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 Daily
Independent Online.
* Monday,June 14, 2004.
Fayose:
Advertorials that assault our sensibilities
By Eferovo Igho
Email:[email protected]
Sycophancy may
well be the trait and trade of Nigerian politicians. That umpteen praise
singers showcase this trade with strange mastery is unarguable. That they
can ascend to mountaintops to blare forth the praises of their
leader-benefactors wallowing in miry valleys is no longer news. Hitherto,
however, none has been able to get atop Everest to clothe some political
swine, plummeting to some nadir, in gold and pearl. And this is the
strange feat one "unprincely” Akintade Ojayie achieved recently with
a full page advertorial he placed in the Vanguard issue of Friday, May 28,2004; his own way of marking Fayose's 365
days in office.
In the said advert, the said man simply
took flight to the said height; and with ukelele and harp in hand,
he just refused to listen to the caution and restraint of his own mind
when he acted the rare brand of sycophancy in a very uncommon bid to grip
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State. But in this undertaking to create
a near deity of Ayo, he ended up leaving no one in doubt that he was
sponsored by avarice. That is, apart from presenting and bringing to the
fore, to the glare of all, insincerity and childishness.
In trying to 'over' please Fayose, he
threw a plethora of injudicious, inharmonious and irrationally packaged
lines at us, which ended up not only as serious irruptions into our
mental compositions but totally abusing our sensibilities as humans,
probably including Fayose’s. We take, for purpose of commentary, a few
sample.
The sycophant has Fayose as “my mentor,”
"paragon of Ekiti State political might". It is his wish to
"applaud your angelic approach to issues, your selfless
contributions and untiring efforts in lifting our dear State from the
abyssal pit of degeneracy”. To him Ayo, within a year, has "given a
lot to this generation and the next". Fayose's intellect, candour
and vision have remained a positive reference in political
parlance," whatever that meant. He thinks "the lord (perhaps
wanted to say "the Lord") has put them (Fayose's adversaries)
under your feet". Therefore, "I feel blessed and fulfilled to
have someone as wonderful as you in my world”. Let’s allow for
commentary.
When did Fayose become Olayisade's mentor?
Three hundred and sixty five days’ mentor! Apart from appointments, contracts and other financial
benefits, how else is Fayose mentoring Olayisade? You wonder how
Nigerians can be so mean, in heart.
Apart from being lucre-driven, what makes
Fayose the paragon (perfect example) of Ekiti State political might? What
is “Ekiti State political might,” by the way? Assuming you are able to
identify it, how can it be perfectly exemplified, and that by an
individual? If we should even pass such for correct expression, the
office of the governor rather than the occupier should. That being the
case there is nothing unique about Governor Fayose, for others have
occupied and shall yet occupy the guber office if Christ tarries. And if
the said Olayisade intended by "paragon', to say "symbol",
nothing is still unique because past, present and future governors of
Ekiti State are symbols, while in office, of this intoxicating phrase:
“Ekiti State political might.”
I caught sense and grip of shame in the
first instance, and then fright reading this man applauding Fayose of
some angelic approach to issues. Even Fayose cannot but be most
uncomfortable. ANGELIC APPROACH! Shuo! Is it naira that is
facilitating this sojourn in foolery, this unreasonable choice of
qualifiers? This is a misguided sycophant trying to create more problems
for the Governor. Fayose must know discomfort this time if he has not
known one before. If Fayose knows anything about “angelic approach,” the
rest 35 States and the Federal Capital would have emptied their various
populations into Ekiti State. The Yankees would have relocated and even
alter nationality.
Recall that our man of the moment also
applauded Fayose, among other thing, for his selfless contributions. That
is, Fayose is not on salary, does not draw allowances nor make claim: his
wife, Ekiti State First Lady, does all that she is doing without the
least benefit; their children are benefiting nothing for being fathered
and mothered by Mr. Governor and First Lady; and none of them attracts
and influences contracts and appointments for relations, friends and
well-wishers. What with others they act in loco parentis for wards
and dependents. Yet, the villages, communities and local government areas
of Mr. Governor, First Lady and children do not get uncommon attention.
It was all a show theatrically reminiscent
of a typical toady “pouring" kabiyesi on one paramount ruler.
Such servile flattery by professional leeches and bootlickers is the bane
of the country and cause of our national stasis today. Lordly prostrate
of whatever mode is travesty of democracy; the inherently anticipatory or
beggarly sort and colour you see in our clime is most abhorrent to
democracy. This is why men should learn henceforth to speak ex animo,
earnestly (from the mind) and not for lucre. Igho writes from Lagos.
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