In the realm of politics and socialisation, former Internal Affairs Minister Chief Rauf Adesoji Adesoji Aregbesola exudes some peculiar idiosyncrasies. From the outset of his political journey, he maintained his course on the progressive lane.
He was a jolly good fellow among this class of politicians who are mostly entrenched in the Southwest. It was this political class that held sway until the PDP era of locusts held the region by the jugular in the early days of this dispensation. Aregbesola never mingled with them. His eight years of governorship in Osun State came after a legal battle against the PDP forces.
Wherever Aregbesola went with his progressive family, he lit up the occasion. He is well grounded in the Yoruba style of entertainment: his smile, songs, dance, and choreography spurred the crowd to cheery moments.
But things have changed for him. Politics has redirected his steps to align with anti-progressives.
Now, he appears to be the odd man out in the entire coalition melodrama, gimmick, and miscalculation that now pale into a fictitious crowning of an otherwise illustrious political career.
Aregbesola’s involvement in the gang-up against his leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is confounding and worrisome. Perhaps, it is also the greatest challenge confronting the former governor and, until three years ago, the undisputed alter ego of the Asiwaju of Lagos.
For 25 years, Aregbesola was more or less the deputy leader of the Asiwaju political family. Since his days as Works and Infrastructure Commissioner in Lagos State under former Governor Tinubu, he was the opening and exit door to Bourdillon, the ‘seat’ of power and centre of influence. He was perceived as a trusted and dependable ally in times of peace and war. The leader was said to have reposed so much trust in him as a favourite associate that he once said that even if Areagbesola carried a cutlass and gun into his bedroom, he would believe that Rauf held them to protect him against his enemies and not to harm him.
The bond was so thick that the leader often personally took delight in reserving meals for Aregbesola on his dining table, with an instruction that it should not be touched by anybody else, however important the other person might be.
After seven years as a member of the Lagos State Executive Council, Aregbesola relocated to Osun State for a rescue mission, like Dr. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State. The initiative came from Asiwaju, who wanted to liberate the Southwest from the jaws of conservative marauders on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which recently split into the party’s mainstream of Damagum/Wike/Saraki/Makinde/Bala Mohammed and African Democratic Congress (ADC) of Atiku/Mark/Ikimi.
At the height of his glorious reign in Osogbo, the state capital, Aregbesola, fondly called Oranmiyan or Symbol, declared during his ‘Aregbe Till Day Break Programme’ that he was as large in Osun as in Lagos. It was an understatement. As the moving spirit of the Mandate Group, the caucus that gave the Justice Forum sleepless nights, his advice was hardly set aside by his former boss. Countless men and women have been assisted to become commissioners, advisers, lawmakers, aides, civil servants, ruling party officers, and contractors through his recommendations. A very charismatic personality, he was a skilled negotiator endowed with persuasive talents.
As governor, he was a powerful organiser, mobiliser, and planner. He is a shrewd politician who learnt at the feet of a strategist. Although there were criticisms against certain policies and programmes of his administration, he did his best. His government was better than that of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, his predecessor who surrendered the stolen mandate in court after protracted litigations.
The strange thing now is that Aregbesola has been drafted to take up the title of interim secretary in the estranged PDP, which masquerades as ADC. It may be a moment of emotional wrenching for him and followers who now find themselves attempting to pull down the APC, on which they previously rode to political relevance. It would be a sad day in the Southwest when Aregbesola embarks on the tour of the six states to de-market his great leader.
The inability of political leaders to resolve their conflicts is the bane of the Yoruba nation. The Awo/SLA, Ajasin/Omoboriowo, Ige/Afolabi, and Ajasin/Olateru-Olagbegi rifts defied solutions. They went to their graves with animosities. Up to now, a section of Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, led by the late Acting Leader Ayo Adebanjo, is still waging war on President Tinubu. The crisis resolution mechanism is always weak in the region’s progressive camp.
The crippled relationship between Aregbesola and his leader was surprising to the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who wanted to mediate, shortly before he passed on.
Since the infamous speech at Ilesa, the gulf had widened between Aregbesola and his progressive allies. Observers believe that the Osun chapter of the party took adverse measures, including suspension and expulsion, which Aregbesola’s supporters used as an excuse to deepen the polarisation. But, according to the chapter, obvious anti-party activities cannot be condoned.
