I just read Joe Igbokwe's mockery of Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu over their arrest. The one-time Publicity Secretary of APC in Lagos State and now special adviser to the Governor of Lagos on Water Resources and Drainage did not even wait for the ink to dry before shooting in self-congratulation over the arrest.
He not only mocked these men he also mocked the traditional culture of his own people in Igboland and Yoruba land: "Juju failed in Igboland and Yoruba land," he crowed. It is as if these men knew no other thing except Juju.
I don't deal in juju so I am not interested whether it fails or succeeds. But I am troubled for Igbokwe.
I am troubled that a knowledgeable man, a supposed intellectual has become a mocker of the culture and the cries for liberation of his own peoples because of crumbs at his master's table.
I am troubled that a knowledgeable man, a supposed intellectual has become a mocker of the culture and the cries for liberation of his own peoples because of crumbs at his master's table.
I do not approve the methods of Kanu and boastings of Igboho but I sympathize with their concerns for their people. Today Kanu has a better name among the common run of Igbo's than 10 or 20 Igbokwes.
Can Igbokwe and Kanu take a walk around any of the Southeast towns today and see who would be stoned and who would be hailed by his own people between the two?
Joe Igbokwe is mocking the duo because juju has failed Yoruba land and Igbo land. That is the reason for his swan song.
And that is the reason why he should not have rejoiced. In point of fact that is why he should be afraid and even beware himself.
For if juju failed in Yoruba land and Igboland then he should be afraid for his masters, patrons and superiors.
If juju fails ethnic nationalist agitators today it could fail politicians too tomorrow. And who doesn't know except the Igbokwes of this world that politicians even more than ethnic agitators deal in juju, ritual, fetish oaths and secret society? It could fail them too.
And it could fail their thugs, agberos, touts etc who help them.
If it fails Kanu and Igboho today it could also fail any of the leaders of APC tomorrow.
It was Kenya yesterday, Benin Republic today, it could be Lagos Island or Bourdillon tomorrow.
Because the Hegemon in Aso Rock has no friend except those of his own flesh and kin but Nigerians are yet to understand. He has said "he is for everybody and for nobody" - which in literal parlance means "only for myself" because there is no one called "everybody."
That is why Igbokwe demonstrated gross unwisdom by his mockery.
Sunday Igboho, no matter his weakness, stands for something. Nnamdi Kanu stands for something. Is there anyone today in Nigeria who does not know what these people stand for?
Now what does Joe Igbokwe and his Promise and Fail Party stand for?
How are you so sure you too and your principals won't end up with similar fate under this regime? Or even worse fate. You are riding the back of a tiger; whether you will end up in its feet or belly time will tell.
Nigeria is now in a flux, like France during the heady and combustible days of the Revolution except that we are not undergoing any revolution except a regression to the most benign form of fascism, islamofascism, disguised under the cloak of democracy. And the hammer can come for anyone anytime barring the mercy of God. Just like in Revolutionary France.
That is why Igbokwe should not have mocked these men. He too may suffer the same fate or worse before the end of this dispensation.
That reminds me of an incident during the French Revolution. Danton was sentenced to the guillotine through a conspiracy of other revolutionary forces. He was the President of the Assembly. On his way to the guillotine he saw Robbeispeire on his balcony grinning, one of the conspirators.
And Danton told him: "You will follow me."
To his conspirators Danton also had a word: " Before this month is over the people will tear all of you into pieces". Or something like that.
The rest as they say is history. Very profound and very prophetic. Robbeispeire soon kept his appointment with the guillotine just as Danton predicted, and as Louis XVI before him. Soon most of the conspirators went the same way.
How are you so sure you too and your principals won't end up with similar fate under this regime? Or even worse fate. You are riding the back of a tiger; whether you will end up in its feet or belly time will tell.
Nigeria is now in a flux, like France during the heady and combustible days of the Revolution except that we are not undergoing any revolution except a regression to the most benign form of fascism, islamofascism, disguised under the cloak of democracy. And the hammer can come for anyone anytime barring the mercy of God. Just like in Revolutionary France.
That is why Igbokwe should not have mocked these men. He too may suffer the same fate or worse before the end of this dispensation.
That reminds me of an incident during the French Revolution. Danton was sentenced to the guillotine through a conspiracy of other revolutionary forces. He was the President of the Assembly. On his way to the guillotine he saw Robbeispeire on his balcony grinning, one of the conspirators.
And Danton told him: "You will follow me."
To his conspirators Danton also had a word: " Before this month is over the people will tear all of you into pieces". Or something like that.
The rest as they say is history. Very profound and very prophetic. Robbeispeire soon kept his appointment with the guillotine just as Danton predicted, and as Louis XVI before him. Soon most of the conspirators went the same way.
So Igbokwe should not laugh or mock Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu or their juju yet.
The wind is now on their faces but soon others will go the same way. Those who betrayed these.men to the authority should not laugh yet because it may soon be their turn too as it was in France.
"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it." - George Santayana
*Contributed by Moses Oludele Idowu/Editor
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