Reflections On Femi Fani Kayode’s Venom

By

Dr. Sadiq Isah Radda[1]

Sociology Department

Bayero University, Kano

iraddasadiq@yahoo.com

A few days ago, members of the Middle Belt Forum rose from their meeting with the conclusion that third term under whatever guise is rejected. Due to this noble and courageous act, members of the Forum and Yakubu Gowon more specifically, who was the speaker, should be strongly commended for making history. He has stood up to be counted in a country seized by opportunism, parasitism and corruption. His position is even more commendable when compared against some of his ilk that have become political reptiles that are hidden in the caves of their houses; they only come out in the name of reconciliation when in actual fact personal gains and search for relevance are the issues. The attitudes of these political reptiles is not unexpected because while some of them have their in-laws are Ministers, others have their wives so appointed. The history Yakubu Gowon has so far made merely needs consolidation so that we will continue to remember him as a gentleman that has spoken during the dark days of Nigeria under a dictator called Obasanjo. Gowon deserve special recognition for calling a spade a spade and offering genuine and timely advice to a recalcitrant and power-drunk fascist heading the affairs of Nigeria.

It should be recalled that at the Middle Belt Forum’s meeting Gowon adviced Obasanjo against third term bid. He even went memory lane to show that others like Babangida, Abacha and Gowon himself tried it only to fail. What can be more helpful than free and genuine advice? He also pointed out that Nigeria is more than anybody and heating the country due to the personal ego of one individual is bad enough. These statements are fatherly, statesman-like and timely. Unfortunately, this is what Mr. Fani Kayode could not swallow resulting in spitting venom on Gowon in a very rogue-like manner.

The utterances of Femi Fani Kayode require reflection because they do not seem to come from a person that has received good education and professional training as a government image maker. Furthermore, he lacks sense of democracy that gives citizens the right to self-expression. One will not be surprised because having been recruited by Obasanjo, his assignments must be nasty and devoid of decorum. The venom he spat on Gowon would have been ignored not for the fact that Gowon has to be commended and in doing so reference to Mr. Kayode’s utterances is necessary. His major criticisms of Gowon are that Gowon was not asked for advice on third term bid; that Gowon lacks the right to attack Obasanjo on third term bid because he did not hand over power willingly; and that Obasanjo did not say to any one that he is going for a third term. As an anti-climax, however, he said he respects Gowon because it was him that held Nigeria together!!! These utterances are a reflection of the caliber of people we live within the corridors of power. The statements are simplistic, naïve, idiotic and simply deceitful. No one but his cronies trusts Obasanjo. Thus, the more he swears about a thing, the less it is accepted. This is because of loss of confidence resulting from Obasanjo’s damaged reputation. Currently, Fani Kayode is further compounding the government’s unpopularity.

Femi Fani Kayode has forgotten that image making is not about insult and the use of vulgar language. He has also forgotten that intimidation never gets governments anywhere. He has also forgotten that Obasanjo is a miserable failure who had negatively impacted on the Nigerian nation; hence image making for him is a Herculean task. An Obasanjo that heads a fragile and failed state where life has been turned up-side-down and inside out such that Nigeria and Nigerians are continuously being pushed to the pheriphery cannot be sold to Nigerians or the world. Obasanjo has done his worst for us.

I want Mr. Kayode to ponder a little regarding his penchant for name-calling, spitting venom and casting aspersions on honorable people like Yakubu Gowon. Is he doing it in the interest of Nigeria or for self-serving reasons and for pleasing his rejected boss? If it is because of the former, then it is an absolutely wrong way of doing it. If it is the later, then he is in for some surprises. He will get surprised soon because we now know that Obasanjo is a very dangerous animal that must be tamed. By their very nature, dangerous animals are a danger to themselves, their families, their neighbors and the society at large. Be rest assured Mr. Kayode that this dangerous animal that has gone berserk will consume you before it goes into self-ossification. What I mean to say is that Obasanjo is inefficient and has caused Nigerians too much suffering and momentarily Nigerians will make him pay for his crime to them and their Fatherland.

The message Gowon sent to Obasanjo is timely and if one goes back to history it is congruent with Patrick Wilmot’s Message to Oppressors of Africa of which Obasanjo was/is still one. Wilmot says: “What I have tried to do is to hold-up a mirror so that you can see your own reflection. If you do not like what you see breaking the will not change anything; neither will cutting my arm off; killing me will change even less. The truth of man cannot be dissolved in his blood.” In response to Gowon’s historic position, you turned yourself into a glorified modern day political thug. Power has beclouded your sense of thinking and judgment. I will want you to counsel you boss and you too should benefit from what James Hadley Chase said in a novel titled Soft Centre. Chase says: “You know what I mean Soft Centre? It is something that can happen to anyone who is just ordinary. You think that you are alright; that you are making a big success of like; that you have the confidence, ambition and determination to beat the best, then suddenly, the hard core that is in you to get you anywhere in life turns soft.” This is what happened to Babangida and Abacha; and it is on its way to your boss.

Femi Fani Kayode was heard saying that they must embark on constitutional amendment and that only Nigerians can say they do not want it. This is rather amazing!!! When your boss rigged elections in 2003, Nigerians could not stop him; so the so-called constitutional amendment that will gulp N456.00m is suspect and sheer waste of resources. Furthermore, it is now politically convenient to refer to “the Nigerian people” which has been turned into a nebulous concept employed in meaningless political rhetoric by people like Mr. Kayode. Left to the Nigerian people, you and your boss would have been elsewhere.

It is at this juncture that I call on Femi Fani Kayode to be careful and to take it easy. His thug-like and rogue-like attitude will not take him and his boss anywhere. If anything, it will further antagonize Nigerians already bored with a notorious dictator who intends to turn Nigeria into a feudal estate. We know from deductive reasoning that Obasanjo wants to sit-tight onto power. To say otherwise would be, as Shakespeare says, “…a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing.” Obasanjo stands rejected and the political reptiles across the length and breadth of Nigeria that have kept mute should stand up and be counted. It is an opportunity for them to write their names in gold. On our part we will offer our best to send Obasanjo packing and no thug can stop us.