Either in APC or ADC, Aregbesola is in the eye of the storm. A dark cloud or temporary setback in a long journey can tax the adaptive resources of an individual to the brim. But it is not the end of life. The transient vicissitudes can be handled with care based on experience. It is always the province of the wise to exercise caution in the face of threats to ambitions and relevance. Since conflicts may later yield to compromise and tactical settlement, reaction to a problem, either self-imposed or externally inflicted, should be moderated because it is always more weighty than the action that provoked it.
Amid conflicts, some little chances should be left open for amity, if some thoughts could be spared for tomorrow. Words are fragile. Like the egg, they cannot be recouped once dropped. They are documented in the hearts of friends and foes and the social media. That is why the Yoruba often caution their kith and kin to imbibe the traditional ethics of moderation in times of annoyance.
Memory is powerful, and the manifestation of the mental faculty includes recall. Intelligent people always bear these in mind. Intelligence is not limited to the acquisition of knowledge and skills; it encompasses the entire gamut of reasoning, comprehension or understanding and judgment. The expected outcome is problem-solving.
So also is the role of perception in politics. The way an important actor is regarded, understood, or interpreted is subject to his political behaviour, particularly any choice made in the constantly slippery field. What is treasured most in the life of an uncompromising adherent is continuity, consistency, and loyalty, which could be tested by occasional or transient hardship.
Glowing tributes are paid to them when they endure and survive the adversity of politics. In the minds of people and books of history, they are celebrated for courage, resilience, and faithfulness.
The indomitable Awo admonished his followers to always elevate the interest of the party over the personal agenda. He believed that if personal interest is jettisoned, accommodation could be found for the individual within the larger, collective interest of the group.
But steps could be retraced after severe deviation from a known path. In doing this, ego is not bruised; it is only suppressed for reason to triumph. It is not cowardice but the conscious amendment of political life on a moral lane. Although it is often said that politics and morality exist in an antithetical relationship, the Yoruba cultural ethos advocates a set of guiding principles and values that shape the behavior and worldview of the Oduduwa children, and central to this ethos is the concept of Ọmọlúwàbí, which embodies virtues, including integrity, respect, and excellence.
The uncritical fraternity with strange bedfellows, even in the opinion of apolitical fans of the Ijesa ideologue, is a mockery of a certain identity and antecedent, which made him popular as a political actor and elicited respect from the residual class of radical elements.
Although it is often said that core principles could be sacrificed on the altar of political interest, it may not be the absolute reality in all situations. A difference could be made by men of fidelity who value honour and integrity, the rare virtues that also predispose them to be calm, patient, reticent, and avoid embarrassing mistakes when a political career momentarily runs into turbulence.
There may be justification for embracing this path of resistance to internal pressure and external influence. But it takes a lot of soul-searching and painstaking self-assessment.
What matters is not the beginning but the end of things, and indeed, the judgment of history.
While the freedom of association is fully guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution, Yoruba elders, long before the constitution came into existence, had always warned their children to maintain moderation and avoid bad company.
Even the Ifa oracle alludes to the careful choice of human relationships as a guide against negative influences. It highlights the concept of “eewo” (taboos), which are prohibited actions that could be detrimental, including associating with people or environments that lead to negative outcomes.
This lends credence to the Yoruba adage: “Aguntan to ba’ja rin a je’gbe.” (The sheep that associates with the dog would eat faeces). It is an admonition for the wary to “shine their eyes” about whose company they keep: “Show me your friends and I will show you your character.”
Also, in a Hadith, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “A person is on the religion of his close friend. So, let each of you look at who you befriend.” It is a warning that bad company could corrupt good morals.
In the Bible, it is stated: “Do not be misled; bad company corrupts good character.”
Aregbesola’s natural habitat is the progressive camp where Tinubu is the leader. He may not understand the grammar of politics spoken by his emergency friends in PDP-ADC. It is not a bad idea to halt the sudden fraternity and return home. He is, for now, mingling with strangers in a dark alley.
Reconciliation with his progressive family is not late.
