By Busuyi Mekusi

The cacophony about the desirability of direct as against indirect party primary in Ondo State is a misplacement during an epidemic. Actions are no longer residual, the moment they are acted or expressed for the noting, understanding and appraisal of others. As socialising agencies, human beings have learnt to deliberately, or inadvertently, evolve codes of operations, templates of relations, and molds for evaluation. The foregoing are meant to reprimand vices and applaud virtues, in the overall quest to regulate inter and intra personal relations, with resultant impacts on the general ambiance of a people or society. Therefore, when you violate an established rule, condition, framework, etc., one is considered guilty of an attendant offence, so determined by the societal or group gatekeepers. However, beyond direct self-guilt, indirect complicity could engender other’s culpability. Do note, then, that it is either you are guilty or culpable in the perversions that have left things topsy-turvy in your familiar space.
The airs in human societies in Nigeria have been recklessly fouled by; the burning of waste, fumes from worn our engines of vehicles, generators, motor bikes, smells of urines and droppings of goats and cows, who are not just itinerant but aggressively destructive, etc. The Nigerian socio-political and economic scapes are not left out of this foulness, as we are told of the sorry stories of how the well-intentioned interventionist agency of government has transformed to Niger Delta Disaster Contradictions (NDDC). While the oil in the Niger Delta of Nigeria remains a curse to the poorest poor of this enclave, privileged handlers from this region have since turned their own curse(s) to concubines. Like the persona of Christoper Okigbo, Joy Nunieh and Godswill Akpabio must be made to stand naked before ‘Mother Idoto’, for purgation and restitution, that we can all be vicariously cured of this idiotic malady that has deferred mitigation. Walahi, this is not God’s will!
Gatekeepers can be inherently weak or willfully compromised. Apart from the fact that the ground at the Nigerian anti-graft EFCC is slippery, successive regimes in the commission have proven that economic and financial crimes are endemic in Nigeria. Notwithstanding the alleged use of the commission as an instrument of witch-hunting, both the ‘witch’ and ‘wizards’ that presided over the institution left without ceremonies, or with mud stains, however temporary. The Mágùn (don’t climb or thunderbolt) that struck recently at the commission leaves tears in one’s eyes, and bile in the mouth. Definitely, a dog with uncontrollable avarice for raw meat is not good for hunting, just as a man with an irrepressible ‘third leg’ must be denied of private space with ‘forbidden fruits’, as nobility is better than ignominy. You are either guilty or culpable! The system that produced Magu is deficient, and the stubbornness that sustained him in acting capacity, against all odds and scrutiny, is misplaced and inadequate. If nepotism caused it; they are guilty. If lack of discretion was responsible; we are all culpable. The various elements allegedly paraded as Magu’s gains of the ‘re-looting’ of recovered commonwealth are not just humongous but unbelievably in excess of what a Hushpuppi needs to decorate his online spaces. If Magu is guilty; the barkers are culpable! Whereas it should be a matter of him without ‘sin’ throwing the first stone, regrettably, the people throwing many stones at Magu also live in glass houses. Conduct a life-style auditing of yourself and you would realise you are guilty as well.
The hoe and shovel are two tools one could use to turn the soil. While one, by design, would heap the earth under your legs, the other would speed the earth away from you, to a space in the future. Symbolically, the hoe is best for people fixated on the present, and who would eat the seedlings meant for planting next season, while the shovel users are futuristic, selfless and committed to safeguarding the future, without necessarily pillaging the present. Democracy, instrumentally, is meant to attain equity and collective interest, as against personal consideration, that is revved over the good of all. Democratic tenets recognise representation, in election and leadership; even though we are confronted always with the debasement of well-intentioned democratic templates. As a matter of fact, elections allow people to cede individual powers and sovereignty to someone else. Therefore, the elected holds an office in trust for people in the majority, who willfully or involuntarily transfer their rights to others to use on their behalf. Direct guilt and indirect culpability in Nigeria democratic space could at best explain the creation of monsters, miscreants and killers, deployed for political gains. Militias are now lords while herders are road owners! People in the working class that pay their taxes as they earn their salaries to government are daily harassed by these loafers, who contribute little or nothing to the coffers of government. The middle class are sandwiched between an atrocious regime and some heartless dissidents.
The build up to the party primaries of the APC and PDP in Ondo State has been full of intrigues, scheming, brickbats, rumours, etc., with unsettling feathers increasing the haziness on the political horizons for aspirants, political gladiators and their supporters. The fluidity created by the ambitious movement of Mr. Agboola Ajayi from APC to PDP has not only increased the heat in the polity, but has put some strains in the veins of supporters of other notable aspirants who have stayed back to build the party, when they argued Ajayi was busy undermining the party for his maximum good in the APC. The screening exercise of APC, and the allege rejection of a candidate, also set the social media agog, as people pontificate, reminiscent of an unlicensed pharmacist on hemorrhoid. There has been hullabaloo from aspirants in APC on the mode of primary to be used: direct or indirect. The argument by the majority is that using indirect mode would confer undue advantage on the Governor, who they believe is favoured by the present composition of delegates. It is however noteworthy that the Governor has unequivocally indicated his readiness for either of the modes. A ‘political robber’ was said to have doctored the delegates’ list for Ondo PDP, en route Abuja; the road ridden with ferocious kidnappers. The signals from the party, just like the APC, are ominous; ubiquitous desperation!
In the weeks ahead in Ondo State, guilt and culpability may increase as we witness compromised delegates, and departure from collective popular good and orientation. Direct guilt and culpability may arise from lack of political participation in the electioneering processes, particularly in the face of COVID-19 and hunger pandemics. We also hope that political players would avoid inducing would-be voters against their conscious desire and will, as inducement and tilting would lead to tainted voting.
We must stop playing the ostrich, agree to deliberately end the Pharisee’s attitude, and denial tendencies, purge ourselves of excessive illegal acquisitions, as we assemble people not living in glass houses to throw stones. National restitution must be followed up with sincere national conversation, as silence in the face of evil is both direct guilt and indirect culpability.