tai Solarin....Still doff my hat for the late Gani Fawwhinmi and late Fela Kuti , lots of respect to Femi Falana though..

What exactly has Soyinka done wrongly?

I understand those activists turned politicians who eventually secured a place at the table. But why do we lump those who stayed in their lane with politicians?

LibertyRep:
What exactly has Soyinka done wrongly?

I understand those activists turned politicians who eventually secured a place at the table. But why do we lump those who stayed in their lane with politicians?

But he has not criticised this administration for its policies or failures.

That's it.

What you see as a failure, someone else may see it as a path to growth and correction of a defective template.

The Prof asked for time to access the government that it was too early to start criticism but you guys won't have none of it and then set out to bully him every market day.

alasane:
But he has not criticised this administration for its policies or failures.

BoogieBoogie:
E don tay na..U forget to write the late Tai Solarin....Still doff my hat for the late Gani Fawwhinmi and late Fela Kuti , lots of respect to Femi Falana though..

That would be historically false and insulting.
Tai Solarin was one of the few who never bent the knee.
He died poor, principled, and defiant.

Ogs what about the controversial 1991 appointment in which Solarin agreed to chair the Peoples Bank of Nigeria after years of fiercely criticizing IBB's government =alasane post=140011248]

That would be historically false and insulting.
Tai Solarin was one of the few who never bent the knee.
He died poor, principled, and defiant.[/quote]

Ai did not do a thorough work here, where is Omokri and Co?.

Let me probe further.

- Reno Omokri — Once fought APC with daily sermons. Now spends more energy fighting Peter Obi than challenging those in power. Apparently, the enemy changes whenever the payroll does.

- Femi Fani-Kayode — Nigeria's political frequent flyer. Changes parties so often that ideology never has time to unpack its bags.

- Dele Momodu — Publisher, presidential hopeful, perpetual political tourist. His compass doesn't point north—it points toward the next alliance.

- Nuhu Ribadu — Once the face of the anti-corruption war. Now another establishment insider proving that the system has a remarkable talent for absorbing its fiercest critics.

- Nasir El-Rufai — From reform crusader to establishment heavyweight, then back to rebel. His politics has more plot twists than a Nollywood thriller.

- Festus Okoye — Once viewed as an impartial umpire. Now every political camp is convinced he's wearing somebody else's jersey.

- Joe Igbokwe — From outspoken government critic to full-time APC defender. The volume never changed; only the direction of the microphone did.

- Buba Galadima — If political alliances were a profession, he'd be a lifetime consultant. Loyalty seems to expire at the next negotiation.

- Senator Smart Adeyemi — From journalism and union activism to career politics. Somewhere along the journey, the watchdog became comfortable sleeping on the porch.