Godfatherism of Mandate and of Legacy

Godfatherism of Mandate and of Legacy

Ikenna O. Ezenekwe

Recently the subject of democracy and the role of godfathers in Nigerian politics tossed its weight around at a night lounge where many political heads often gather to analyze the latest political undercurrents of Nigeria. The discussion was sparked by the issue of godfathering posing cancerous or beneficial to the democratic system of Nigeria. Through the night, many aired their take while pointing to reasons why it is cancerous, citing the disadvantages of absoluteness of power to one individual, others pointed to the contrary, highlighting the advantageous reasons of having a good hearted individual (a people’s hero) at the sole realm of absolute power – a godfather to broker power as he deems, to anoint who to be elected by the masses.

It is an open fact that the practice of godfathering is considered a cogent predicament tagged on Nigerian politics. Folks knowledgeable in the political maneuverings in Nigeria believe the answer to the quandary lies behind the complexities of the historical roles played by godfathers and its irresistible influence in the contemporary politics of today’s Nigeria. Some point to the case of Kwara State and the Saraki Dynasty as a fitting example of this dilemma. It is stated, the rise of Saraki’s dynasty in Kwara State highlights the case of absolute power and that of a people’s hero in the most vivid manner. Political experts indigenous to the region also believe the case of Kwara State displays simultaneously the best example of political godfathering under the shade of legacy and of people mandate.

Dr. Olusola Saraki, the man at the realm of the Saraki dynasty, the strongman and the kingmaker of Kwara State politics who rose to the throne of Kwara State godfather in a manner considered by many as classical and uncharacteristic for contemporary godfathers, made the bulk of his initial money as a medical doctor operating private medical clinics in Lagos back in the early 1960s. Dr. Saraki whose father is Fulani and mother is Yoruba used much of his acquired wealth during the early 1960s following the independence of Nigeria and his desire to help his people in Kwara to embark on a comprehensive philanthropic endeavors that ranged from the repair of bad roads, supply of water, placement of boreholes, erecting of water-tanks for the city, setting up of a detergent industry, medical clinics, schools, churches, mosques and many more. These philanthropic gestures, over the years, gained him the sincere attention and affection of the masses and resulted in earning him the title of Turaki of Ilorin in 1974. Ever since, his role in Kwara State politics elevated and remained that of a political godfather in the realest sense possible. From the election of 1979, as reported, he has single handedly anointed and replaced the last four elected governors in Kwara State starting from Alhaji Attah, to Adebayo, to Sha’ Abba Lafiagi to Lawal. His son Gov. Bukola Saraki, presently the State Governor replaced Lawal at the elections of 2003 following a disagreement that turned violent between the then Gov. Lawal and the godfather. In the election of 1999, he presented and financed eleven (11) gubernatorial candidates under the political party of ANPP and they all won. There is little doubt of his control of the politics of Kwara and her immediate environs. He has laid his claim of Kwara State like no other godfather has done in Nigeria.

What is uniquely different with Saraki as the strongman of Kwara compared to the follies of Chris Uba in Anambra is the irrefutable fact of Dr. Saraki having solidified the people’s mandate prior to positioning himself as the political godfather of the region. He was liked and had a flourishing legacy long in the making. Chris Uba only relied on his prowess at the faulty electoral process and his selfish quest for premature legacy while that of Turaki of Ilorin relied on the people’s mandate along with its own traces of selfish quest for a legacy as well. It is noted that although Dr. Saraki earned the people mandate, he has failed to show the ability to harness it in a manner to produce a governor he has been able to work with for more than one term. He makes no qualms admitting this shortcoming in a recent interview where he noted that all his anointed choices for the office of governor had all resulted to a mistake.

The question then automatically becomes –of what use is having the people’s mandate if it appears it cannot be properly harnessed? It cannot be made certain his travails of mistakes and associated replacements were all in the interest of Kwara and the mandate handed to him as the Turaki of Ilorin. It certainly resembles a misuse of people’s mandate in the eyes of an impartial observer when it is noted that it was a comment from his first anointed governor –Alhaji Adamu Attah which stated “I can do without Saraki; I can win in Kwara without Saraki, to hell with him” that sparked Turaki’s resolve to show the governor some “pepper”. He reacted by instructing the masses to vote Attah out of office in the next election and the people heeded. Imagine such display of arrogance of power. Could his actions have been for the sake of preserving the legacy of a dynasty? If so then at what cost to the people of Kwara? Would it not be a clear abuse of people’s mandate to have the type of bloodshed that resulted following the tussle for change of power? But who is to bell the cat? Most importantly, who is to present the facts that point to the contrary?

With his son presently in the governor’s seat, the question is whether the strings of mistake will continue. A whisper coming out the political inner circles within the region indicate a possible shake up in the governors’ seat come 2007. The speculation is that Bukola’s sister who currently holds a senate seat may unseat his brother come 2007 notwithstanding the fact many in Kwara have welcomed the many progressive programs put in place by the Bukola’s administration. It is believed a latent bickering within the dynasty threatens to truncate Bukola’s governorship to a one term governorship and thus has many asking the question will Bukola’s sister take to the governor’s seat come 2007. It is interestingly that to mention that Dr Saraki has publicly stated his intentions of creating such a record in Nigeria. He has stated such to be his objective for the legacy of the Saraki dynasty. A legacy of Godfatherism!

It is important that one key point be emphasized to not forget the tenet of democracy. The value appended on a people’s mandate. Godfathers, who have failed to respect it, have found themselves resorting to brute and childish trickery like in case of Christian Uba. Those who respected it have found themselves as anointed godfathers of the soil like in the case of Saraki. Godfather by people’s mandate and of personal legacy.