by Kingsley Ahanonu

I have read many of Femi Fani-Kayode’s opinions, especially of recent-both on the social media and from the papers-and I find myself tottering most times into the dilemma of trying to reconcile the many lies he readily brandish at the flick of his fingers with acceding to some of the facts he sometimes raises.

It is really a dilemma, for when one endeavors a check what these assumed facts are in the issues he seeks to raise, one is led the more to discovering how such perceived realities are riddled with falsities of unchecked distorted allusions that drain the supposed facts of their credulity and which significantly are for a motive-a motive to take umbrage.

Nevertheless, it would be conscionable to give credence to some of FFK’s postulations which are themselves observed realities, albeit only in exacerbation-not as if they never existed.

There’s economic recession presently, with Nigeria’s GDP-which had ranked first and largest in Africa barely two years ago- slumping below that of South Africa and under the Buhari’s administration. The value of the naira has continued to fall in drastic slip below the US dollar with an attendant racing inflation and ferocious cost of living.

With an increased zest, the Fulani herdsmen have resorted, in unbridled raging onslaught, to the killing and mutilation of harmless easy-going citizens. Indeed Nigerians do not require a clairvoyant to tell them that there is growing concerns of insecurity in the land; of hardship, and hunger, which have been compounded by the obvious combined effects of global crash in oil price and pipeline vandalism.

These have been highlighted by FFK, even though Nigerians do not need him to remind them; they are glaring.

And though they are prevailing issues that are the current challenges bedevelling the land, Nigerians do not need to be told of such. What they need is an end to the socio-economic pangs that have held them to a choke. They, more obviously would be happy to see any means that could get them out of the pains and drains. The area towards the former minister would have channeled his energy.

The masses do not need mere pointers that serve no effect more than they try to bring their knowledge to what’s obvious, especially when such effort is seen as purely to effuse sinister motives to disparage and stir sympathy.

But what could be seen from the many efforts of Fani-Kayode is to present these same reminders that Nigerians don’t want. Rather, and more disgustingly too, the motive is to create the scenery of how regrettable it is for Nigerians to have rejected his choice that neither presented solutions to the problems often highlighted or provided a better trajectory for the future he suggests.

The objective of Mr Fani-Kayode, when he writes since the inception of the Buhari administration that ousted his preferred, seems to be to cast aspersion and to sound vindictive. They give the indication of being formed from the psychology of a man, whose motive of presenting such is to chiefly discredit, disapprobate and infuriate the government he passionately fought so hard not to emerge; and which explains why the man often resort to the dark shadows of this administration to court for cheap sympathy.

Or else what could explain the often hasty taking to the cleaners of President Buhari just from suggestions allegedly made against the president and which were never verified? What could explain Fani-Kayode’s impatience to making distasteful conclusions about the President with statements whose substance or credibility have not been ascertained or authenticated-just because they infer discourteousness and indifference to the President?

Recently, the Sunday version of the Nigerian Tribune was quick to make an erroneous statement which it credited to the former Education minister and co-convener of the #BBOG, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, wherein the later was alleged to have said that President Buhari does not deserve to be president. And though the newspaper had, in its subsequent publication, come out to make correction over the false statement and tendered an “unreserved apology”to Mrs Oby, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, in the ilk of what drives his vindictiveness, resorted to building senselessness out of the admitted falsehood.

Hear the insightful FFK: “When the likes of Mrs Oby Ezekwesile (sic)…and a hitherto supporter and friend of Buhari administration can publicly proclaim that the ‘President does not deserve to be president’, then you know that this government has indeed gone beyond the pale, that the meltdown has started and that the corpses are beginning to smell.” But was it apt to allude to that statement? Is it not a hasty fallacy?

And as if that is not enough, FFK in a supposed effort of being a concerned advocate-but whose motive is more sinister than being an advocacy-took upon himself the task of speaking for one Chinakwe, who was arraigned for tagging his dog “Buhari”. We remember that Mr Chinakwe was arrested, according to the police, ‘for action that constitute breach of peace’ for naming his dog ‘Buhari’.

I beat my chest to tell you that FFK was more passionate as to make such overtly unnecessary censure against the present administration because he thought the”Buhari”for which the person had been arraigned was that of the antagonist he worked so committedly to deny president. It was a highly misconceived spuriousness, for if FFK had objectively perused the matter, he would have known that the said”Buhari” was not for Mr President and that such act was one that had a conscious sinister motive.

The issue being that, since the advent of the current administration, Femi has not seized to deploy his excellent writing skills in highlighting the weak sides of this government and propagating caustic falsehood, in emphasis, against it. To him, there is nothing worth commending from a Buhari’s presidency-which, by itself is the conceptualization of evil.

Under President Buhari-from Fani-Kayode’s viewpoint, the evils and errors of the past found an anchor to be held on. For Femi, the covens of hell have been let loose on Nigerians for embracing the evil one as the lead. To him, such a one deserves the most execration. But the question remains, to what end is FFK’s proclivity to making mendacious jabbering? To what end are his strong vitriols against the President?

——————-
Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

Ahanonu Kingsley writes from Owerri ([email protected])