WITH AYOBROWN ADETUNJI
Ingratitude has a long and deep history with mankind, it is deep-rooted and peculiar among some races and people than others, you may disagree too but you understand what I meant. It is however amazing that people continue to underestimate it despite the several stern warnings by all our religions.
In another four years, what is the value was the very first message that flashes through my mind like lightening on hearing the news that Bukola Saraki and his Party, the Peoples Democratic Party lost during the last Presidential and National Assembly elections. Saraki lost his re-election bid to the Nigerian Senate, the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, also lost out. The international and local observers of the election said it was marred by systemic rigging and voters’ disenchantment in many parts of the country…though for few good news, others were not palatable experience, however, the PDP candidates were advised not to be bad losers.
‘What is the value’…whatever this means I never immediately understood and till date it is still unfolding. But now I can partly decipher the essence and the very meaning of the flashed message. Man proposes but God disposes – has been an olden day’s belief and words of wisdom, but as it is today, no one can build where God has not built, so says the Holy Scriptures, though many may still think otherwise. The loss was largely as a result of ingratitude and fraud, i want to believe.
Truly, ‘Ti iya nla ba gbeni sanle, kekeke asi ma gori eni’, would have been better explained…he who God is for, who can be against such person? No wonder when APC National Chairman, Adam Oshiomhole said, ‘it is your people that will remove you’ โ we thought he was only taunting Saraki.
The meaning of 4+4 sign is now clearer to me…though they called it judgement day or sort. This sign had been the hallmark of the President Muhammadu Buhari and his party, APC. Capitalised on this and nothing more…the reasons for this logo was not known to the party men themselves and even to many, but till date I was among those many. Unfortunately, they seem to have a clue that Saraki may have wronged some people somewhere and somehow, which he himself may not be aware of but ought to have been in the know by now.
When condemnation takes the place of commendation, murmuring and fault findings are extolled in the state, even among friends, I told those who care to listen that the end is likely and that caution was the message. I will recommend one of my pieces, ‘When Bukola Saraki is no more the beautiful bride’.
When not necessary, a man who has something to prove can move mountains for you just in order to prove a point even at the expense of his own life; was just the case when he finds a common enemy to fight with federal might, you understand what I mean, in a case when you strut the bed, excuse my expression.
In this case, how union of such unlikely partners became stiff opposition is of much interest to analysts and observers. And if you ask me I rather ask how the receipt of several favours became oppression would have be a better question. And better analysis of how it all happened is a must for posterity’s judgement.
Truly, receipt of favours has indeed become oppression to many…Oh My Goodness! Men are more ready to repay an injury than a benefit because gratitude is a burden and revenge is a pleasure to them, I guess you understand of whom I speak. To them gratitude is a saddle, so they quickly find alternatives, funny world! While totally forgetting that they are there today simply means it was because we are friendly, and not necessarily because they deserved it.
Though, it is natural to want to employ friends in times of need, but the problem is we often do not know our friends as well as we thought and imagined. Unfortunately, our world is a harsh place to live and friends that are supposed to soften the harshness are on the other side.
A proverb compares friends to the jaw and teeth of a dangerous animal; if you are not careful you will be gored and chewed up. In the name of brotherhood, emotions may cloud reasoning โ if you cannot see the situation clearly you cannot prepare for and respond to it with any degree of control. Honesty rarely strengthen friendship, you may never know how a friend truly feels…I knew this since I was a little boy.
Truly, there is much to be learnt and known in this short life existence because life is never so and complete without knowledge. In any contest, there must be a winner and a loser that is the purpose of games and competitions. History and experience had just shown that except for very few, to win elections in Nigeria, you just have to rig and manipulate, but how these manipulations are done must certainly be in connivance with enemies called friends.
The real purpose of backward-glancing is to educate yourself constantly โ you look at the past to learn from those who came before you. Love and affection are also potentially destructive, they blind you to the often self-serving interest of those you least suspect of playing wrong game.
Real life is messy, many thought life was a perfect place where everyone get along and anyone can be anything with ease, but it turned out that life is somehow complicated and difficult. May be doing the wrong thing for the right reasons, many thought…in Nigeria today, we are faced with the unknown into the world of another 4-year tenure, same mandate, but may be a new hope.
Those who felt encumbered by charity they had received and simply did what many people do in such situations, they quickly forget the favours they have received and imagined they earned their success by their own merits, if you ask me, consultations to history on how APC came to be will not be a bad idea.
Before now, Saraki has never lost any election except for PDP presidential primary…. and loosing had its advantages, may be because God is proving his existence, or may be he (Saraki) was not grateful enough, I wish someone is here today, maybe he would have explained better, of whom and event I speak, I guess he must have found out by now if he must be a good student…go back to your creator and resolve this. Be taunted or not, but try everything. Escape the pangs of regrets by making the right choice.
It is only when you are tested that you truly discovered who you are and who you can be. His former friends in government had just had him for supper, oh my goodness, yes friends, before but their friendship was based on what power they had, when it serves their purposes. No wonder, the tale bearer is detested and often avoided, especially among the Yoruba, because they always remembered that what goes around, will surely come around, the victors should not forget – ‘Pasan ta fi na Iyale, o nbe laja fun Iyawo’.
Many think that all human interactions must require deception, though they may claim and say that what separates man from other animals is the ability to lie and deceive. We all know how today’s politicians speak and behave; their own words would never win them a single vote. Fools say that they learn by experience, I prefer to use experience of others.
If fox will remain crafty and untrustworthy, there is no point for pretence. The mud thrown on a clean piece of white cloth leaves dirty and sometimes permanent stains behind. Can Buhari/APC face the Holy Kabbah and swear the election was not rigged in his favour…many now see but wondered why ‘Python Dance’ is no show inside the Sambisa Forest. How I wish our military can be effective just like in presidential/NASS elections…a better Nigeria would definitely be here with us then.
In the heart of every man lives the truth…we all know the value of any rigged election in any sane society, let me remind us all that the blood of every Nigerian that died during the election is asking for justice, and must not be in vain…good Nigerians what is value of the election was just the message.
Ciao! *Ayobrown, Senior System Analyst, National Pilot Newspaper, writes viaย aayobrown@gmail.com
