Yesterday, I saw Baba Obasanjo at Dr. Wahab Shittu’s (SAN) book launch, together with the former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.Initially, I thought Gbenga Daniel would pretend Baba Obasanjo did not exist. But the two of them sat together and even exchanged pleasantries.
Hmmm! Obasanjo and Gbenga Daniel under the same roof. Nigerian politics will humble anybody who keeps a permanent list of enemies.
Well, nothing spoil. Is it not El-Rufai who is now working with Atiku? In Nigerian politics, yesterday’s opponent can become tomorrow’s campaign partner before you finish your morning tea.
If you are not a politician, never inherit a politician’s enemies. As they always say, there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies in politics. They are all children of the same political mother and father.
When they are in government, they will tell you how wonderfully their administration is performing. But the moment they find themselves outside the corridors of power, all hell breaks loose. Suddenly, the government they praised yesterday has become the source of every problem in Nigeria.
I was listening to an interview with Buba Galadima in which he claimed that former Governor Kayode Fayemi was their coordinator in an effort to remove President Tinubu from office. I cannot verify that claim, but it made me reflect on the twists and turns of political loyalty. With Nigerian politicians, you can go to bed following one alliance and wake up to discover that the whole family has moved house.
Is it just me, or do you also wonder why politicians do what they do? Are they as normal as the rest of us? Or are they aliens from outer space—or perhaps from that mountain around Ekiti State where thunder reportedly struck thirty cows dead recently? Their choices, their desperation and the things they say always leave me wondering whether I could ever be a politician.
Strange thought, right? I am thinking of people who will swear they are standing behind you, but when you turn around, you cannot even find their footprints.
If you cannot be a politician, marry one. They may break their promises, but at least they seem to find it easy to forgive one another.
At the astonishing rate at which politicians forgive themselves, you might wonder whether one of them could catch another man with his wife, turn around and present her with a medal for outstanding service. Please, do not quote me to your wife. This is political satire!
If God uses forgiveness as the yardstick for entry into heaven, do not be surprised if Nigerian politicians occupy all the front seats.
They forgive themselves as long as it serves their interests. Then they will remind you: “In politics, there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests.”
Most of them divorce politically in the morning and remarry before nightfall. No family meeting, no counselling, no bride price refund. Just a press conference and a handshake.
Even Esu, the trickster, might bow and do a little dance before the thrones of mischief occupied by Nigerian politicians.
Ah, before I go too far and step on too many toes, let me return to the real issue. While politicians are busy falling out and making up, ordinary Nigerians are left with bad roads that swallow our cars and worries about the safety and maintenance of our aircraft.
As long as their alliances work for them, they expect the rest of us to endure. But when will their famous spirit of forgiveness extend to the people they promised to serve?
Mogaji Wole Arisekola writes from Ibadan.
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