Victory Not Yet For The Opposition By Olowogboyega Oyebade

VICTORY NOT YET FOR THE OPPOSITION

Do you know that the powerful elites in a country do not always love to accommodate any change that will alter the status quo?  Do you know that they will do everything possible to resist any change not approved by them?  Do you know that the event is playing out in our State and in Nigeria as some people want to hijack power for selfish motives from the progressives in the APC ?

Do you know that they seem to be in alliance with some other brackets of the society, the professional marketers who love to reap without sowing? Do you know that the worst conspirators against executive powers are always the   Senators?  Do you know that this is the  theme of the play ‘Julius Caesar’ written by William Shakespeare?  Have you watched the play? Come along/

Do you know what we describe as the ‘Roman audience’? Do you know that it constitutes people that rejoice at the fall of each of their leaders?  Do you know that such reflex is not a good quality of followership?  Do you know that followership must be loyal, courageous, honest and be good ego-manager?  Do you know that ‘Roman audience’  lacks this tendency inside-out? Do you know that it will be a disservice to our State and country to be found in such an ignoble audience?  Do you know that there is no victory yet for the opposition in our State to dance “”Davido”?   You care for it?  Come along, please.  A voice from the play interludes:

“What victory brings you home?

What tributary did you take to Rome?

Hath thou declared a holiday?”

William Shakespeare wrote a play to depict Julius Caesar, an old Roman politician and military general who played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire.  Caesar recorded a number of accomplishments.  As a military general, he won victories in the Gallic Wars by 51 BC. In his war campaigns, he was the first Roman general to cross the dangerous English Channel and the Rhine River when he built a bridge across the Rhine and crossed the Channel to invade Britain. His war campaigns extended Roman territories in leaps and bounds to Britain and past Gaul. His achievements and popularity eclipsed the standing of Pompey, the civilian leader.

After the end of the Gallic Wars, Pompey lobbied the Senate to order Caesar to step down from his military command and return to Rome. Caesar realized that by stepping down, he would lose his immunity from prosecution for waging wars that were not aprroved.  Caesar decided to go all out for it.  He prepared the 13th Legion, leaving his province at Gaul and crossed the Rubicon.  To cross the Rubicon was to illegally enter Roman Italy under arms, preparing to ride on the back of a tiger for war.  This began Caesar’s civil war, Alas! Caesar won all the wars.  This victory put him in an unrivaled position of power and influence.

After assuming control of government of the new Empire, Caesar began a programme of social intervention and reforms, including the creation of the Julian calendar. He gave citizenship to many residents  of the Empire that confered on them a diplomatic status in any country in the world.  He initiated land reform and pension support for veterans. He centralized the bureaucracy and was  proclaimed “dictator for life”, giving him additional authority.

As usual, his populist reforms angered the elites.  As of reflex, they began to conspire against him. On the Ides of March (15 March), 44 BC, Caesar was assassinated by a group of rebellious Senators led by Gaius Cassius Longinus, Marcus Junius Brutus and Decimus Junius Brutus, who stabbed him to death. Do you know that the mass of the people that enjoyed the social and economic reforms of Caesar were part of the audience rejoicing at his harrowing death…., dancing round the town as the peculiar ‘Roman audience’ not remembering their dedicated hero again? We must refrain from being Roman audience in deeds and thoughts.  You care to know more? Come along, please.

Are you a political scientist, a practicing politician or a voter?  Are you familiar with what we call political legitimacy?  Do you know that it is simply the right and acceptance of an authority viewed as legitimate to exercise power? Do you know that political legitimacy is considered a basic condition for governing, without which a government will suffer legislative deadlock and collapse? Do you know John Locke?  Come along, please.

