Mr. Obasa for me represents the downside of a personalised system of government. A system where institutionalisation has been destroyed to the extent that we now have a personalised acculturation from where power flows.
So, state actors draw legitimacy not from the people but from one source. This is anathema to democracymage of yourself.
George Bernard Shaw
If you have been following this debacle, you will learn one thing – we all are here by the grace of – you know who. And as it is progressing, you will see “ let us all go and explain to Oga why we removed him.” On his own side, immediately after he was removed, he ran to Oga to explain his side of the story.
Today, nobody is asking the whole 20 million Lagosians what they think of the matter. Every actor in this wonky movie is running to one place to receive instructions on how to move. So, the “elected” representatives of the people in taking a decision that now seems to be funny are now said to be sending an apology letter to Ogainstead of the people.
What is very clear to me is that Obasa is a child of aberration. Born into the debilitating violence of state capture, nurtured under its ethos and strengthened by a system that is almost alien to democracy. This is why despite the overwhelming majority votes for his removal, he just can’t go like that.
Go to where? When we all know how he came about? When we all know how to play this game? When we all have access to the same power base? When we all know that the people don’t matter in all of these? When we all know how to work the parallel system that has evolved since 1999 and has grown in strength and power? When we all know how to manipulate the system for the greater good of us, the players?
This Obasa thing is a clear illustration of the system that runs not only at Alausa but most of Nigeria. A system that is alien to democracy, a system that resembles more of an oligarchy and moving very steadily towards a monarchy. A system that does not derive its powers from the people but from charismatic leadership who thrives on street smarts, enforcement and the brilliant use of state resources to ensure loyalty as a means of achieving an enduring staying power.
The history of exploration across nations and across time is not one where nations said, ‘Let’s explore because it’s fun.’ It was, ‘Let’s explore so that we can claim lands for our country, so that we can open up new trade routes; let’s explore so we can become more powerful.’
