A Method and Logic Behind The Crudeness – By Dr. Kunle Ojeleye

Posted by admin Articles, Columnists, Kunle Ojeleye, NNP Columnists Monday, August 29th, 2011

By Dr. Kunle Ojeleye, London, UK – August 29, 2011 – In Yorubaland, when a man is called “Agbe”, there are two basic connotations to the usage, either or both of which may be intended.

On one hand, “Agbe” means a farmer, which according to Webster’s dictionary is “one who is devoted to the tillage of the soil; one who cultivates a farm; an agriculturist; a husbandman”. On the other hand, “Agbe” in Yoruba language is used to derogatorily describe a man as uneducated, illiterate, crude, uncouth, unrefined and lacking finesse.

Olusegun Matthew Aremu Okikiola Obasanjo (OBJ) who is 74 is not only educated, he was also a key member of both the Gowon and Muhammed regimes, crowning his career as a military Head of State and later a civilian President. Having left government as a military ruler and a civilian President, he retired to his other avowed passion and vocation – farming.

In the last few years, OBJ has severally been called “Agbe” by various people. While both translations of Agbe as provided above have been used to describe him, more often than not, the behavioural description has been emphasised more than the vocational one.

I have come to a conclusion and a conviction that there is method and a logic in OBJ’s crudeness which most Nigerians tend to perceive as irrational behaviour. Take for example, in 2007, when the partnership of Umar Musa Yar Adua and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was confirmed for the Presidential elections, I told those around me that given the public knowledge of the medical challenges of Yar Adua, OBJ had something up his sleeves.

For me, OBJ’s game plan with the Yar Adua/Jonathan combination was to serve Nigeria with a” fait accompli” where within the proposed 8 year rule of the regime, the provision of the constitution would have to be adhered to. This would consequently give the minority ethnic groups, especially the South-South/South-East the opportunity to rule the nation and resolve the burning agitation of marginalisation. In so doing, there would be a break in the perceived hegemony of the Hausas and Yorubas as relates to the leadership of the nation.

Bearing in mind our recent history which brought Goodluck Ebele Jonathan into the saddle of power as Vice President, Acting President, a substantive and later on fully elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and in spite of attempts by “Baba” (as OBJ is often called by his followers) to disclaim he had knowledge of the terminal illness of late President Yar Adua, who could disagree that there is logic and method in the perceived “crudeness” of his (ex-)excellency, Olusegun Matthew Aremu Okikiola Obasanjo?

As such, even though I accept that the old man may lack finesse, refinement and courtesy in certain respect, my thesis has been ( and I hope I will have the opportunity one day to research and conclude) that Baba has deliberately chosen the lack of finesse as a trademark to give maximum publicity to the brand known as OBJ.

My viewpoint is that the greatest disservice anyone can do to former President Olusegun Obasanjo is to regard him as uneducated, illiterate and unintelligent regardless of the fact that his conduct sometimes gave credence to the notion.
In spite of whatever faults he may have as a person, one cannot but see in Obasanjo:
1. a seasoned even though sometimes befuddled politician, and
2. a master strategist.

By The Way
With the recent altercation between the Agbe and the Evil Genius, the two ex-generals, ex-rulers and septuagenarians, it seems to me that Nigeria is nothing more than the personal fiefdom of a few.

Apart from Babangida’s claim that he made Obasanjo a ruler on two occasions, I also remember that Babangida gave birth to the dark days of the Abacha regime first by annuling Abiola’s election and secondly by reneging on his promise to leave office with his service chiefs, leaving Abacha behind to kick Sonekan out of office a few months later.

And if I can borrow the language of Generals Obasanjo and Babangida, if you are to choose between two “fools”, which one would you prefer – the predictably crude one or the maradonic suave one?wp_posts