​John Locke (1632–1704)  was a British social philosopher of the Enlightenment-era.  His argument in his book Second Treatise on political legitimacy is that the government is not legitimate unless it is carried on with the consent of the governed.  Dolf Sternberger, a German, argued: “Legitimacy is the foundation of such governmental power as is exercised, both with a consciousness on the government’s part that it has a right to govern, and with some recognition by the governed of that right”.Martin Lipset, an American sociologist, identifies that legitimacy “involves the capacity of a political system to engender and maintain the belief that existing political institutions are the most appropriate and proper ones for the society”. Are you aware that by the combined effects of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the Electoral Act,  (as amended) and all judicial  precedents in Nigeria, the only legitimate administration as at today in the State of Osun is the administration of Mr Adegboyega Oyetola? Are you aware that the decision of the Governorship Election Tribunal of 22nd March, 2019 to alter the election  cannotmaterialize in any form now until the decisions of the appeals in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court? Do you know that such appeals will take some time and the business of governance has to move on, unhindered? Do you know that he who ever so dares to hinder it has law and its enforcers to contend with? Do you know that the primary duties of government in our Constitution are the welfare and security of lives and property of the people?  You care for more?  Come along.

Do you know that the people of the State of Osun do not need to despair about the verdict of the Osun Governorship Tribunal currently trending?  Are you aware that more often than not, such judgments are always appealed against?  Do you know that as a matter of right, aggrieved parties can approach the Court of Appeal to correct any wrong notion of the court of first instance?  Are you aware that the issue may get to the Supreme Court for final determination?  Do you know that the aggrieved parties is the APC in the State of Osun and the incumbent Governor of the State?  Do you know that it is not over until it is over? Do you know that the governorship candidate of the opposition has a heavy moral burden on his neck and such moral deficit cannot make him to assume power now or in the future?    Do you know that Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, the Governor of the State will triumph at the end of the day? Do you know that this is the best time for all followers of APC as a party to eschew violence in all forms and demonstrate Spartan discipline in trusting our leaders and keeping the flags of supporting them aloft?

Do you know that this is the time to report any law-breaker to the security agencies?  Are you aware that there are some natural anarchists who profit in violence and at times, preferring to end whatever they cannot achieve with pacifism violently? Do you know that we must not join the band-wagon of haters of peace and progress? Do you know that it is not true that we all have preferences for long and good life? Not at all! How do we view suicide cases? Do you know that R. E. G. Armattoeintroduced another dimension to the whole drama by wishing himself dead by air-crash, while only sympathising with the gruesome fate of his dear parents?  Do you want to know Armattoe?  Please, come along.

He was born in 1913 at Denu in Ghana. At 13,  his father sent him to Europe to study and he eventually became a medical doctor and worked in Northern Ireland for ten years. When he decided to come back home, his parents were already down with stroke.  He saw how languid pains were tormenting them, day and night and he wished that they were dead. While sympathizing with them, he prayed for a short life, possibly through an air crash, rather than to face the humiliation of death through prolonged sickness. Do you know that we must be vigilant and should not take laws into our hands? The weird prayer of Armattoe resumes again:

The Way I Would Like to Die

This is the way I’d like to go,

If you must know.

I would like to go while still young,

While the dew is wet on the grass;

To perish in a great air crash,

With a silver ‘plane burning bright

Like a flashing star in the night;

While the huge wreckage all ablaze,

Solemn sky landscape

Shines brightly for my last embrace

I’d like to see the flames consume

Each nerve and bone and hair and nail,

Till of dust naught but ash remains.

Or as stone, swiftly sink unseen.

But if I should hear someone wail,

Because dust has gone back to dust,

Mad with fury, I shall return

To smite the poor wretch on the head.

So, let me go when I am young,

And the dew is still on the fern,

With a silver ‘plane burning bright,

Like a flashing star in the night.

 

Mother, do not grieve when I’m gone!

This is my wish, I’d have it so.

This mere burden of flesh was I,

Whom you loved and tended dearly

But you, my love, where’er you be,

Remember these warm lips of mine

That poured their youthful passion out,

These wide eyes that mirrored my soul

And beheld wonders in your eyes;

This mind that godlike stood alone,

The head that lay in your gentle lap,

The very hand that held this pen,

The heart that daring reached the heights,

The all of me that gave you joy,

Cleansed now of all impurities

By the red all-devouring flames,

Will though dust, remain, believe me,

Part of th’eternal Mind of God.

