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The death of Alhaji
Adedibu, the bête noir of the godfathers brings to mind why we must constantly
ask ourselves every time we look at the mirror, what is the purpose of presence
in this cruel world. Alhaji Adedibu, like or hate him, speaks with candor
and elegance on the kind of politics that have become so dispiriting pointing
to the kind of Nigeria we would not like to see. Typical Nigeria
will find Alhaji Adedibu to be prudent, thoughtful, an advocate of poor indigents
of Ibadan, and indeed, a courageous illiterate politician of his time.
The likes of Adedibu exist because our political system created a
vacuum. Soon, many will be killing themselves to occupy the vacant “amala
politics” position Adedibu left behind. May Alhaji Adedibu’s soul rest in
perfect peace and if there is any re-incarnation, I hope he never surfaces in
the space called Nigeria.
Of far greater
importance, in my view, is that Alhaji Adedibu had the potential control and he
arm twisted Governors, even those not from his state through the
instrumentality of Federal Government. He scrambled the political deck,
broke up old alliances, and brought odd bedfellows together in a new coalition
to reposition his brand of politics where the old crossed the new order via a
unifying force of corruption and intimidation.
What we can learn from
Adedibu’s politics is that it was vicious, potent and destructive, yet, many
Ibadan indigents never saw anything wrong with him or he system and legacy he
left behind because he used the money meant to improve human lives to just sell
and buy favors. Furthermore, what's more important, is that the likes of
Adedibu made the PDP a dead, rotting carcass with a few decrepit old leaders
stumbling around like zombies in a horror movie while he was able to handcuff
capable PDP party members to a corpse. Alhaji Adedibu made us realize
that unless the PDP is thoroughly purged of its current leadership, it will
pollute the political environment to toxic levels and create an epidemic that
could damage the country for generations to come. A one party system,
weak opposition, with PDP being the party is bad news for Nigeria.
In Ibadan, we had
Adedibu. In Kwara State, we have the Sarakis. In Anambra State, we
saw the arrival of the Ubas. In Edo State, we have chief Tony Aninih,
etc. Is this what we have turned Nigeria of our dream to, a Nigeria where
few individuals control the economy of a whole State, or a nation? With
these types godfathers, peace loving, and patriotic Nigerians must stand up, be
counted and create a phenomenon that has the potential to remake the political
landscape beyond the selfish and directionless godfathers. One then asks,
where are the Nigerian intelligentsia, the hope of any nation?
For many Nigerian
looking for survival, PDP becomes the shrine of the gods, anything thing else
is a waste of time in today’s Nigeria. Many run to join the PDP, not for
any meaningful political but to produce hilarious political comedy that inevitably
brings conglomeration of strange bedfellows. Because Adedibu came, saw
and conquered, undoubtedly, there will be much more of such dislocation in the
months to come because of the vacuum Mr. PDP crude action man, Alhaji Adedibu
left behind. No matter how much some hate Alhaji Adedibu’s Amala
politics, he paid obeisance to the virtues of stability and continuity in
Ibadan and hence of Oyo State, but his interlocutors will think otherwise.
Although Alhaji Adedibu
understood the first principle of politics, his understanding was from the
wrong side of the first Principle of Politics. Even in death, we still
have opportunity to speak truth. Adedibu robbed peter to pay paul and he
was very good at his game.
We must, in time of
reflection, can only wish ALHAJI ADEDIBU safe passage to the great beyond, and
his family strength to bare the loss of their bread winner. And so, the
Man Died, may his soul rest in perfect peace – amen.
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Posted by Robot| 12.06.2008 13:55