By: Lasisi Olagunju
On July 20 last year, I wrote of the Koledowo spirit in the All Progressives Congress (APC). That spirit is not done with the party yet. This is especially so now that it has its barn full of good harvests. At least, loss does not knock on the door of the bare-barned. The more I look into, and, at intrigues nibbling at the intestines of the new ruling party, the more I wonder if it has not become another PDP from another mother. And no one is bothered there. Misfortune starts just like that helping the ignored mild fever with enough space to get fatal. In my Koledowo piece, I wrote of a vicious PDP that grimly ate its own as sacrifice to some strange gods. That spirit has migrated to the APC. Maybe, it is actually the spirit of power. Power takes all humanity from the humane; it wrenches the soul of goodness from good men, injects hopelessness into hope. I may be wrong. Maybe.
Last year I wrote about “this character in a popular Yoruba drama called Koledowo. His name literally means “he who builds his house ahead of riches.” One who builds a barn in anticipation of a bountiful harvest. And the Yoruba do not just give names to babies without checking the circumstances of their birth. The name contains not just the destiny but also the character-traits that will follow the baby all his life.
Koledowo started very lowly, very poor, but not without the optimism contained in his name. His homestead was not just bare of means, it was equally barren of children. And he was courageous and hardworking and determined to live beyond the optimism of his name. Fortune soon smiled on him and when he started having children. They came not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not even seven but eight! Now, he is happy. Money has come. Children are here. His barn is full of good, quality yield. What else remains? Who else is left? Like today’s Nollywood actresses flaunting their endowments to the chagrin of people of moderation, Koledowo cares less of what anyone says. He has arrived. He is master of himself now with his fortune. Whatever you like, you may say. If you are not happy with the way he lives his life, go hug NEPA’s transformer.
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On a cool, clear day, Koledowo gathered his kids, counted them with his forefinger one to eight- and announced that he was going to celebrate them round the village. He must parade them the same way today’s pentecostal fellows give loud testimonies of their blessings. His wife protested but he was quick to remind her that he was the head of the family and, more importantly, the owner of the children. Even his mother’s mouth smelt bad in his nostrils. He would not listen. And so, from one door to the other, Koledowo sang and danced. At the door of the childless, he flaunted his beautiful kids and laced his happiness with songs reminding the childless of their ill-fate. Koledowo took the village by storm. No one had so haughtily celebrated fortune like that before. Besides, a mother or father does not rest, celebrate or rejoice until their offsprings come of age and outlive them. So, why this?
And it happened soon after the dance. One by one, the kids died. Not even one was allowed to remain in the home of the overly joyous. His own mum was ordered to ensure the kids all die. Koledowo paid for his indiscretion of challenging the culture of moderation of his clan. Here, good harvests are eaten in the inner recesses of one’s home. That is the wisdom taught the village by the grey hairs of the ancestors.
These are definitely not the best of times for the APC. The story of the party is the story of promise aborted at the threshold of fulfilment. My people pray against spirits that decapitate good heads. And yet, they are quick to pillory beings with good heads and bad manners. When you have good fortune and bad manner is your crown, it is certain the character flaw will turn sorely septic negating all the mileage gained through the smiles of fortune. The APC is a family of five the ACN, CPC, ANPP, a faction of APGA and the NewPDP. All these pooled their blessings into what turned out to be Nigeria’s biggest opposition party since this republic.
And this was a party that displayed billboards with the moderation of “one by one with God…” Soon, as the harvest yielded good, there was this forgetfulness of the years of toil. There was this inexplainable air of superiority over the wisdom that called for discretion and tact in building more barns even in the presence of the enemy…”
So much has happened since 2014 July when the above warning was written. The APC has since transited from being a very big opposition party to being the first opposition party in Nigeria to defeat an incumbent president. It has also become the first party in government to double as the opposition party ( to itself.) It has shown all of us, naive beings, that powerless people, when unexpectedly empowered by their chi hardly know what to do with their fortune. The spirit of defeat in victory, epitomised by Koledowo’s child-chewing mother is on the prowl in the APC. And it may succeed.
I know what you are thinking. Is this about Bukola Saraki? Not exactly. The spirit is just starting its thing. Is this about the people? I have asked that question too, especially when I look at people preaching the new gospel.
Lucky APC is today a party with governors without governments; workers without salaries. And the spirit is very much at work. I know this spirit has a different agenda. It has a covenant to deliver its own as rituals to the gods of greed and covetousness. We will see more of the Saraki experience across all camps in the APC. Already, there was a parallel on Sallah day. Stones in Saudi Arabia, missiles in Ilorin with the loudest laughter on the Kwara shame coming from within the APC family outside that state. If stones were thrown at big men in Ilorin on a day millions were stoning satan in Mina, Saudi Arabia, and you think this is just a Kwara thing, you will soon know that every compound has a Mina with plenty of stones. Let no one sleep with both eyes closed.
