Fem Fani-Kayode and the Anthills of the Savanah

By Joseph Edgar…

I had to borrow a portion of this title from the great Chinua Achebe simply because I really could not come up very quickly with a befitting heading that would capture the very essence of this write up. Infact the heading as you would later see, simply has nothing to do with what I want to say in this piece. This is exactly how Mr. Kayode’s ranting is viewed by a wide spectrum of the observing public as irrelevant and mostly off the mark

It was the great Azikiwe who took offence with our iconic Chuba Okadigbo when he labelled Azikiwe’s position on national issues of the time as the rantings of an ant and Azikiwe’s response anytime I read it throws very cold shivers down my spine. It is this same fear that would hold me back from labelling Mr. Kayode’s very regular vituperation with the same phrase.

For some of us, we feel very strongly and rightly so that his positions as rabid as they come go a long way at weakening the opposition thereby not allowing the opposition focus in building an effective bulwark against the government as it is expected in a fledgling democracy. His positions come out tardy and abusive without respect to facts and timing.

Read also: Business and inter-ethnic marriages may suppress African self-hatred

I think he should learn from very constructive critcs like Reno who plays with facts and also with very powerful arrangement in his syntax and language that launch attacks which hit with firm velocity at the soft core of his opponents. You see each time Reno attacks, the government scrambles to respond because he would have with statistics made up his point.

For my brother, what we get is what is called ‘’yakking’’ on the streets and what do you do with yakking, you simply just ignore it. The people and even the government needs responsible opposition to keep it on its feet and not a continuous cacophony of babel which only resonates in the ears of the unlettered.

This last issue of the unfortunate accident of the President’s son, where even his brother at arms, had the humanity to send his salutation and by so doing received an umbrage was to say the least very unbecoming. Opposition, is not taking the issues personal. It is not downright abuse and pushing galling and almost irresponsible abuse at people who are on the other side but a very deliberate use of facts, information to attack policies we see as inimical to the general good. It is not Oshodi fight.

For me, Mr. Kayode is not allowing the opposition focus. His front seat yakking is distracting those who could have sensibly built an effective counterfoil to what we are seeing today. My advice is for him to quietly go back into his party and help in the rebuilding while strategically foisting a robust opposition with the use of facts and a penchant to work responsibly.

Personal abuse, name calling and all the normal almost unprintable things that usually come out purportedly from my brother will not give us electoral victory nor will it bring upon us responsible government. It is a credible and strategic opposition which could even bring both sides to the table for the betterment of the general society.

At this point, who will sit down with someone who is so insensitive as to play politics with the unfortunate accident of a young and innocent chap. Let us please grow up, this is not politics but motor park verbal thuggery.

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now