RALLY OBI YÉN! THAT OBI RALLY

I’ll try to be as brief as possible because my mind is fixed on the election and its outcome; not the build-up anymore against the backdrop of KSA’s oldie about the threat of the forest element sounding “Mawuru, mawuru”. If it must come, let it come or forever hold his peace, afterall.

The dominant news about the recent rally of the Labour Party in Lagos is the deliberate snub of the Oba of Lagos by PO and his team. There were a few skirmishes too but the police should well-handle that as no sane person will support continued violence.

Back to the Òba issue, as a Strategist and in my view, a visit, out of respect for the traditional institution and not the person of the Óba, could have been a moral clincher for Obi and earned him more political respect in the minds of the people including his opponents and his worst critics.

Even if he was so-advised purely on ethnic or other sentiments, Obi, as an intending national leader with full moral weight should have counseled his Advisers to the contrary and insisted on a visit to Iga Idungaran- the White House version of traditional Lagos. It was a moral challenge but as we say on the streets and on a lighter note, ‘Obi fall my hand.’

If he approached “Olowo Eko”- an alias for every Lagos Óba and was turned-down, it’s another thing entirely. The whole world would have seen it and made-up their mind more correctly on what exactly is going on. Sadly, that wasn’t the case as no one has come out to prove it.

Am not sure if Tinubu has visited the Obi of Onicha (I refuse to spell the European way- Onitsha) or the State Traditional Council as they would have put it but hey, I’m not talking crude politics of ethnicity here! What I’m talking is advanced strategy akin to what I call FIGHT STRATEGY 101…winning without having to throw punches and saving yourself undue efforts for more wins in the process.

This is the same Obi, who according to reports, chose to fly to Borno South when advised against it. In his words: “It is Nigerians that are there!”

Sadly, Obi and his team, in my humble view, missed this Lagos one, opting to do the rófó-rófó fight, instead, driven by the raw instincts of vengeance for perceived hate both for the Ôba and by him in 2015!…but imagine the ethnic tension that would have been doused and understanding achieved if Obi had towed the line of magnanimity!

Is it by accident or by design that they ignored the Idumôta and Mushin markets but on the contrary, chose to go to Alaba International, perhaps considered as the Mecca of Igbo traders in Lagos? All these do not show the promise of a departure from the routine in the political scheme of things in our politics. We are yet to evolve from crude politics that plunged us into the abyss of grim hopelessness, in the first place…maybe some do not even want our evolution.

In view of all of these, I stop to ask; “How will the Obi-dients convince the rest of us that they are different from the people they want us to believe are the enemies of Nigeria? because this is one of the things they do best- most unnecessary bickering over inanities instead of leadership that inspires!

Before you profile this as an ethnic agenda, remember, this writer has been long critical of the top three aspirants’ actions especially on Tinubu’s choices and utterances since the political horizon opened up and they are documented in the past TATA series. Having established this, kindly remove whatever is your bias and read me, dispassionately.

Lastly, this is a personal advice to Mr. Peter Obi; You need to step-up lines of personal communication between you and your followers. Remember how Obama distanced himself from a certain pronouncement by a mega-Pastor in America. Also remember how magnanimous Mahatma Ghandi was to the British much to the dislike of the Indian people through his “Non violence principle”. Indians had no choice than to believe their star man- Gandhi.

To this extent, show, AT ALL TIMES, that you plan to be a Nigerian President and not a regional President. Your attitude, as reported to the flight to Borno South should be consistent beyond February 26, 2023.

Greatness is already on you for your courage and attempt. Best wishes Sir!

Tosin Akande Thinking Aloud…TATA 423

Writes from Nigeria 🇳🇬

NB:

When Peter Obi’s team were contacted one of the responses is:-

We hold the traditional institute very highly. “It’s being planned specially for another day before the elections. Please note. Thanks.”