This is the way I will like to go

​Do you know that life is competitive and the most competitive game draws the most competitive men? Do you know that power is that competitive game?  Do you know that the Osun Governorship Tribunal had not said anything unusual?  Are you aware that the Tribunal members disagreed among themselves ?  Are you aware that we still have two higher levels of justice to look at the case?  Do you know that the judgementon ground favours the APC more as the majority judgementacted beyond the mandate given to the Tribunal?  The voice of the Tribunal Chairman, Justice Sirajo interludes:

“The re-run election of 27th September 2018 was properly held….Under Section 140(2) of the Electoral Act, the tribunal lacked the powers to have deducted the cancelled votes and declare the petitioners winners.”

Do you know that by virtue of the Electoral Act, each of the parties has right of appeal to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court?  Do you know that as it is, nothing vitiates or alters the legitimacy of the administration of the State under the leadership of All Progressives Congress Party?  Do you know that we have to march forward with the awesome powers of followership the Party enjoys in the State?  Do you know that the results of the National Assembly and State Assembly elections are enough testimonies that APC Party enjoys awesome popularity?  How can an opposition party have only three House of Assembly nominees as against 23 of the ruling party and still be dancing “Davido” on the streets that it will soon take over power?  Is this not a deception taken too far?  Do you know that followership in the State is key in the entire matter at the end of the day?  What is followership?  Come along please.

​Followership is given various interpretations.  Some see it as the art of following.  Katie Reilly  of Time sees it as the capacity or willingness to follow a leader.  Generally speaking, it is seen as an intentional practice on the part of the subordinate to enhance the synergetic interchange between the follower and the leader. The study of followership is an emerging area within the leadership field that helps explain outcomes. This is because of the roles followers play in the failures and successes of organisations.

​Do you know that various organisations have parameters to measure followership?  Are you aware that in the military, followership incorporates self-discipline, proficiency, obedience, discretion, taking responsibility, prompt decision making, loyalty and team-work behavior? Do you know what is called the Colin Powel’s principle?  Who is Colin Powel?  You care to know?  Come along please.

Do you know that Colin Luther Powell, born on 5thApril, 1937is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army?  Are you aware that during his military career, Powell also served as National Security Advisor (1987–1989), as Commander of the U.S. Army Forces Command (1989) and as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989–1993), holding the latter position during the Persian Gulf War?  Do you know that  Powell was the first, and so far the only, Jamaican American to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff?  Are you aware that he was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under U.S. President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005, the first black person to serve in that position?  Yes!

Powell was a professional soldier for 35 years and rose to the rank of 4-star General. His last assignment, from October 1, 1989 to September 30, 1993, was as the 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest military position in the Department of Defence. During this time, he oversaw 28 crises, including Operation Desert Storm in the 1991 Persian Gulf War .  He rarely advocated military intervention as the first solution to an international crisis, and instead usually prescribed diplomacy and containment. As a military strategist, Powell advocated an approach to military conflicts that maximizes the potential for success and minimizes casualties. A component of this approach is the use of overwhelming force, which he applied to “Operation Desert Storm” in 1991. His approach has been dubbed the “Powell Doctrine”.  On 13th August, 1989, Colin Powel published an article in Parade Magazine titled: 13 Rules of Leadership. The rules state;

It ain’t as bad as you think.

Get mad, then get over it.

Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.

It can be done.

Be careful what you choose. You may get it.

Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.

You can’t make someone else’s choices.

Check small things.

Share credit.

Remain calm. Be kind.

Have a vision.

Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers.

Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

These principles have to be imbibed now by all the APC members and supporters.

In the run-up to the 1990–91 Gulf War, General Colin Powell came up with a guideline popularly called Powell Doctrine.  According to him, before a political or military action would be taken, a list of  questions all have to be answered affirmatively:

Is a vital national security interest threatened?

Do we have a clear attainable objective?

Have the risks and costs been fully and frankly analyzed?

Have all other non-violent policy means been fully exhausted?

Is there a plausible exit strategy to avoid endless entanglement?

Have the consequences of our action been fully considered?

Is the action supported by the American people?

Do we have genuine broad international support?

This is the hour for us to answer the questions for Nigeria. The United States Army summarised these doctrines as Colin Powell’s Principles of Leadership.  According to the US Army, the doctrine states:

“the commander in the field is always right and the rear echelon is wrong, unless proven otherwise”.

