Oba Akiolu and election balance in Lagos
Oba Akiolu
AS the electorate in Lagos prepare for the governorship election tomorrow in the state, the threat by the Oba of Lagos appears to have thrown a major spanner in the works of the APC’s candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, as the next governor of the state.
Oba Rilwanu Akiolu reportedly threatened an assemblage of Igbo leaders that the Igbos will sink in the lagoon if they do not vote for the APC’s standard bearer at the polls.
But this may have boomeranged, notwithstanding, the party’s last-ditch efforts to salvage the situation and placate those angered by the monarch’s utterances.
This is because many Nigerians have risen to the awkward challenge posed by the Oba’s unexpected and undemocratic imposition of a candidate on a tribe whose citizens have every right to live and make a democratic choice in any part of Nigeria.
The Oba’s statement has rightly drawn the umbrage and indignation of Igbo leaders and people nationwide as well as the consternation of Nigerians, especially at this point in time when the nation is enjoying the unbelievable peace and serenity that followed the last presidential elections.
To some, the Lagos monarch’s comments were a guided missile to cause confusion and pandemonium in the ranks of the Igbos who have been calling on APC governors in the state to allow the Igbos enjoy more of the dividends of democracy in a state that they feel they have given enough of their toil to enjoy such benefits. In this respect, the Oba’s royal decree to the Igbos may have positioned the PDP as the hope and succour of Lagosians.
Of course, the major beneficiary of this avoidable crisis is the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Jimi Agbaje.
Implicit in this prognosis is that prior to the monarch’s outburst, the people of Lagos, or the majority of them, seemed to have made up their mind to part company with the APC and its candidate of continuity.
This could have been a tacit agreement and modus operandi of some people, including those who present themselves as key APC stalwarts who openly campaigned for the APC in broad daylight, but planned at night how to jettison the yoke of the party in the state by voting and ensuring that the PDP wins the election.
It is note-worthy, however, that the Oba was said to have disowned the statement on the ground that he had been quoted out of context.
While some people may believe the rejoinder, it remains doubtful whether the political damage has not already been done to tip the balance of voting in favour of the PDP legislative and gubernatorial candidates. It remains a 50-50 debate as to, if the retraction of the alleged threat, was not only an after-thought, but a pathetic effort to close the stable after the horse has bolted
An obvious lesson here is that the Oba and all traditional rulers who are similarly not inclined to make a secret of their preferred political candidates should be aware that in a democracy, choice is the weapon of the masses to vote politicians in or out of power.
Democracy is one man, one vote and has no room for royalty even though it respects tradition and culture as long as they do not clash with modernity and innovation, the engine oil of political and economic development and stability.
The Oba’s threat to the Igbos, instead of persuasion, is an anathema to modern politics and democracy as, by virtue of his exalted position, he is expected to be father to all, including the Igbos he told roundly that he was not begging to toe the royal line and vote in the APC candidate.
As for Agbaje, whom the Oba said was his blood relation and foreclosed his emergence as governor in this dispensation, he should take solace that every cloud has a silver lining.
To some voters in Lagos State, it is stunning that the Oba’s attitude does not authenticate the notion that blood is thicker than water. It is equally disconcerting that the monarch, by his reported statements, seems to have betrayed his contempt for the democratic process.
Else, he has no reason to have attempted to force any group of Nigerians to support his preferred candidate. Every Nigerian is entitled to his choice of political candidate.
This, the voters in Lagos, can prove tomorrow, when they exercise their political franchise to determine the next governor of Lagos State.
•Shaba, a public commentator, wrote from Lagos.
Related
Latest
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
31 Comments
Guardian, since the time of your founding you have always exhibited this barely veiled partisanship against the Yoruba’s and Hausas. You just make an unbalanced sweeping statement without any respect to journalistic principle of educating and informing. Let fill the missing gaps which as a serious paper whose motto is conscience is an open wound, only the truth would heal it.
The Oba committed a faux pax, no doubt. But was it intentional or was it a deliberate ploy to re awaken the docile yoruba voters who collected their PVC and refused to vote. There is a gap of over one million between PVC collected and the number of voter’s in Lagos in the last election.
These are some of the angles an investigative journalist should pursue.
