Letdown of the Masses

LETDOWN OF THE MASSES BY ELITES

By

Seye Adetunmbi, 21/7/17

Contemporarily, the trust and loyalty of the poor masses of Nigeria to the elite have been abused. It was not this bad in the colonial era and some years after independence, particularly in the south western Nigeria. The early well cultured elite and the political class were more considerate then than what obtains now. It was in vogue then for communities to panupo (align/harmonize thoughts) and rally their well meaning indigenes to represent their collective interest towards facilitating socio-economic development activities for the benefit of all. Then, it was more of about us (poor masses, the community, society or the nation) unlike now which is about “me” (the elitist political class and politicians in government only). The elite as a select group with supposedly superior ability or qualities to the rest of the society is expected to brainstorm for the masses and facilitate the clearing house for those that will constitute the political class of the nation, ceteris paribus. As a result of the action/inaction of this strategic stratum (elite) in Nigeria, the charlatans have hijacked the responsibilities of the elite and they now define the impostors that dominate the political class of today. Of particular concern is Ekiti State my Jerusalem on which this write-up will dwell on. The state is a classical case of where the elite have shacked in their responsibilities to the masses and the grassroots electorate had revolted.

At what point did Ekiti elites and the political class get it wrong, and who or what are the problems of the state today? Let’s put some of those things that have made the homogeneous Ekiti district to standout over the years until politics of stomach infrastructure (oselu amala) ate deep into the values of the province. Ekiti people are not conventionally well suited for deceptive diplomacy or illusory diplomatic engineering (oni ka d’obale, k’inu re a ka ko). Memory of Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi is evergreen; he would have escaped death if he was a corny person. He couldn’t imagine it that they will take General Ironsi away from him as the host. In the area of education, despite the fact that Ogun and Ondo states received western education before the Ekiti people, between 1940 and 1960 Ekiti province outstanding in academics. Dr Agbebi, an Ekiti man stowed away to England and became the first Nigeria to bag PhD. D in 1865. At some point until general the set back in educational system in Nigeria, Christ's School, Ado-Ekiti that was founded just in 1933, had produced university professors and other wide range of scholars more than Ondo Boys High School that was founded in 1919; Kings College, Lagos founded in 1909; Government College, Ibadan founded in 1929; as well as the oldest secondary school in Nigeria, CMS Grammar School, Lagos that was founded on June 6th 1859. The first professor of mathematics in Nigeria was Professor Adegoke Olubummo, a native of Orin-Ekiti. Likewise the first professor of physics was Professor D. Funmilayo Ojo, the Ojo Ugbole fame. Professor Benjamin Oluwakayode Osuntokun a native of Okemesi and product of Christ School. Likewise Professor Adelola Adeloye from Ikole LGA, one of the most published Nigerian surgeon in any field, he is the second professor of neurological surgery in Nigeria. Professor V. A. Williams of Ijero-Ekiti jammed Radio-Biafra during the civil war; he was the first professor of electronic engineering in Nigeria. Aare Afe Babalola of Ado-Ekiti has made his mark in law and in the education sector in Nigeria. Ekiti people are blessed in virtually all areas of human endeavors till today to the glory of God. This is why it is not tolerable that even if all other states in Nigeria don’t get it right, ours should be different because all it takes is for the elite to get their acts together for the benefit of the majority and become the model state.

At what point did Ekiti miss it as a state? It was when the well meaning elite abandoned their duty post for commercial politicians. The period that the elite worked together for a common purpose in the respective communities, it was easier to always put their best foot forward when it comes to quality representation in all tiers of government. Participation in government these days is no longer about service to the people which makes it attractive and easier for all kinds of characters to hold sway in the various wards.

The opinion leaders that mean well for the masses through their act of commission or omission undermined the massive, smart and effective calculative propaganda machinery of the pretenders in our midst. It would have been difficult for the self-serving political class that continues to set us back to occupy political offices or win elections if there had been unity of purpose among the elite. The source of strength for the eleninis of Ekiti is the inactivity of the elitist class that mean well. Also the elite that should ordinarily ensure that things go well are interested in government appointments and patronage; this is the crux of the matter. “Oye k’egbe omo oni ba ti yo je, eye k’oni ba an du” When you have a child/ward that can be made a chief, you don’t contest for such position if it is about service or larger interest and not about personal trip. Greed among the political power brokers is another albatross of Ekiti people in the ongoing political dispensation. The politicians that have no sustainable source of livelihood want to hold on to political party structure such that whoever emerges as the governor will be answerable to them. Ekiti will not progress if this trend continues, the local imperialists (ajeles) must let go their grip. We can have enough to go round but can’t meet the greed of everybody when good quality government is in place. Until power goes back to the people, such that votes will count in the true sense of it and no individual or sect can manipulate the electoral system, adiye ba’okun (predicament of Ekiti people) subsists.

The well meaning elite must consistently educate the electorate in their respective communities and work together to strategically make the state ungovernable for usurpers until the political power gets back to the people. In the face of stiff and consistent opposition to the ajeles, the outsiders infiltrating us will be cautious in relating with the wrong elements to exploit the state. Nobody should have a blank cheque, there must be a proper structure in place to curb excesses of politicians and political parties in our respective communities. Political quarantine strategy is as potent as ever. For instance it is not by default that American leaders would not visit Iran or Queen of England will be found associating with Gadaffi in his lifetime; it is about values. By now, Ekiti as a distinct homogeneous state should have a socio-economic development creed that all ranks of stakeholders have bought into and legislated appropriately. It is not the vision of a political party or that of any self serving politician which another political party that wins an election can reverse depending on the mood swing of the governor. Ekiti interests and master development plan must be clearly defined in a way that the sovereignty of the collective wish of the people will not be undermined by whoever finds him/herself in government in the all tiers of administration.

Ekiti as a people and state must build a strong political structure for a sustainable collective platform that will make it practically impossible for any wannabe political leader to build personal fiefdom that will hold the poor masses to ransom against the wish of the majority as democracy permits. If Ekiti people get it right, the formidable platform will deal decisively with any common enemy setting us back as a state. The elite should work with the politicians that are inclined to rally support for the engagements needed to interrogate the right perception that will convince the general public and in particular the brainwashed electorate. As long as the political party leaders continue with their narrow, selfish agenda without any concerted efforts to diminish self-serving politicians among us, the corporate image of Ekiti will remain dented. Perception in politics is a significant factor that can make or mar whatever image we are building to regain the place of pride for Ekiti State. Private agenda is the undoing of the elite and the millstone of the Ekiti State. Give power back to the people, Ekiti shall rise again.

Ajuse o

I wrote the above piece to mark my 55th birthday anniversary on July 21, 2017. Thank God for the grace of marking yet another year.