The time for all followers of the APC to show a strong belief in the party, in the elected members at all levels and in the party programmes is now.  The current ruling of the Tribunal is a signal to the ambush laid by the opposition to recover at the corner what it lost at the stretch.  Do you know that followership differs from professions to professions?

​Do you know that in nursing, followership is all about enlightened followership because leaders face severe limitations in the cause of duty?  Are you aware that studies show that there is significant difference in organizational effectiveness among nurses with different followership styles – passive, alienated, conformist, pragmatist, or effective?  Do you know that in schools, followership is all about students accepting to comply with essential norms for a healthy reciprocal relationship?  Do you know that in business, followership is simply accepting the achievement of set goals? Do you know that in the hospitality industry, it is often important for followers to work independently of their leaders to carry out important tasks?  Do you know that we have different models of followership? Do you know Kelley?   You care to know him?  Come along, please?

​Kelley sees followership from two questions that must be confirmed by positive affirmations.  The questions are:  Is he an independent, critical thinker?  Is he an active or passive person? From the two perspectives above, Kelley identifies five different follower types:

The Sheep:These are people with low independence and they are generally passive.   These individuals require external motivation and constant supervision.

The Yes-People:These followers have low independence but very active.  These are conformists that will defend adamantly their leader when faced with opposition from others. They do not question the leader.

The Pragmatics:These are followers with moderate independence and are active. These individuals will not stand behind controversial or unique ideas until the majority of the group has expressed their support and often prefer to stay in the background.

The Alienated:  These are followers with high independence but are passive.   These individuals are negative and often attempt to stall or bring the group down by constantly questioning the decisions and actions of the leader.

The Star Followers: These are followers with high independence and they are very active.  These exemplary followers are positive, active, and independent thinkers. Star followers will not blindly accept the decisions or actions of a leader until they have evaluated them completely but can be trusted to get the job done.

Ira Chaleff ​came up with the model of Courageous Followership and offered four types, namely:

Followership that accepts and assumes responsibility for themselves and the organization.

Courageous followers who are not afraid of the hard work required to serve a leader.

Courageous followers who give voice to the discomfort they feel when the behaviours or policies of the leader or group conflict with their sense of what is right.

Courageous followers who champion the need for change and stay with the leader and group while they mutually struggle with the difficulty of real change.

Courageous followers who know when it is time to take a stand that is different than that of the leader’s.

Do you know that Barbara Kellerman  came up with another categorized followers? Do you know that the ‘Isolates’ in his study are completely detached and do not care about their leaders? Are you aware that the bystanders just observe but do not participate?  Do you know that the ‘participants’ are only engaged in some way, but they either clearly favour or oppose their leaders? Do you know that the activists feel strongly about their leaders and act accordingly?  Are you aware that we have the die-hards who are prepared to die if necessary for their cause?

​Coyne and Coyne proposed seven desirable followership actions from the perspective of a CEO, namely: Show your goodwill; Leave your baggage at the door; Study the CEOS’s working style; understand the CEO’s agenda; present a realistic and honest game plan; be on your “A” game; and, offer objective options. Do you know that good followership must demonstrate certain attributes?  Good followers must have a good sense of  judgement with an underlying obligation to the organsation.  Do you know that good followers must be good workers? Are you aware that good followership must display competence at the task that is directed by the leader?  Do you know that the follower owes the leader an honest and forthright assessment of what the leader is trying to achieve and how? Do you know that good followership must have courage, discretion, loyalty and good ego management? These are the tasks ahead of all followers of President Muhammadu Buhari and MrAdegboyega Oyetola in the years ahead.

And to our brothers in the Judiciary,  there is the need to protect democracy through the present regime. How can somebody who has proven cases of certificate forgery be declared a winner of a Governorship Election under the scrutiny of Judges in Nigeria? What will the world say of this moral and legal deficit?   Things cannot be aloud to go this wrong way.  Ogbuefi Nduna counsels Okonkwo in ‘Things Fall Apart, saying to our Judiciary:

“That boy calls you father, bear no hand in its death.”

Olowogboyega Oyebade is the current Head of Service of the State of Osun.