The problem with Guardian is that you don’t even know how to classify it. Is it a an investigative newspaper like the Times of New York or the Guardian of London, is it a political newspaper like the Daily Mail, is it an entertainment tabloid like the The News of the World. In an attempt to be partisanly anti Yoruba/Hausa and jack of all trades in news reporting, nobody takes the Guardian seriously anymore.
You lied from your throat. The Guardian still remains the best daily in Nigeria. What the oba said was totally uncalled for. APC has been saying we should vote our conscience. So why will the oba want to compel people to vote for his candidate?
……It’s because Oba wants Eko to be prosepered and continue to be prospered!
I think you are committing an even more unenviable faux pax with this comment Salisurabeh. What has the collection of PVCs got to do with the Oba’s statement. How can threatening the Igbos with hell and damnation awaken the ‘docile Yoruba or force them into voting? The only effect it can have on the so called docility of the Yoruba, is to awaken them and turn them into Igbo killers. Maybe that is what the Oba meant by saying the Igbos would drown in the Lagoon. They would not simply drown in the lagoon by the power of the gods but will be attacked, killed and thrown into the lagoon by the erstwhile ‘docile Yoruba’ whose angst would have been awakened by the inciting statement of their Oba. The Guardians analysis is forthright and correct. The Oba committed an error and should simply apologise. After all he is human and not God even though he attempted to play God.
I think both you and your so called Oba are drunk. Imagine the morbid effusion coming from a traditional ruler. What level of respect is left for him? What is the bubbling baboon contributing actually towards the development of Lagos?
Let the electorates vote their choice candidate, both Jimi & Ambode are Yorubas & also Lagosians. The throne of Oba of Lagos is a throne I respect, we should just understand that this Oba in question, was a formal police man so the bad character that is common with many Nigeria police men is still running in him.
The Oba is an ex policeman and the Nigerian policeman has no respect for the people they are supposed to protect. The conqueror mentality of the police is still with him. It shows clearly. His attempt at damage control is pathetic. I do wish the Igbos would call his bluff and vote Agbaje and then we will see how full the lagoon will be. If the lagoon does not swallow all igbos then the Oba should abdicate his throne as he is not ordained by the gods.
in as much as I might reason with ur bluff calling, I dont see why you are voting because of the Oba isnt it because of your welfare? Vote for your conscience and not because of some bluff calling.
Our conscience is to end the looting in Lagos by voting APC out. That is what the oba is trying to resist
That Agbaje is the choice of BODE GEORGE is a known fact to
everybody in Lagos . So , if you allow an Ex-convict called Bode
George and the 40 thieves to take over Lagos , you all know the rest
of the story . Lagosians are wise people !
Ibos are criminals and they will always support criminals like Bode George.
u voted PDP on 28 n PDP lost what else do y want to vote. wat u coyld get is rep dis time around u will be shamed even if u go to SHA i will meet u pple dr n i will deal wt who soever represent u there dats a promise foolish arm-robbers
I did not even think about it. All ibos in Lagos voted for Jonathan, and they still lost. Ibos can go to hell. They need to relocate back to their state of origin.
Whether you guys like it or not, Ambode is winning this election. Let all the Igbos resident in Lagos vote for Agbaje, he cannot win and they will sure be the loser on the long run. Just last year the Governor of Abia State deported indigenes of Anambra state in the Civil Service. This is Igbos deporting Igbos. Igbos and other non-indigenes of Lagos are currently in the service of Lagos State Government without let or hindrance. In fact, the Commissioner of Finance and Budget is an Igbo man. The Lagos State spokesman for APC, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, an Igbo man, is also in the employment of Lagos State Government. The Statement of the King was quite unfortunate and was totally in disagreement with the Yorubas character as welcoming and tolerant people. There is no point allowing the King’s vituperations divide the good relationship existing between the Yorubas and all the other ethnic groups resident in Lagos.
