The cankerworm, Godfatherism and its negative effects on national politics
Godfatherism is as old as politics, especially in Nigeria, but the cankerworm has suddenly assumed a frightening dimension since resumption of body politics in Nigeria in 1999.
The ugly trend has gotten to the stage where unprogressive elements and those who have been beneficiaries of such ignoble trade now claim that politics can no longer be played or practised without godfatherism.
What is godfatherism by the way? It is simply the undue influence of a power broker, believed to be bankrolling the political career of a politician into the leadership of the assumed leader or practitioner.
And because the so-called godfather is assumed to be financing or has financed the political career of the beneficiary, he loses his entire self to the godfather. The godfather therefore becomes the literal or practical ruler of the government, while the ‘puppet’ just plays the script of the godfather.
A case in point is what transpired in Rivers State in the past few days when the sitting Governor was almost removed in the name of power play of the orchestrated godfather and godfatherism kingcraft.
The fact is that when two elephants fight, the grass of course suffers.
While the power plays continue, development of the people and state remain stagnant, just like an accident in the rig can result in Loss Time Injuries (LTI), snow-blowing into loss of lives, manhours and properties.
Anyhow one looks at godfatherism, it is an ill wind that blows nobody any good.
To start with, godfatherism sacrifices meritocracy on the altar of mediocrity.
Resources meant for development of the people will be channeled to servicing the godfatherism-ship. And as that goes on, people’s welfare becomes secondary, if at all it could be remembered.
Godfatherism will remain a cankerworm in our polity unless something is done and quickly too. How then will the people’s votes count, when every success at the polls is credited to the handiwork of the godfather. The last general elections were not exempted in the unmerited accolades awarded to the so-called godfathers.
Rivers State is a case in point, where voters remain disenchanted and disillusioned, after their active participation in the last general elections, the godfathers usurped the glory.
Several states have had the brunt of political godfatherism at one time or another. Anambra State, for instance had at a time experienced one of the worst episodes of political turmoil during the Chris Ngige and Chris Ubah political tussle, that metamorphosed into kidnap and setting ablaze a shrine believed to be baptism or initiation ground for the politicians all in the name godfatherism.
This political tussle plunged the entire State into the dark ages and of course retarded socio-economic and even political growth for so long, which the State till date is struggling to recover from.
Abia, Ebonyi, Edo and even Lagos States have had their own bitter shares of the monster called godfatherism and if residents of those states could be frank with themselves, they will tell you that it was not a palatable experience. Therefore nobody will wish his enemy to encounter that.
We are almost pissed off when after any successful general election, someone will boldly claim success of the exercise and some sycophants will hail the claim and cap it up with the slogan that the godfather worked for the winner of the said election.
The question now is what kind of work did the godfather do that led to the victory of the hook-wormed perceived beneficiary? In saner climes, such illicit work amounts to serious offence that is punishable under the law. But here we are celebrating illegality in the name of godfatherism.
It was gathered that after the political tempest few days ago in Rivers State politics, where the dust is yet to settle that moves are rife to sort out the impasse, which a school of thought has called family problem. But what kind of family problem is this issue, where a sitting Governor has been issued an impeachment notice without any cogent reason, the State Assembly developed into factions, with several players claiming Speakership.
It was learnt that the governor had gone to a State High Court sitting in Isiokpo, in Ikwerre Local Governnment Area of the State to obtain an order restraining the State House of Assembly from impeaching him. How serious the family problem is!
It was also gathered that the immediate past governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike was quoted to have vowed not to sit and watch his political structure be destroyed. What this simply means is that even if it means tumbling the State to achieve that there is nothing wrong with that. That is a dangerous philosophy and very rough path to toe.
The prayer is that the State should remain peaceful for all as the treasure base of the nation and third most important and strategic State in Nigeria after Abuja and Lagos. Nigerians and indeed Rivers people cannot afford any political turmoil now. And more so, the Siminalayi Fubara’s administration is less than six months and looking promising. The amount of support and solidarity received by him during the few turbulent days could attest to that.
We therefore join forces with other well-meaning Nigerians and indeed Rivers people to advise all the warring factions in the unnecessary fracas to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign in Rivers State.
We reiterate that peace has no alternative and crisis midwifes lawlessness, leading to destruction of lives and property. Now that the entire country is competing for economic, social and political developments, courtesy of the existing democracy in the nation, courtesy demands that all hands must be on deck if the State must achieve that.
If we should borrow the words of Dauda Komo when he was Military Governor of Rivers State. The then astute administrator said, “the entire nation will not wait for you to move forward, it is in your own interest to shun crises and maintain peace.” Komo said this when crises and disturbances wanted to overwhelm his government in Rivers State.
So let us not re-enact such ugly scenario in this 21st century for the sake of our beloved State and our unborn children. There is nothing better than peace, because those who said education is expensive can definitely not afford the consequences of illiteracy.
Several groups and well-meaning Nigerians have called for peace in the State. Such groups include the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Ekeye Ekeleni, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Concerned Women for Peace in Rivers State, not forgetting the interventions of some notable elder statesmen such as Chief Edwin Clarke, former Minister in Nigeria, Chief Rufus Ada George, former Rivers State Governor,Chief Anams Sara- Igbe, among others. The voice of these elders no doubt is the voice of wisdom.
Let us therefore be wise and play the politics of development instead of destruction. A word they say is enough for the wise!
