Uproot that evil tree… now!

There is one evil tree in one unknown village in an obscure corner of Nigeria. The tree is evil because anytime it bears fruit, there will be mass deaths and mass burials. This sad incident had happened for years before the community realised, to their chagrin, the linearity (big grammar) between its fruits and the deaths. The most unfortunate thing about this evil tree is that it is only recognised when its flowers emerge, which is a prelude to the development and maturity of its fruits. The community, therefore, resolved to UPROOT the tree whenever it flowers, and that was how they saved themselves from the anguish of the mysterious decimation of their population and the consequential anguish and social dislocation. I have used the eye of an elder to look into the mystic pot, and unfortunately, I see that the evil tree has sprouted in the Nigerian political firmament, and the flowers are already blossoming. Luckily, we are able to identify the tree and we know those who are planting it. What is left is to UPROOT the trees.

Some time ago, Peter Obi, the ubiquitous and unusual politician, wanted to visit and commiserate with the victims of the Benue massacres. However, Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, the priest-turned-politician, who never saw any genocide in his domain, decreed that Peter Obi could not visit Benue State. It caused a little uproar, but after a while, the matter died. Around that period, an ADC meeting in Lagos was attacked by thugs, and the police had promised to investigate, while the APC said it was not sure that there was any attack. But the recent democratisation of this evil tree started in Edo State, where the governor decreed that Peter Obi could not visit Edo State without his consent. ‘No-do, No-do’ PO visited Edo State and was attacked, together with his entourage and his hosts, including John O. Oyegun, former governor of Edo State. Luckily, nothing happened to him or his host, but some damage was caused, indicating that the attackers were not there for a joke. The government explained it away as a result of the internal crises within the ADC. There was even a statement to the effect that ‘we warned him, but he wouldn’t listen’ during that period. One riffraff announced that he would finish the PO if he ventured into the Ph/Bayelsa axis, and I learnt that he had had a chat with the police.

Recently, a political party planned to open its secretariat at Bakassi. However, the event was not to be, as a group of roughnecks attacked the venue and destroyed the canopies, chairs and tables procured for the event, announcing that they did not want any party in Bakassi except APC. Not long after that, Sunday Igboho, the Yoruba ‘freedom fighter’ who now ‘stands on the mandate’ of the ‘oga at the top’, dared anybody, particularly Atiku and Obi, to come and campaign in Yorubaland. He said that nobody else would campaign against BAT in Yorubaland, and that was after he declared that BAT was doing so well that he needed a third term (while the first term is not yet over). And then, that rascally musician called Portable cursed anybody who dared campaign against Tinubu in Western Nigeria, assuring that the gods would visit them with thunder and such. He warned that opposing Tinubu would bring misfortune, especially in the west, and would also destroy the peace of the region. I do not actually blame him, because he was standing on ‘existing protocols’. After all, an Oba had promised to drown those who did not vote for his preferred candidate in the lagoons of Lagos.

I call this development an evil tree because this is a notch higher than the kind of political brigandage we have been witnessing. Last time, the thug-in-chief, who is now perfecting his trade in Abuja, warned ‘Mama Nkechi’ not to dare go out to vote. He later said that it was a joke while the police looked the other way. And there was evidence that several people were forcefully prevented from voting, especially in Lagos. Now we have ‘deepened’ the process by preventing people from holding political meetings and promising to prevent them from campaigning. And as it was last time, so it will be next year. A political party that cannot hold a meeting or open its offices will obviously not be able to campaign! By 2031, there might not even be any elections. We have been saying, ‘It cannot happen here,’ but these strange things are already taking root. People are now talking about the third term, and a NASS that has removed certificate forgery as a condition for disqualifying a candidate will surely find nothing wrong with ‘third termism’! You want to bet?

However, something still surprises the son of man. Almost all the governors have been bought, coerced or blackmailed into the APC. Let’s even assume that some joined willingly with their eyes wide open. They have shared rice, shared Indomie and shared cash in soft and hard currencies. The demarcation between the ‘executhief’ and the ‘legislathief’ is blurred, and the ‘judisharing’, for whom Wike is doing awesome things, is waiting for the 2027 electoral season. So, why won’t ‘they’ allow people to campaign? Why won’t ‘they’ allow transparent vote tracking and counting? I am addressing this ‘question’ to nobody in particular.

Ik Muo, PhD. Dept of Business Admin, OOU, Ago-Iwoye. 08033026625