On record, he did not have the benefit of much western education. But the deficit in formal education exponentially increased his credit in native wisdom and human relations. His entrepreneurship skills fetched him fabulous wealth while his generosity attracted cult followership. He knew how to use his wealth to lure and sustain loyalty in politics! He was a king maker in all political seasons . A political godfather that epithets could replace his real name and yet his identity would not be mistaken.
At various times , he was called the Garrison commander of Ibadan politics; the strong man of Ibadan politics , and the undisputed advocate of Amala politics ( what is today charitably called politics of stomach infrastructure). Chief Adelabu was his name and Ibadan was his political constituency and fortress. He knew how to connect with his people. And with their loyalty and support, he determined who descended political thrones for others to ascend!
He made Governors, legislators and public officers from his palatial Molete residence in Ibadan. His clinical diagnose of the hollow content of electioneering campaigns in Nigeria still resonates . He was quoted as positing that in Nigerian politics, if you want to know the men your mother befriended before she married your father, then join partisan politics. What a magnum opus on the soul, spirit and character of politics and politicking in Nigeria! You need more of brawn, tar brush and diatribe than brain and debonair.
Politicians in our clime have refused to update their default settings in politicking and campaigns . The recognition of the power of the electorates serves as the needed aphrodisiac for character assassination and manipulation of Religion and Region cleavages!
Mid term elections have just ended in United States of America , and issues of immigration, inflation , abuse of power and access to health care were on the front burner. But in Akwa Ibom last week, Vice President Shetima mounted the soapbox with a prepared speech to spew venom on Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar! It was a treatise on the economic state of health of the various private investments of Atiku Abubakar.
Related: SUNDAY MUSINGS: Beyond the glamour and clamour for State Police
His verdict was that Atiku’s investments were going South as if Nigeria’s economic health under the watch of Tinubu and his humble self is soaring North! He never addressed insecurity, multi dimensional poverty, corruption and decrepit critical infrastructure nationwide. The atmosphere was more of carnival than sober presentation of an underwhelming service score card! His style was also inappropriate. In this era of teleprompters, why should a typed speech be an a option for a soapbox performance? Didn’t he see Obama with rolled sleeves connecting with electorates everywhere he campaigned in the last mid term elections in the US?
We may not attain the finesse expected in our politicking with a magic wand, but it is unpardonable to ignore acceptable standards and benefits of digital technology of our time.
Let political campaigns be opportunities to connect with leaders and assessment of capacities than clinic for needless visceral examination of business fortunes of political opponents.
