Tag: Akinwunmi Ambode

The winding politics of Lagos makes the Governor of the state vulnerable. The hysterical character of its assorted population humanity exposes the Governor of the state to many dilemmas. The under-pinning conspiracy of its elite is heavier than the LAMB’s cross at the Calvary. To rule Lagos is prestigious but to govern Lagos is egregious. The incumbent Governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode must have realized this. How? During the state’s thanksgiving service to mark the commencement of the year 2016 for Lagos workers in particular, and Lagosians in general, he sang one of his favorite gospel songs “I have a FATHER that will never, never fail me…”

Aside from celebrating  and promoting spiritual politics with his public declaration of a “FATHER that will never, never, fail him”, he was acknowledging the fact that no matter how big and heavy his cross is, he has a GOD who is a Burden Bearer, that will help him to carry it.

For the governor of a state with complex humanity and strange particularities, that song was apt. For the governor of a state that is regularly wrestling with political principalities who hover around the men of power and those in power, the Governor’s invocation of Divine assistance for his government was perfect. For a man who ascribed his ascendancy to the gubernatorial throne to his Big FATHER in heaven, such open solicitation to heavenly Divinities and the hosts of Heaven was a salutary decision he could have taken to overcome these  political principalities. But is it not ironic that men in power also call on the highest power to overcome the other powers?

Theatrically, I am packaging in my political narrative the spleen in the temple of power that is almost threatening the authority of the Apostle. We all thought the temple was strong. We all felt the foundation of the temple and the Solomonic grace behind it will fortify it against aggression. But when the Barnabas crowd, led by an apostolic renegade, invaded the temple, nobody even expected that the kingdom would be configured to the North and South. It is now a case of one temple, two priests.

I admire the Governor. He is a very good friend; a young man with an elder’s status. His maturity has grown. His wisdom has increased. His judgment is rich. His grace is palpable. His intentions are noble. His perception is too good. But he cannot escape carrying the cross. He possesses the spiritual anointing for such a sacrificial assignment. He obtained the constitutional mandate for this selfless sacrifice. It is his cross. He must carry it. Fortunately, he has approached the ONE who says in the HOLY BOOK: “come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest”

Before narrating the details of the apostolic apothegm, let us discuss the character of the people around the temple and see if by providence, the temple is a good metaphor for the cross. In Lagos state, politicians’ desperation for survival has raised their instincts for machinations against their rivals. Any governor who discountenances the antics of the conspirators needs training in survivalism. I am amazed that in less than one year, Ambode, perceived by politicians as “an ordinary civil servant”, is now a grandmaster in the art of survivalist politics. Not only has he stabilized himself in power, he has created for himself an ambience of peace by evicting from the corridors of power, those who treated him with contempt on the road to vestry of power.

In no time, the temple is going desolate because of the diminishing power of the overseer. At the same time, two sanctuaries are swelling because of the growing power of their priests. The apostolic renegade also performs priestly functions. Now, he has a massive temple with enough space for ancient worshippers and migrating grasshoppers. Politicians are irritants. They build temples ; they destroy temples. Politicians are worshippers of lucre and Lucifer. In your presence, they hail you. At your back, they nail you. What kind of temple is this that accommodates the sacred and the profane! Enough of political ministration. Let’s go back to the governor.

Oh my friend, I salute your courage. It must have been nothing but passion for service that pushed a man to offer himself as the leader of a people who are loath to gratitude. Leaders’ journey to Calvary always begins from “commuters mutiny” or “passengers persecution”. Commercial vehicles- BRT, Danfo, trains, okada, ferry and keke marwa- are convenient refuge for angry and insolent citizens to indulge in treasonable blasphemy, felonious mutiny, destructive falsehood and exaggerated misinformation against their leaders. Once citizens are inside commercial vehicles, they behave like people who are possessed by demons and spirit of garrulity. And their major targets are their rulers on whom they heap their personal and domestic misfortunes and tragedies. As far as they are concerned, their leaders should act like Simon, the Cyrenian, who was forced to carry JESUS’ cross to the Calvary. But I ask; if a leader is to help every citizen to carry their cross to the Calvary, when will they have time to carry their own from the gallery? Or is there any man on this earth that does not have a cross to carry?

Must citizens’ immunity to abuse, insult and assault their leaders not be exercised with discretion? I agree that the situations in the country are grave. I agree that citizens’ conditions are horrible. I agree that leadership in Nigeria is on the low. But if we make persecution of leaders a tradition or a hobby, a time will come that those who offer themselves for service will be people who are indebted to credibility. This habit of persecuting our leaders in commercial vehicles is gradually spreading to innocent children who are convoyed to school every morning in their school buses. The things some of our children say or learn about their leaders could only have been picked from gossips and banters that fly around when they are in their school buses. When toddlers and kids begin to gossip about their leaders in their school bus at this stage when they cannot even appreciate the dynamics of governance nor understand the complexity and challenge of leadership, obviously, the future is in serious peril.

Back to the Ambodian cross; as the governor of the most populous and complicated state, Ambode’s cross is bigger, heavier and mightier than any other person’s. In less than one year, the governor has shown that he understands the science of politics and the grandeur of power. In the areas of infrastructure and service delivery, Ambode has swiftly compensated the state for the deficit of the past. While other states’ workers are lamenting the instalmental payment of their salaries and even the irregularity of the payment, Lagos workers are begging for salary delay. For instance, their December salary was paid as early as December 15. Most of the workers felt that the gap between their December salary and January salary was too long for comfort. While workers of other states are hawking landed properties and domestic appliances to pay their children’s school fees, Lagos workers will be using their salary for similar purpose. While workers of other states went to church for special prayers during the new Year so that their hanging salaries could be paid, Lagos workers and lagosians generally were dancing  “Shakiti Bobo” by Olamide, “Dorobucci” by Marvin Crew and “Jagaban” by Ycee in what was tagged “One Lagos Fiesta”.

But this is not the parable of the cross. It is about a temple that is no longer standing tall. The temple is deserted. The Apostle is looking for his congregation. But they have all gone into hibernation. No more regular burnt offerings. No more special anointing. The little anointing is drying up. The governor is a wise man. Only wise men wine and dine with GOD. But the wisdom to manage a crumbling temple invaded by men of ambition under the supervision of the Apostolic renegade, would require extra spiritual energy. Oh my GOD, I love the governor. His response to emergency is unbelievable. The renegade’s action has created an emergency. But unlike other emergencies of life and death which the Governor has helped to resolve for some of his citizens publicly and privately, this particular emergency is a cross that he must carry, not to Calvary this time, but to the crossroads to appease  the humans and the spirits responsible for the diminishing  influence of the den of power.

This, indeed, is the real Ambodian Cross!