By Omonu YG Nelson
The title of this 1996 American war film “Courage Under Fire” directed by Edward Zwick, and starring Denzel Washington and Meg Ryan, excellently captures the rare courage, exhibited by the Social Democratic Party, SDP candidate for the November 11, governorship election in Kogi State, Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, when his convoy was rudely accosted and stopped from proceeding for a scheduled courtesy visits to some select traditional rulers in Kogi State.
What happened that day is a macabre, abysmally incomprehensible. The brazen manner with which political power was flaunted in that scenario left sour taste in the mouth. The only kernel of a civilised society is that all men are equal before the law, and only the law regulates the affairs of the State. Where power only brews from the whims and caprices of a leader, instead of the grand norms, is a recipe for anarchy.
Lord Acton (1834–1902) in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton about how historians should judge the abuse of power by past rulers, he quoted Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely from a nineteenth-century English historian. Acton’s observation is interpreted to mean that the more power someone has, the more their sense of morality is weakened. People cite or reference the quote today to warn against the abuses of unchecked power, especially in the context of politics or government.
Ordinarily, politics should be a game of ideas, where superior ideas supersedes. Alas, not too many politicians in our clime are prepared to leave politics at the level of a fair debate. Electioneering campaigns should be about those in power showcasing what they have achieved, while those trying to wrestle power are to dangle carrots before the electorates through juicy promises and presentation of superior ideas.
The incidence is the new low, politics in Kogi State has been brought. Suffice it to share a benchmark story to underscore morality in leadership. In the build up to the 2015 Kogi governorship election, an incident happened. The two gladiators in that contest were the sitting governor, Capt. Idris Wada of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and his All Progressives Congress (APC) challenger, Prince Abubakar Audu. One day, during campaign, at Odu junction, enroute Dekina, Capt Wada’s supporters blocked the road to prevent Prince Audu and campaign entourage from passing. When Capt Wada, the governor noticed what was happening, he did not only order the road to be opened for Prince Audu to pass, he alighted from his car, gestured towards Audu, and both leaders embraced themselves, pat each other on the back, discussed issues, laughed and Capt Wada headed back to his convoy, while ordering the blockade to be removed. Both convoys drove off peacefully.
As preparation for the November 11 Kogi governorship election reaches the homestretch, politicians must bear in mind that the divinity has templates for leadership emergence. Psalm 62:11 succinctly puts, “God has spoken once, twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God.” Prince Audu was already one leg back in Lugard House he pioneered before the maker of heaven and earth drew the curtain on him. Gen Sani Abacha and his handlers, with their ‘five fingers of a leprous hand’ political parties, were too sure, nothing could stop Abacha’s imminent transmogrification to a civilian President. As it did not please God, He stopped it. In Nigeria, we like to glorify people only when they’re dead, but politicians should learn from the former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, whose glorification has already started, while still alive, because of simple application of wisdom around handling of political power.
In the whole of this, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka has demonstrated a very rare courage and must remain steadfast. As he rightly pointed out in a post attack press briefing, the attack was meant to weaken his aspiration, he vowed, rather, that it will strengthen his resolve. That’s the tenacity of a bulldog. Intimidation or threat of violence cannot deter a man on a mission.
Kogi will not go down for anybody. The security agencies must realise that they’re in uniform to serve the people, and not leaders alone.
What goes around comes around.
