By Onjefu Okidu
Insincere people grow in insincerity especially when operating within a context of stymied socio-political atrophy. In same vein, sincere people advance sincerity when operating in same context, even in worst contexts.
Unarguably, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo represented one of the very good examples of a sincere human being who had operated in the stymied Nigerian political environment. To be sure, in 1986, the Maradonic-Maradona, the self-elected President of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Babangida invited the cerebral former Premier of the defunct Western Region to join the Nigerian Political Bureau (NPB) he had newly set up.
Awo, as he was popularly called without dancing around the issue gave an immediate “NO” answer to “President” Babangida in a poetic rendition: “something within me tells me loud and clear that, we have embarked on a fruitless journey (sic). At the end of the day, when we imagine that the new order is here, we would be terribly disappointed” – conscientious, Godly and poetic! To cut the long story very short, Babangida, annulled the best election ever conducted in the annals of the Nigerian political history.
Awo, the sage, never tolerated nonsense. He always swiftly consigned it to the trash can. Armed with sincerity, he could at a glance tell where Babangida was coming from and was going. He understood that the kind of power Babangida was wielding was the kind always used to destroy sane societies. Hence, he could tell Babangida’s insincerity from the word go. Awo, was a leader’s leader, ready every moment and in all circumstances to selflessly overrule the most odious adversary to advance the good of Nigeria and the Southwest. His personality and leadership qualities provide an excellent benchmark for assessing Nigerian leaders of today and the bearing of their antics on the Nigerian people.
In common with other political actors from other parts of the country, insincerity ebbs and flows in the veins of Benue political actors with tidal regularity, and the fate of fairness, justice, equity, good conscience and inclusiveness rides with it. To be sure, the 2014 gubernatorial campaigns in Benue State saw Samuel Ortom laying the foundation of insincerity by promising that he would end the political domination of Zone C of the state if elected Governor. According to Ortom then, not supporting an Idoma Governor was an appalling exclusion that shouldn’t be allowed to stand. Recently, the insincerity has germinated to what Ortom refers to as lack of seriousness, organization and unity among zone C stakeholders, and made it very, very clear that the PDP cannot risk victory by fielding an Idoma gubernatorial flagbearer – the height of insincerity, isn’t it? - much like Disney’s Goofy Movie!
In fact, he came up later on Arise TV to give himself a pat on the back by saying, “I will tell you that zoning is one of the best processes of getting candidates. I have done that in my state and I have a good result for it.” The PDP zoning of the Benue State governorship slot to Jerchira, a Tiv ethnic intermediary, can never be a good result, never! It is one of the worst political debasements of the principles of fairness, justice, equity, good conscience and inclusiveness in recent times. For the benefit of those who may not be in the know; of all the ethnic intermediaries in Benue State, it is only Idoma that have never tasted the first seat since the creation of the state in 1976. And so how good is Ortom’s zoning? It is the height of Orto-matic insincerity! It is an act devoid of odyssey of human conscience despite the groans and cries of the Idoma people.
The most ridiculous and odious, however, is that, almost immediately after the insidious zoning, Governor Ortom further deepened the cruelty of his insincerity via a cloak Easter message to the Benue People: “in most cases, agitations, disagreements or restiveness arise when people are denied or excluded in the scheme of things. We must therefore address these perceived injustices for our nation to begin to enjoy harmony.” Is it not ridiculous that Ortom preaches fairness, justice, equity and good conscience while denying the Idoma people same? Doesn’t it tell very clearly what the man really is?
Despite Ortom’s gross in-approbation, one cannot, overlook the role played by Idoma PDP leaders who pretended to be blind to the future by not challenging his obvious and open insincerity right from the beginning. From the word go, Ortom, as the leader of the PDP in the state deliberately charted a long deceptive path in his support of an Idoma Governor. He knew where he was going. Everyone knew where he was going.
Considering everything that has happened up until this point, one is bound to ask: How has Ortom made it this far without any iota of resistance from critical Idoma stakeholders like Abba Moro, John Ngbede and Benson Abonu until these wee hours of the morning? Like Goofy in the Disney film, could it be that Ortom is an unquestionable leader? Or were they ruled by the fears of sanctions and the possibility of losing their powers too early? Em, there are so many miserable questions begging for answers. Invariably, in examining further the gross insincerity of Ortom, there is need for these aforementioned Idoma PDP leaders to do some intense soul searching.
