“What prevents a similar dynamic from occurring here? If Akume serves as the SGF akin to Tafawa Balewa’s role as Prime Minister while Ahmadu Bello maintained leadership of the North, why couldn’t Governor Alia maintain leadership of Benue State and Benue APC?”
BY TERSOO KULA
Veteran journalist Akange Nyagba’s puritanical piece deserves a response for two reasons.
- He is a sane member of society and has significantly been in the media space for over three decades and therefore assumed that he should be abreast of the dynamism of the Nigerian politics of godfatherism.
- Akange seems to have tried to craft a narrative that lacks both substance and relevance to his essay’s title. His writing is overly focused on casuistry, ignoring the crucial qualities necessary for someone aspiring to political leadership in Nigeria.
Let’s put certain facts about our political landscape into perspective.
Godfatherism has always been a part of Nigerian politics. Typically, when godfathers try to dominate or become authoritarian with their godsons, the reaction is inevitably open resistance. This is a well-established fact and nothing is farther from this. Where relative peace is enjoyed, the godfathers deploy dialoguing, according the godsons some level of respect and do not contemplate authoritarian approach.
In Nigeria’s pre-independence era and the early days of the first republic, the godfathers were esteemed statesmen and nationalists, dedicated to fostering regional development competitively. Unlike today’s godfathers, whose main aim is to accumulate wealth and exert control, these earlier figures prioritized mentorship over power grabs, creating a nurturing environment for their protégés.
Godfathers characteristically should be legacy people. They are men of honour that are driven by passion and directly demonstrate or leave footprints that served or could serve as reference points for past and present generations.
Governor Hyacinth Alia by every Nigerian political standard qualifies to be accorded the Benue APC leader as providence defines. He is the governor and every governor by Nigeria party politics tradition leads his party in his own home state. This is non-negotiable both in APC and other political parties alike. Governor Hyacinth Alia cannot play a second fiddle in the affairs of his party. It is unorthodox treating Governor Alia otherwise.
Mr. Akange describing Governor Alia as a “self-proclaimed APC leader” goes beyond a typical analysis; it’s a subtly derogatory remark aimed at discrediting him and appealing to a particular audience. This is absurd in every rational and political sense. It is important to recognize that Governor Alia’s role as a leader within the APC, particularly in Benue where he serves as the chairman of the party’s State Executive Council (SEC) is nothing short of adhering to political tradition. In today’s Nigeria, no governor assumes the role of the state’s number one citizen and willingly takes a back seat in his party’s affairs.
A piece written to promote or incite acrimony like what Akange has put up entails he probably wishes to provoke a discussion that has no placement and value in today’s Nigeria political dynamics. It is doubtful if Governor Alia has ever walked up to SGF Akume to contest with him “godfather” status or seek to remove his clipped claws in the flesh of APC. Governor Alia seeks no “godfather” tag or title. He has never. He is only taking full responsibility as the leader of Benue State and Benue APC that he truly is. Nothing more, nothing less.
If Mr. Akange hadn’t been so narrowly focused and self-serving regarding Benue’s political scene in the last one year, he would have recalled Governor Alia’s initial resistance to certain individuals’ attempts to unilaterally form the State Executive Council. Rumors circulated that out of 17 proposed commissioners, 15 slots were to be foisted on him which he Alia rejected. Moreover, appointments for the Chief of Staff and Secretary to the State Government were to be imposed on him without his consent. The Benue APC even named a Speaker of Benue House of Assembly in waiting without consulting the governor, along with similar occurrences in other government positions, all of which the governor staunchly opposed. Those and other political assaults were well coordinated and anchored.
The former chairman of the APC, who intriguingly led SEC meetings at the direct behest of certain influential factions, has met the resolve of the governor to end such nonsense without pretense. Thanks to Governor Hyacinth Alia’s brevity, it has been halted, and halted for good.
If Mr. Akange understands the role of godfather to such a figure (godson) being a governor by proxy then here in Benue State, the people are the godfathers and godmothers. Benue State has three former governors including SGF Akume, and all have given Benue their best and worst. Alia will do his best or worse too to face posterity when the books are opened. For now and in the near future he is not willing to play to the gallery around mischievous assertions of “a self-acclaimed leader of APC” as spewed from the stable of Veteran journalism.
Mr. Akange needs to advise his political gods that at no point in history a father facilitates a wife for his son and attempts to take charge of the wife for his son. Mr. Akange needs to realise that there is constituted authority in Benue. Again the constituted authority is the “Number One” APC member. Godfathers have to exercise decorum and humility and work together with their “godsons.
If a “godson’s” insistence to take charge as leader of governance, and APC in Benue without yielding to intimidation and gang ups to reduce him to a puppet is viewed as a crime, then “crime continua”. Then “self-acclaimed leadership” should be according to Akange.
Governor Alia has no issues or problem with SGF Akume as he is not contesting a World title of LEADER with him. He has not and will not.
Meanwhile, as Mr. Akange finds pleasure in his wild assertions of ALIA AS A SELF ACCLAIMED LEADER, let it not be lost on him that his unbalanced treatise does not alter reality or facts on the ground. At best Akange seems to wish to create an impression so unjustifiably and unreasonable.
Governor Alia will not be dragged into a contest over LEADERSHIP of APC with SGF Akume directly. He will however not allow estranged or ousted party leaders get the cover of ego and dysfunctionally refuse to submit to standard practice and LEADERSHIP of the Governor. If however, SGF Akume told Mr. Akange so directly about his wild assertion, he may do well in his next essay to say so to enable a more direct response.
Mr. Akange in his epistle asserts that while Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa held the position of Prime Minister, Sir Ahmadu Bello was the unquestionable leader of the North. What prevents a similar dynamic from occurring here? If Akume serves as the SGF akin to Tafawa Balewa’s role as Prime Minister while Ahmadu Bello maintained leadership of the North, why couldn’t Governor Alia maintain leadership of Benue State and Benue APC?
Once again Gov Alia leads APC in Benue and this should not be lost on Mr. Akange and his helmsmen.
…Sir Tersoo Kula is the Chief Press Secretary to Benue State Governor.