What has Abia State got to do with this? This was a different situation.
its a fact tested they(ibos) voted for GEJ on 28/03/2015 and APC still win wat can they do more than wat they dd on 28 i have live n do biz wt dem they are nothing but bragas i even followed them to their village to find out dat they r empty nobody should beg them they dont deserve a single respect. their norms is money. let Ubah go to Anambra if he need to be crowned if they misbehave in their town they will be stoned they come to Lagos to fumble. they will come to Lagos wt polybag and later become rich to abuse d land that prosper them fools
you guys are getting it more complicated, the earlier you come out to condemn this Oba statement and stop finding equation with other things the better Nigeria can stand as one
This statement is not political statement and so therefore never see it as simple as Ambode come and win Lagos and its done, your children will leave to quote Oba sooner than later and the peace and unity of this Nation is at stake.
They made an ex policeman the Oba of Lagos? I thought the Yorubas are very wise people.
Very wise. Maybe you are too foolish to know.
IGBO KWENU! IGBO KWENU!! IGBO KWENU!!! MAKE UNA VOTE FOR APC OOO!!!!. AMBODE IS THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB, EVEN IF UNA NO VOTE FOR AM, AMBODE GO STILL WIN. MAKE UNA VOTE FOR APC THAT IS GOVERNING PARTY IN THE CENTER. VOTE YOUR POCKET BOOK.
WAKE UP WAKE UP GO AND VOTE NOW . WE NEED CHANGE IN LAGOS IF NOT OBA AND HIS GROUP WILL COME AND TELL YOU WHAT YOU DO IN HOUSE . AND UNNECESSARY TAXATION. CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE.GO . GO VOTE NOW AND MAKE DIFFERENT . YOU CAN NOT STAY HOME AND BRING WE NEED IS BY YOUR VOTE. MAKE SURE YOUR VOTE COUNT. GOD BLESS LAGOS AND NIGERIA NATION.
Ambode winning the election or not is another ball game, but for the
mind set of Oba and majority of APC “Yoruba” towards the peace of this
nation is the concern, forget the podium at which the statement was
made, election will end today and we shall see what the government will
make out of this utterance. To me I know if Oba was arrested on this
provocative statement it will be recorded against GEJ PDP lead govt, but
the truth is that this statement has i big and greater effect to the
peace and unity of this nation.
truth be told, the the oba and his so called statement is a huge one, and should be taken seriously, cos this a threat to the fore mentioned ethnic group, it is not just a political statement here, this transcends beyond politics, it actually shows the desperation of the apc members to still hold power in lagos state…
The federal belongs to APC for the next 4 years. Lagos, including the Ibos, will benefit more if APC is ruling Lagos. There is no doubt about it. I guess we should not make issues too much out of Oba’s utterrance. He was drunken, i guess; no he spoke out of anger. That should not make Lagosians to throw away the wisdom of aligning with the federal might
wat are we saying here, not until people realize d impact of this unguided utterance and condemn it that Nigerians can grow in peace and in unity, for me if you call me names and later give me excuse of being under influence is a bloody lies.
this statement is beyond Ambode winning Lagos state or Lagos alining with the center.
The Oba has spoken, so you can go to hell. Why are igbos asking for protection after this election? Didn’t your people (ibos) say that they have guns to kill all the Yorubas in Lagos?
Gentleman listen to you the issue is not about benefit. Oba’s ill-guided statement undermines democracy and calls to question why are we having an election if we are to allow Oba to dictate his anointed one on the people. I am strongly, of the view the Oba needs to be sanctioned to prevent future occurrence an serve as a deterrent to others.
That is what Lagos State Government should have done so as to serve as deterrent to others!!!!!!!!!!
Wasn’t a problem for me because I know how to swim,but had to get a life jacket for my lovely wife who is from ogun state.And since I was not sure of where the Almighty Oba was going to classify my lovely wife,and not also wanting to leave anything to chance,I procured a life jacket for my wife from China.Being a business man, I also procured some extra life jackets meant to be sold to my brothers and sisters.However,most of my bros.and sisters were so afraid that they voted Ambode,instead of Jimi Agbaje(A native of Abakalili in Ebonyi State).
Now that Ambode has won, Oba must tell me where to go and sell my life jackets because my investment cannot waste.
This is the first time of asking!
Smiles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hope this Oba has learn rt his lesson, everybody knows a monarch to be father to all political party and not to just a one side coin party because of covetousness. Thank God for the international criticism he already had and we hope he hides his head in shame and do the needful in the coming future!!!
We will review and take appropriate action.