I'm a student of history. Different accounts of the people, politics and politicians of Nigeria, I've read. From Bola Ige to Wole soyinka, to Tony Momoh. Several participants in the struggle for independence, and victims of the brutal junta years, themselves.
But one thing I've found really interesting in history is it's recurrence, it's ability to repeat itself. When issues of the present at times mirror events of the past, at such moments, a historian marvels and exclaims: Again?
Osun woke me with skits. Because I detest curiosity, especially from politics, I didn't bother to follow up yesterday. Storming the News this morning, gales of laughter blew me away. So, the rerun election was rigged and ragged, rogue and rough!
Given the liliputian interval, between Omisore's marriage to APC and the rerun, I had wondered how such sudden ties could manifest bliss. But it seems we've been caught unawares. Iyiola didn't lobby any chieftain, overnight, as we had thought. No. He spoke to his goons!
In the face of ruthless matchetes, AK-Omoluabi (sorry, 47!), voters behaved themselves. Calmly, they submitted their PVCs to the 'Skippos' and 'Jaspers' of Omisore. No APC, no voting. So that when APC devoured 132 votes in one polling Unit, it left 2 for PDP to survive on —under the very indulgent noses of the security operatives! But was that the numero uno?
Osun's September 28 brings to mind the elections of 1964. The days of Chief Ladoke Akintola. In history, it was perhaps the most rigged election in Nigeria. INEC officials were made unavailable, each time opponents sought to submit electoral forms. Many candidates ran unopposed. Voters were jeopardized. Observers declared the election "heavily rigged."
Between the duo, hilarious similarities abound. Chief Akintola, the man at the center of the 1964 rigging, had a face that suggested he had once been at war with a leopard. The APC candidate, Oyetola, bears such marks, too. Only that his must have been inscribed by a Lion.
Even the names: Akintola; Oyetola. Coincidence, perhaps. Only that while the former hails from Ogbomoso, the latter looms from Osun. But, most importantly, they both rigged elections, heavily, to seize the helm of power.
Nevertheless, somewhere in my heart of hearts, I'm glad our Michael Jackson didn't emerge. In fact, this piece would have perhaps been entitled "Governor Davido," if he had won.
My vision of Osun Government House under Adeleke, was of weekend Music concerts, and clubs. I envisaged a governor dancing away the State's treasuries, providing for his people 'Buttocks Infrastructures'— in the parody of Fayose's 'Stomach Infrastructure.' Osun would have smelt pepper, like the people of Ekiti.
In any case, congratulations to the Governor-elect, the "Rigster"! Let's see how it goes.
Osun woke me with skits. Because I detest curiosity, especially from politics, I didn't bother to follow up yesterday. Storming the News this morning, gales of laughter blew me away. So, the rerun election was rigged and ragged, rogue and rough!
Given the liliputian interval, between Omisore's marriage to APC and the rerun, I had wondered how such sudden ties could manifest bliss. But it seems we've been caught unawares. Iyiola didn't lobby any chieftain, overnight, as we had thought. No. He spoke to his goons!
In the face of ruthless matchetes, AK-Omoluabi (sorry, 47!), voters behaved themselves. Calmly, they submitted their PVCs to the 'Skippos' and 'Jaspers' of Omisore. No APC, no voting. So that when APC devoured 132 votes in one polling Unit, it left 2 for PDP to survive on —under the very indulgent noses of the security operatives! But was that the numero uno?
Osun's September 28 brings to mind the elections of 1964. The days of Chief Ladoke Akintola. In history, it was perhaps the most rigged election in Nigeria. INEC officials were made unavailable, each time opponents sought to submit electoral forms. Many candidates ran unopposed. Voters were jeopardized. Observers declared the election "heavily rigged."
Between the duo, hilarious similarities abound. Chief Akintola, the man at the center of the 1964 rigging, had a face that suggested he had once been at war with a leopard. The APC candidate, Oyetola, bears such marks, too. Only that his must have been inscribed by a Lion.
Even the names: Akintola; Oyetola. Coincidence, perhaps. Only that while the former hails from Ogbomoso, the latter looms from Osun. But, most importantly, they both rigged elections, heavily, to seize the helm of power.
Nevertheless, somewhere in my heart of hearts, I'm glad our Michael Jackson didn't emerge. In fact, this piece would have perhaps been entitled "Governor Davido," if he had won.
My vision of Osun Government House under Adeleke, was of weekend Music concerts, and clubs. I envisaged a governor dancing away the State's treasuries, providing for his people 'Buttocks Infrastructures'— in the parody of Fayose's 'Stomach Infrastructure.' Osun would have smelt pepper, like the people of Ekiti.
In any case, congratulations to the Governor-elect, the "Rigster"! Let's see how it goes.
Muneer Yaqub,
Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto
Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto
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