by Tunde Fagbenle

Yes, I have been proved wrong, very wrong, by the Ekiti people from the result of the election. But I am not alone. Indeed, I am in very good company. 

Penultimate week, a younger friend of mine, Akintayo Akindeko, son of the late Chief Akindeko of the First Republic politics fame, held a very private party for some close friends of his to mark his 60th birthday. I was there. And for the first time came closest to knowing that there were actually real and otherwise intelligent faces rooting for Fayose in Ekiti when someone of the university in Ekiti who sat next to me declared himself a staunch Fayose supporter.

“You must be kidding,” I said.

“Nope,” he replied sternly, “in fact, I am an official organiser and mobiliser for him.”

“You mean in spite of all the great things Fayemi has done for you guys in Ekiti, and for the character of Fayose, you could sit here and say you prefer Fayose to Fayemi?” I asked in unbelief.

“What great things,” he retorted, “he’s just a repairer, jo. And we are tired of ‘Repairer’. All he has been doing is repair what Fayose laid down and what Segun Oni did. We don’t want ‘repairer’.”

I was truly shocked. And for every instance I cited of what Fayemi has done, this guy had a rebuttal, be it of Ikogosi tourist park development, or of industries, or of agriculture, or of education, or of social welfare for the aged, whatever. Everything he pooh-poohed to my chagrin. He swore Fayose would win, and hands down. I was so disturbed I quickly moved away and changed seat. I thought the guy was mad.

Since the magical governorship election upset in Ekiti last weekend (21st), not a few friends and readers have sought my opinion on what happened.

I am sure some not without a chuckle to themselves, a derisive chuckle at my “unwisdom” in so unreservedly rooting for Fayemi. Wondering how I could be so sure his victory was such a foregone conclusion;why was I so blind to any faults or possible crack-lines; and why was I rather flippantly dismissive of the opposition.

I welcome them to their laugh. The truth remains that though Dr. Kayode Fayemi is a friend, nothing I had ever written about him and his glaring achievements before he became the governor and as governor was false; and nothing written about the class or quality of his opponents was untrue or malicious. I stand by them.

Yes, I have been proved wrong, very wrong, by the Ekiti people from the result of the election. But I am not alone. Indeed, I am in very good company. Virtually all credible and respectable opinion writers in the various media threw their hats in the ring for Fayemi; all without any iota of reservation and all unsparing of his main opponent.

But if many of the opinion writers could be excused on the ground that they do not live amongst the people of Ekiti either at all or enough to be perceptive to any underground rumblings, what could be said of all those who surrounded Fayemi as advisers, as friends, as staff, as family? They live in Ekiti, they eat and drink amongst the people of Ekiti. What of the Royal Fathers?

That election upset was not an overnight thing. It was too comprehensive not to have been long in coming. So how come no one foresaw it? Or did some? And now I read some “pundits” analysing the outcome and giving “insightful” post-mortem. But where were they before? How come not in one instance did one read or hear a word of caution, or a serious worry about the rising tidal wave in the belly of the Ekitisea against Fayemi? Were there none who knew the lurking truth but couldn’t dare ‘speak truth to power’?

Well, the unthinkable, the utterly unthinkable, has happened. And, as all have said, the Ekiti people have spoken. They are welcome to their choice. They are the ones to live with the consequences of it – good or bad. People who are ready to cut their noses to spite their faces will live with how their faces look!

That said, it is worrying that the Ekiti result may be signalling the season of discontent in Yorubaland and epitomising gaping leadership/citizenry disconnect. Moreover, it tells me the road is long and hard we as people have yet to travel in the collective vision of a new DAWN!

Fayemi has responded to the loss gallantly and wisely. But I am more impressed by the calm and mature demeanour of Fayose the victor in embracing the loser, even though I am warned by an Ekiti friend who claims to know Fayose well enough not to rejoice too soon.

And that’s saying it the way it is!

 

Encounter with Arisekola (concluding)

And so the Aare regaled me with stories upon stories. And I hope my readers do not expect me to narrate them here, or anywhere for that matter, especially when Alhaji Arisekola is no more to attest to or deny them. Suffice to say they were not flattering of Chief Obasanjo. Aare believed Obasanjo is a vindictive and unforgiving person, and as president had set out wanting to bring him (Arisekola) and his businesses to ruin, citing instances, perhaps on account of his (Arisekola’s) close relationship with the late General Abacha. And how he and ‘Oba’ had gone to beg Obasanjo at his Ota farm, donating hugely to his second term re-election, all to no avail in appeasing the Ota ‘god’. And of Obasanjo’s rumoured third term, Alhaji Arisekola had no doubt.

Of General Abacha, Aare Arisekola had no apologies for their bosom relationship. And he spoke glowingly of the admirable qualities of Abacha that ran most contrary to how the public perceived him. Aare said he was a loyal person to his friends and his loyalty to Abacha was total and unflinching, even in death.

In all this, he spoke in Yoruba and embarrassed me with his respect so much I had to ask him how old he was. I was shocked to discover he was actually older than I am by two years. “Ah, e ma ju mi lo o,” I said, letting him know how uncomfortable I was being addressed as his elder for so long. “Eyun o matter,” he replied. And carried on still according me so much respect. It was a lesson to me: respect begets respect, and giving respect to all, even those you are older or above in life’s station, adds to, rather than takes away, your own value.

Alhaji Arisekola also told me that though he was the Aare Musulumi of Yoruba he was a respecter and even observer of other Faiths. “Kini? Gbogbo re mo nse,” he said, showing me his bible and letting me know that both the Christian and the traditional beliefs were equally important to him for a full understanding of life. He told me why he always wore nothing but white clothes.

We had been together for almost two hours. It was time to go. The Aare got up and went into an adjoining room only to emerge carrying a “Ghana Must Go” bag. “This is for you and your wife,” he said. I looked into it and it was bales of high quality pure white brocade cloth.

I refused it outright. “No, sir,” I said. “I will not take it. Perhaps next visit, sir.” Then seeing I was adamant, Aare brought out his joker, invoking being the older. “O da, mo kan’pagegebiagba, a siti mo wipe emini mo jubayi. O le kosiagbal’enu.” Still, I did not take it from him but headed downstairs and to my car.

Aare followed, carrying the bag all the way, and refusing to hand it over to any of his many workers. Then he beckoned to my driver, commanding him to open the boot, whereupon he deposited the bag.

I left humbled but still bewildered. And though Aare had said I should consider myself welcome to his place anytime I chose, I never again called him nor went by his place. It is so sad the kind but misunderstood man died. Adieu, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola-Alao.

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