The last gubertonoral election in Edo state was seen as a fight against fatherism in Nigeria.The country seems to have a group of godfather’s who controls the activities in the country.. Late minister of information and National Orientation Prof Dora Acquinly refered to them as the Northern Cabals. The group decides who wins election and who wins is made a president. Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan disagreement with Cabal contributed to his removal from office
Each region has its own Godfather. Ex governor of lagos state Bola Tinibu is said to be Godfather in of lagos and Osun state.The people obey him . When he sneezes,the people catches cold. Whomever he annoites win the election. He controls the state assembly, state tax system, transport system and Agberos . Whoever disagrees with Tinibu disagrees is an enemy of the state.
Chief Saraki was a strong political heavy weight in Kwara state. His son Dr Bukola Saraki benefited from his dad dynasty. His daughter was a senator. His fall out with the APC government marked the begining of the downfall of the Saraki Dynasty. The people were tired of one family dictatorship. They wanted a new face.
Among the Igbos, It is difficult single out one Godfather. In 2003, the west thought chief Odimegwu Ojukwu would be the sole presidential candidate from the south east.They were wrong. The then Abia state Governor refused to withdraw his presidential aspiration for the great warlord.The Igbos were not surprised.
Former Governor Rochas Okorocha attempted to install his son in law- Mr Uche Nwosu as next governor fell flat.Uche Nwosu failed to win the party governorship ticket. The mass did not want that either.
What makes God fatherism easier in other region and difficult in Igbo land. ? Chief Odimegwu Ojukwu when asked in August 1991 if he was the igbo leader. He responded
The Igbos cannot be led.Every Igbo man leads himself,I am the spokesman of the Igbos.
The igbo man choose someone to speak on their behalf.His words reflect that of the people. The people tell him what to say.He does not tell the people what to do. The moment he begins to say words contrarily to that of the people, his position as a speaker is threatened. Rochas Okorocha knew little about this for he grew up in the North. His defection to APC and his romance with the North without first seeking the opinion of the people was his first undoing.. Imposing his in- law on his people was the second undoing.
A typical Igbo man is not one to be told what to do. Everything Igbo man thinks for himself and takes decision based on his own thoughts.The task of thinking for himself should never be transfered to another. No one tells an Igbo man whom to vote. A Yoruba man may vote a candidate because his father or political Godfather ask him to. The region values respect for elders highly.. A northerner may vote a candidate because his king or religious leaders told him to. The region values intra- group cooperation and obedience to authority. An Igbo chief openly disagrees with the king during cabinet meeting. Sons disagree with their father during kinsmen gathering. Igbo value the self. To convince an Igbo man to vote a candidate, you need to convince him of the benefit of such act to him. It should make him better than his present state for an Igbo man loves to develop. Only then can his mind be convinced to vote the candidate.
This mindset is not without it’s short comming. Since Igbos are self- centered, they are most likely to go to any continent of the world and make it. The self centeredness promotes self- desire over communal want. Igbos tend to be more competitive rather than cooperative. It is not unheard of to hear three brothers fight till death over a piece of land. It is difficult to convince an Igbo man to step down for another the way key northerners stepped down for Buhari.The UBA brothers in anambra state are key examples of brothers belonging to different political party. One group of Igbos want restructuring. The other group wants Igbo presidency and the third group prefers an independent nation. Of the last group, a fraction support legal ,peaceful ,way of MASSOB, another prefers the use of abusivee way of IPOB. There are other Biafra movement groups .
Consensus Candidate is very difficult to.achieve. Igbos find i easier to unite to vote out an opposition than to agree on a consensus candidate. majority decide to vote a candidate, minority will go for another. It was easier for all the northern heavy weight to drop their presidential aspiration and support President Buhari against Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. I doubt the Igbos are capable of doing the same. Not less than five candidate would emerge come 2023. This would divide the vote that goes to the region.. Since politics is a game of number, other region may capitalize on this. They will unite and support one from their region.zoning is not consti
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