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Democracy and emperors do not inhabit the same space. They cannot. The singularity of an emperor as the sovereign, almost always unchallenged, with his god-like bearing, temperament and pomp, run counter to what democracy is all about. The emperor is the state. Being so, he has no need or reason to be humble. Indeed, an emperor understands himself to be a god on earth, living next to ordinary men. So why be humble?
Democracy concedes no single individual such powers. With such leveller-proclamations as “all men were born equal” …democracy defines its essence. It actually demands humility from individuals entrusted with the privilege of representing their people, the real sovereigns. More often than is the case these days, however, the humility shown at various junctures, by individuals elected to represent their people in government, is forged, but no matter. It remains an acknowledgement of what the spirit of true democracy ought to be, that elected persons remain conscious that they are, or ought to be accountable to the electorate.
Nigeria always dares to be different, for good or for ill. The version of democracy in the country has, for instance, taken a turn to a destination that remains uncharted. In this prevailing setting, individuals elected into public officers insist on being emperors at the same time. The hybrid personalities are already on stage. Even as these state functionaries wear the toga of democratically-elected state functionaries, they exude the air and powers comparable to any emperor anywhere.
It is indeed, doubtful that any emperor in today’s world compares in powers, pomp and temperament with an elected Nigerian state governor. And there are almost forty of them, sitting state governors and former governors still operating with same similar imperial wave length, but on different public platforms.
Last week, one of the gubernatorial emperors, Governor Dapo Abiodun, had his election affirmed by one of the election petition tribunals. While the governor was occupied with savouring his victory, one of his subjects who had the misfortune of colliding with the emperor, continues to battle for his life, literally.
It is known at this moment whether Mr. Wale Adedayo, chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun state, has regained his freedom from detention. Mr. Adedayo’s ordeal started when he was led, obviously, by a spirit that did not wish him well, to publicly state that Governor Abiodum withheld allocations due to the local government areas in the state.
What the Ijebu East LGA chairman said his governor did, is what every Nigerian knows that all the state governors do. Either by their sheer power or conspiracy with the federal government, state governors have established a grip over the affairs and finances of the third tier of government, which seems almost impossible to undo. State governors, many of them, not anybody’s model in fiscal prudence,are often found boldly declaring how they need to help LGAs manage their finances.
Adedayo’s offence, obviously,is that he dared to say what his colleagues know, but keep quiet about. The struggle has been his life,after his indiscretion.
Not long after Adedayo’s public statement, his colleagues in Ogun state under the aegis of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria(ALGON), led by their chairman, Babatunde Emilola-Gazal went to the Government House at Abeokuta to apologize to Governor Abiodun. The apologizing delegates reportedly prostrated to the governor, that being a part of the culture of that part of the country, to show either respect or remorse. Adedayo also apologized for whatever he said and whatever spirit led him.
All that did not however, cut any ice with the imperial governor. Soon after the LGA chairman was suspended from office. Soon after he was impeached. Then he was arrested. Subsequently, he was arraigned, for something. He has been battling to regain his freedom. Did this man kill anyone? He may yet be accused of murder. Or at worse, they may even accuse him of being a member of Labour Party. That accusation, in that part at this period, will seal his faith. Already one of the governor’s aides has said that the LG chairman was politically motivated to say what he said.
Dapo Abiodun may be an emperor, but he is not yet a god. He is known to have his own shortcomings. Let it be conceded that the Local Government chairman offended him or maligned him, but steps have been taken to pacify him. If all the personal and group apologies cannot assuage his anger, then he should decently seek legal redress.
The name Governor Abiodum can easily be replaced with any other governor across the country today, the reaction will be almost the same. The governors have become potentates whose words must not be countered by any other citizen and who, nobody dares to challenge on any issue. This is very dangerous.
The overbearing disposition of state governors has become a very sour aspect of what is called democracy in Nigeria. What His imperial Excellency may not know is that by reacting the way he is doing, the impression he is creating is that there is some validity in the allegation, that he is bitter because someone touched him in a very wrong spot.
Wale Adedayo, whoever he may be, cannot continue to be hounded for a single comment that offended the governor. Even if for the man’s life and wellbeing he accepts being guilty of indiscretion, it is not yet a treason. In democratic Nigeria of 2023, governors, very much like emperors, may be the state, still an offence against a governor cannot translate into life or death sentence.
There is no point talking of the security agencies or the courts. These are issues for another time. Clearly, once a governor points at any of his subjects and gives the nod, the security agencies will either lynch the poor citizen or help to frame him appropriately. Once the case against such a hapless fellow arrives the court, it is almost like appearing before Eleyemi’s court, if you once followed the Village Headmaster on the television. Nigeria should try and do a lot better than it is doing at the moment.
