“Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish”.…. Robert Greene (The 48 Laws of Power)
Can anyone dispute the veracity of this statement? This is as true as the outgoing Governor of Oyo State owning the palpable declivity of his party to this assertion.
In the wake of political consciousness clime, exhaustion of political dominance or relevance is innovatively clomping down the drain, and victims are emerging. One the emerging victims of the political dominance exhaustion is Senator Abiola Ajimobi, who lost his Oyo South Senatorial District bid to Dr Kola Balogun of the People Democratic Party, (PDP). While the APC won two of the three Senatorial seats, the PDP won a seat.
His lost, which was said to have been a testimony to character defect can be likened to Gnaeus Marcius, also known as Coriolanus’s downfall. A great military hero of ancient Rome, who in the first half of fifth century B.C, won many important battles: saving the city from calamity from time to time. However, he lost a battle of character.
Having won laurel to his name, he decided to exploit his reputation and enter politics. Like many other candidates, he stood for election to the rank of Consul. Expected candidate for this position traditionally made a public address early in the race so was Coriolanus stood to address his people. He displayed the dozen of scars he had blessed with over seventeen years of fighting for Rome. The lengthy speech that followed scars exhibition became a proof of patriotism, and moved people to tears: attestation to wide acceptance of his candidature by the electorate.
Making an entry into the forum escorted by the entire senate and the city’s patricians: the aristocracy, the common people were disturbed. They saw blustering show of confidence on election day. And Coriolanus spoke again, addressing the wealthy citizens who had accompanied Him. His words were arrogant and insolent. Claiming certain victory in the vote, he boasted of his battlefield exploits, made sour jokes that appealed only to the patricians, voices angry accusation on his opponents, that show of pride scuttled his reputation. The electorate gaze in disdain, and envisaged his downfall at the poll.
The scent of his character defect, speech, spread quickly through Rome, and people turned out in great numbers to make sure he was not elected. In the bitterness of his defeat, he returned to battlefield and vowed to avenge the electorate of the humiliation. Some weeks later, a large shipment of grain arrived Rome. With his oratory strength, he won the senate over to himself not to distribute the grain. He argued it would be harmful to the people. When the people heard of his latest speech, their anger knew no bounds. Riot broke out all over the city and the people insisted that Coriolanus speak to them and apologize.
Coriolanus appeared before the people, who wanted to hear him speak again. As he addressed them, he hurled insult; his tone was arrogant, and his expression as disdainful as ever. The more he spoke the angrier the people became. They shouted him down and silenced him. The tribunes, who had condemned Coriolanus unguarded speech, condemned Coriolanus to death. The delighted crowd seconded the decision to lifelong banishment from Rome. Upon hearing the news of his banishment and he would never return, the city celebrated its victory.
“A person who cannot control his words shows that he cannot control himself, and his unworthy of respect; power cannot accrue to those who squander their treasure of words.”
Like Coriolanus,whose appearance in public space was harmful to reputation garnered over the years as valiant soldier so is Senator Ajimobi appearance in public space is now injurious to progress of his party. As reported on Saharareporters, Tinubu has banned Senator Ajimobi from appearing at APC gubernatorial rallies in Oyo State. Those who savoured campaign involving Ajimobi before the general election, talked of why All Progress Congress (APC) needs to be filtered from Agodi House, and further said, Ajimobi boasted of winning without the people, if they refuse to support APC.
In an attempt to redeem the broken reputation and everything associated with the outgoing governor, Tinubu wooed the former governor of Oyo State, Otunba Alao Akala, back to APC, as alleged, with billions of naira and reinstatement of his son to deliver Ogbomoso and other areas: a credential of his reputation.
The truth as it is now is weather the sudden switch from ADP to APC, and speculations and allegation that trailed behind it will not puncture the seemed areas of his reputation’s credentials.
“It is easier to cope with a bad conscience than with a bad reputation”… Friedrich Nietzsche
Akala reunion with APC through Esau’s porridge – monetary term – might, at least for the first, mete out Omisore’s treatment to him. Ile-Ife indigenes have been always enjoying to adventurously trailing along Omisore as he moved from one party to other, until recently when he joined APC. He was wooed to APC at the crucial time of election rerun in Osun State, when it was obvious that inconclusiveness became only alternative to change people’s will. He became a partner; hence, he lost the whole Ife-Ijesha Senatorial District to a PDP candidate. I see Akala suffering from the same fate, Omisore suffered in his stronghold, in the Saturday gubernatorial election.
Senator Abiola Ajimobi must have exhausted his own political dominance or relevance to character, but his damaged reputation might as well cast everything about APC in Oyo State into a basket of the same fate.