DANIEL’S UNENDING ‘BOLE-KAJA’ AND OBASANJO-BELLO’S ‘PAMI-NKU’

        The Lord of the Manor in Ogun State seems never tired of wars but unlucky now to have a stubborn opposition in his former Commissioner of Health whose responses are different from that of Kabiyesi, the Alake of Egbaland who did what he needed to do in order to appease the Lord governor of Ogun State.

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The latest spectacle which happened between Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello and Gbenga Daniel at the Church marriage of Alao Akala’s daughter in Ogbomosho seems to suggest more wars to come for the governor of Ogun State of Nigeria. It also tells that the Governor has not read the book recently published by Iyabo’s mother, because if he has, perhaps he would have known that Iyabo is not going to be a mince meat like some others conquered easily by his executive governorship. The present opposition is not only well positioned but also will not be a sitting duck in a war with the war governor of Ogun State.

The Governor needs to understand that if a dog has a great hunter at his back, it could kill many monkeys. Additionally, Iyabo has shown that she could be another Ibikunle Amosun against Gbenga Daniel or even more. The Governor needs to be very careful because as a Yoruba man, it is said that making enemies is not good for anyone who wants to survive in a gang war.

           It is a good thing that other governors at the wedding had the good and quick sense of weighing into the Church incident before it turns out into a big war. This writer has come to respect Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello for her valiant response to the affront from the security detail of the governor who obviously was acting a script written by his Excellency. The governor has been known to order the use of force against all kinds of opposition. Remember how he put his predecessor (Osoba)  in the Police net? How his opponents in the 2007 election battle were brusquely subdued or how some of them were run out of town?

Also how he intimidated some traditional rulers to understand that he is the executive governor?

Ibikunle Amosun or Dipo Dina or even the former Senator Anisulowo have different stories to tell about their encounters with the power of Governor Daniel.

Before someone out there criticizes this write-up, it is not pro-Iyabo. It is very apt to check the history of clashes between Governor Daniel and many Ogun citizens to know that the man, Gbenga Daniel must have given the go ahead to his security officer to stop Iyabo’s headgear from encroaching into the governor’s path while dancing ‘politico-fuji’ to the Church altar.

Can somebody ask these two PDP people if they are doing the right thing fighting in the holy Church? Or do they have the fear of God in their hearts to be turning the front of the altar into a war zone? What if the security man was ordered by his boss to shoot at sight? What about the men of God who were in their hallowed chapel?

Both the Governor and Senator need a lot of explaining to do over this avoidable incident. It is too worrisome that politicians in Nigeria do not understand the meaning of humility or service. The Governor of Ogun State needs to soften down on his many battles which are not getting him any positive dividends in the minds of the people. he should tarry a bit to ponder over what his many advisers may be telling him. These advisers will quit his ship once they know that it is about go under or berth.

         It is now crystal clear that all is not well between Obasanjo - the war leader and Gbenga Daniel because if Daniel keeps on engaging the General’s daughter in an unending physical battles, he does not give a damn about the ex-leader. This writer knows that Obasanjo is not someone who is quick to forget any disrespect, and let Daniel be ready to do battle after leaving power. He needs to really gird his loins and wins the seat for his preferred candidate, if not he will pay for all the forgotten financial atrocities reported to have been committed by him as Governor in the last eight years.

It is hoped that the Egba people are not being quietly drawn into this matter because ‘ no matter how stubborn one’s child is, we will not turn him over to the tiger as a meal’. The fight for the governor’s seat in 2011 is becoming very heated and People’s Democratic Party may be the loser.

There are many people out there who want to become the successor to Daniel while the present governor in his wisdom needs to select his successor, if he wants to sleep well after leaving power. It has been rumored that Obasanjo is regretting supporting him for another term in office or for not moving quickly against him. Daniel was reported to have deceived Obasanjo to remain in office even in the face of huge reports of grafts by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against him. The battle now, even though Obasanjo has kept outward restraints, is basically between Daniel and the ex- leader, a staunch believer in ‘do or die’ and only God knows what will become the weapons of war in the tears to come.

Daniel is one of the Governors in Nigeria who must be thanking their stars that Ribadu is no longer in office. He has to watch his back because Obasanjo may still cling to the ‘father of the party’ position - Board of Trustees Chairmanship which may give him an open door to the President. The war against grafts in Nigeria has been greatly whittled down since the enthronement of Yaradua and this is good for Daniel who almost lost the second term after various reports found discrepancies in his purchases between 2003/2004 against his level before then.

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The People’s Democratic Party may be too weak and divided to win the gubernatorial stool in 2011 if the opposition parties put in good strategies.  The simple strategy is to wait for the PDP to do battles over the gubernatorial office in 2010, see who are the winners between the Obasanjo and Daniel fronts, and quickly decide which zone of Ogun State should be appeased to win the office.

The year 2011 may not be for the former contestants from the Action Congress or Alliance for Democracy but for the strong losers from the PDP who will be ready to battle the other side. Whoever is going to confront Daniel’s pick, if his pick wins the PDP nomination will require Obasanjo’s support, and vice versa if Obasanjo’s pick wins, Daniel ‘s support is required.

It is going to be interesting as many of the present gladiators in Ogun are getting ready for the battle in the People’s Democratic Party. It will be exciting to see how Bankole , Obasanjo-Bello, Sarafa Ishola and many others including whoever gets Daniel’s support are going to battle for the one nomination for Ogun Governor.

This writer is of the considered opinion that only the very best should be given the opportunity to take over from Governor Gbenga Daniel, and the present array of pretenders is not good to write home about. Ogun State has so many qualified people who could do better than we have seen today whether as a governor or senator, and the people should not go party line in 2011 but support the best candidate. The job should be given to the parties to only put up quality candidates, and not ‘a say-so’ of the governor or any ex ruler or even of any group. 

The opposition should pray that Yaradua is still in power because that will guarantee some enforcement of the rule of law unlike in the dark days of Obasanjo when it was the rule of the jungle.

For now, the Kabiyesis in the tank for Daniel because ‘he has taken good care’ of them, should be very cautious because his position is transient while the next governor may not forget their partisanship.

As for the good people of Ogun State, it is time to call the powerful governor to some order, so that he will face the business of governance and ignore all ground battles that are not important to his covenant with the people.

Those who have ears, let them hear!!!

 

John Ayodele

bishopbode@hotmail.com

Atlanta, USA.