Although, it came too late and appeared too little, the strongly-worded responses of the Benue Rebirth Movement (BRM) and the Idoma Development Association (IDA) criticizing Ortom’s grand deception shows that the Idoma people are not mere simpletons as Ortom and some Zone C PDP “leaders” may tend to believe. Their reactions show that more than ever before, the Idoma people are beginning to be given beneficial voice in the politics of Benue State. It also shows that the Idoma people have eventually achieved political self-realization. All they need to do now is to consistently sustain the effort by giving effect to their own will instead of dwelling in the quixotic insincerity of their politicians. Put differently, Ortom’s fallacy underscores the need for the Idoma people to choose right by ignoring power, influence and money in their fight for political emancipation.
If one goes along with Awolowo’s notion of the modern Nigerian leader as an arbitrary user of power, then something within should tell the Idoma people that they still have a lot work to do. In fact, even with the present glaring Idoma political consciousness, some Idoma “political leaders” still appear too willing to genuflect before Idoma political tormentors and transient power-wielders out of the fear of losing power and influence to the extent that their sense of judgment has become stymied. There is really no pot of gold at the end of rainbow of betrayal. If the Idoma people value their true political emancipation, then they must be prepared to do a away with their deceptive leaders.
In truth, most Idoma politicians are less concerned about the common good of the Idoma people but more concerned about what affects them directly. Whatever that is the cause of the outcome of Ortom’s discriminatory “fasting and prayers” for zoning and consensus in Benue PDP, the absence of the spirit fraternity among Idoma PDP has contributed in no small measure. Ortom’s outrageous insincerity is emblematic within the Benue Zone C PDP. It is clearly an illness undergirding the behavior of PDP leaders in the Zone. They say one thing to the people and something else in private. For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, far more than truth Benue Zone C politics has made the Idoma people more acquainted with voices and faces of leaders who are not excitements to the common good of the Idoma people.
It is really nauseating that some Idoma PDP leaders at this time of the denigration of their people still do not present themselves well as representatives of the people but are visibly seen eulogizing Ortom via colourful birthday wishes. As many commentators have already noted, the gesture shows how completely their conscience and moral authority has collapsed. There could be no worse a time for any Idoma man or woman to pour birthday encomiums on Ortom. Even at the best of times is arguably not something to be proud of. It would only leave the Idoma people bristling and re-knowing the enemies within.
As far as the Idoma Governorship agitation in Benue State is concerned, as a Tiv man, Ortom’s gross insincerity is normal. No discerning mind expects less. Actually, Ortom’s tyranny and oppressive disposition cannot be more tolerable simply because they wear primitive garbs. The apparent calm which pervades the PDP in Zone C presently is unnatural; unnatural because it has been induced with fear and suppressed resentment, and not by any kind of voluntary acquiescence, conformity or approval on the part of the Zone C party members.
Some may argue that democracy is a game of numbers. Democracy is also a game of fairness, equity, good conscience and inclusiveness. It is also as logical as to say that the population of Jerchira cannot subsume that of the entire Benue State. The essence of zoning and consensus in a democracy is that they should never operate under the atmosphere of discrimination, intimidation, parochialism, timidity and fear. The PDP zoning of the Benue governorship slot to Jerchira which Ortom is very proud of is clearly a contemptuous disregard for the dignity and integrity of the Idoma people and by extension the civilized people of Benue State. As it is, Ortom has chosen to be in the brutal side of history. Obviously, he has!
Frankly, the Idoma people in this aromatic season of Easter should be simultaneously celebrating the zoning of PDP governorship slot to their domain with the Omni-beneficial birthday of Our Lord Jesus Christ rather than the unbeneficial birthday of Ortom . Nevertheless, APC and the other remaining parties may be the jokers!
Merry Easter in arrears!!!
Dr Okidu writes from Ilorin. He can be reached through: E-mail - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone - +2348036636139. NNL.
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