Musiliu Obanikoro as a singer

By Joseph Edgar… Something in my mind told me that the sudden re-emergence of Mr. Obanikoro was not ordinary. At the wake of this administration and the revelations that followed its emergence, Mr. obanikoro was the leader of the opposition. Together with my friend Olisa Metuh, Fani kayode and the stormy petrel, Ayo Fayose they formed the bulwark of the opposition. Their noise was clear and defining. They severally taunted and shouted hoarse their opposition to the policies and personalities that made up the new government. The fact that this Government came in on a strong wave of public acceptance and adulation did not temper their noise. They screamed at every given opportunity to the high heavens, their forever opposition to this ‘apparition’ that has beset us as a nation.

Some of us were watching these grandstanding knowing full well the end game which was to attempt to turn public opinion against the anti corruption stance and to give them a strong public backing in case the government suddenly decided to move against them.

Today, Ayo Fayose buoyed by his immunity as a sitting governor and Fani kayode whose courage in the face of overwhelming power continues to surprise me, are the only ones left standing. Mr. Metuh has since backed down, preferring to cut a deal for his freedom after suffering health challenges from his brief stint under.

Musiliu Obanikoro is today the most recent ‘turncoat’. Not to judge but for those of us who watched that video, it was always apparent that his was a real bad case. He was always going to cut a deal although one suspected that his dual citizenship just might play a role in whatever decision he was going to take. From the news spewing out of his current place of abode, it is becoming very clear that we are headed towards a plea bargain. His humble return and voluntary surrender are all pointers. The singing has been unprecedented with this ethswhile co traveller being forced to come out to attempt, albeit, a feeble jab at the accusations.

Mr. Obanikoro would have weighed all his options and seeing nothing but a dark tunnel would have decided to ‘cut a deal’ and come back to the county to ‘try his luck’. This to me is a very wise decision because for me, apart from the recovery of some of the funds he has been accused of salting away (still an accusation though), he could provide answers to some of the national questions as a major participant in the last era.

Ever since he crossed the carpet, he was favoured. All sort of appointments from Ambassadorial to the last defence portfolio were thrown at hm. In fact, the last one came just after he lost the gubernatorial primaries and it did not matter that the administration had just three months to go, he was given the defence portfolio with the mandate i am sure to invade Ekiti and other such opposition camps. From the ‘movie’, if that was him though, his lack of respect for the traditions of the Army and total disregard of the authority of an Army general was worrying. He was allegedly seen in the movie unilaterally promising the General speedy promotion if he was ‘obedient’.

These things are the things that destroy cohesion and espirit de corp within the military, throwing up favoured junior officers over much more senior and professional officers, thereby, leading to instability and other ugly things we have witnessed in this country.

Mr. obanikoro’s return and immediate metamorphosis into a major singer to me is a good development. We need answers and will get them with this new person who just came back. Already we are beginning to hear of how wads of cash were ferried in fire trucks, ferried across the tarmac and deposited in the back bushes of Ekiti. The crassness of such activities remain an insult to our collective psyche.

But that said, all these once again throws up the issues of election financing. As i listen and watch, i have not heard of the government talking about reforms along those lines. I have not heard of anybody being sent to study the current financing structure of the ongoing US Elections, for that is the issue. There are no known real guidelines on funding of elections. We will continue to see these kinds of fire truck strategy which i must say both sides of our political divide remain guilty of.

Meanwhile, Mr. Obanikoro, do not stop the songs, keep them coming.

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