By Rev. Emmanuel Olorunmagba
I want to start this essay by quoting Barr Akin Ajose-Adeogun, a lawyer and a historian in a short piece he titled, “AKINYEMI’S FOLLY: The Politics of Bitterness and Hatred.”
Barr Akin wrote:
“The author (Bolaji Akinyemi) reminds me of Mr Femi Aribisala who similarly took the opportunity of an article by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode to trash his late father.
“Reading through the inverted logic and reasoning – if it may be so dignified – of the author, it is impossible not to come away with impression that the author’s vitriolic attack on Fani-Kayode is more revealing of him than it is of his quarry, in as much as it portrays him as a rather small-minded, malicious and emotionally and mentally immature little man with a chip on the shoulder.
“How else can one rationalise an argument that bases a charge of treachery on the fact that Fani-Kayode has friends in the North – as if friendship with some Northerners and opposition to politics of the ruling class in the North are mutually exclusive – and was decent enough to eulogise one of them on the occasion of his death, even if they belonged to different political parties and did not share the same political philosophy.
“Neither Chiefs Fani-Kayode, Akin Osuntokun nor Obasanjo have ever severed their ties in the North because of their opposition to any aspect of the Northern point of view on any issue. And rightly so, because their opposition is neither a personal thing nor a hatred of the North, but one based on principle.
“It is this simple lesson in humanity, generosity of spirit, maturity and good breeding that the author, who appears to excel in the cheap score, has completely failed to comprehend.”
– Akin A. Ajose-Adeogun
Reading through the essay written by one Bolaji O. Akinyemi it takes wisdom to see him as he is, which is a hypocrite pretending to be speaking for Christians and the Yoruba nation. Only people with discerning mind will see his essay as a work of a traitor carrying out the assignment of his paymasters, who have been looking for any opportunity drag Chief Femi Fani-Kayode (the last man standing) on the ground.
But, he is not up to the task. In fact, Chief Olufemi Fani-Kayode (FFK) will not read his essay even if it gets to where he can see it, let alone dignifying him with response. In as much as Chief FFK will not give him any kind of attention, those of us that know Chief FFK will respond to his pretentiousness.
Because I was so dumbfounded to read that some people even fell for his pranks, no minding the fact that FFK has been at the forefront of the battle to rescue our beloved country though his life, family and finance have been threatened on several occasions. And I asked myself, “who is bewitching Nigerians that they can be easily swayed to point their daneguns at the back of a man that is risking all to be at the forefront of the war at the risk of his life.
Bolaji must be seriously working for some paymasters who want to provoke FFK to become silence like others. A man that has done so much for Nigerians especially the people from the south and an unknown miscreant suddenly rose up to turn start attacking and some people join his to repay FFK, evil for his good.
There is need to clearly establish the following points:
1. That there are friendships that have become like brotherhood that political divide cannot separate. For instance, my good friend that I call brother, Engr Said Uba (a Muslim) has left PDP for APC, but till I am typing this essay, we still relate like siblings not just as friend, yet he is a Muslim and I am a Christian and we are in different parties. Many of our people in PDP have attacked him since he left the party, but I know some things about him that many of them don’t know, and I can categorically and fundamentally assert that despite that Engr Said has attacked my party on different occasions and our people have attacked him, he (Engr Said) is still a good man to me and I have not seen anything that will change my mind about his person as an individual because I know many things about him beyond the surface that others don’t know. Therefore it takes a fool to misinterpret my personal relationship with Engr Said to mean that I am a betraying the masses. Chief FFK has said he knows some things about the late Abba Kyari that many people don’t know. Even from the tweet of Senator Shehu Sani and Kemi Olunloyo one will realise that they also know what some of us don’t know about him.
2. If FFK has not backtracked having suffered under this government (including but not limited to freezing his accounts, harassing him and his family, laying siege around his house for 8 hours, arresting and detaining his wife with his two years old son) yet this fearless man is still boldly roaring like a lion, then it takes simple common sense to know that such a man should not be misinterpreted because of his tribute to his late friend of 40 years. If not for the interest of the masses does he owe anyone such solidarity? Are there not many people who are keeping quiet in the face of the tyranny in this country, how many of them have you people attacked for saying nothing? If he refuses to speak out can any of those attacking, hold him down? Well, I wouldn’t blame those who are keeping quiet, because they believe that it doesn’t worth fighting for the people that will be shooting arrows at you from rear while you are risking your liberty fighting.
3. Except I am missing something, I have never for once heard that anyone in the name of Bolaji O. Akinyemi ever attacked this APC regime or any individual in APC. In fact, it was when I saw his essay yesterday that I ever heard that his name for the first time (Though I used to know Prof Bolaji Akinyemi who is a different person). After reading his essay yesterday, I wanted to know his antecedent in this fight that many of us have risked our freedom to engage in for the interest of Nigerians, so I kept searching facebook; no account could be linked to him as his account. I searched Twitter, I could not pin down any Twitter handle to his credit. Then I told some people to also search, nobody could find any account he owns either on Facebook or Twitter. Even Google only brought out Prof Bolaji Akinyemi (a different person). We only saw the essay of this Bolaji on Google and we later saw the response of one Dele Ajibade who appears to know him down to his family and who exposes him.
Therefore, the question to those who are dancing around his hypocritical essay is “WHO IS BOLAJI AKINYEMI IN THE BATTLE MANY OF US ARE RISKING EVERYTHING AROUND US TO FIGHT?”
4. That a traitor, hypocrite and a nobody suddenly rose up to attack FFK that has canvassed different parts of this country even in the north (Plateau State, Kaduna State etc) to fearlessly speak against the oppressed of defenseless,yet some gullible people fell for his pranks: this speaks volume of why the wrong people kept getting to the seat of power in Nigeria. And funny enough, the same Bolaji has been exposed as ‘a mere attention seeking NONENTITY’ and ‘a disconnected protege of Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai and Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu.’ who ‘in his article eulogising Former President Ibrahim Babangida IBB, he (Bolaji) turned to also expressed his admiration for El-Rufai, describing him as a round peg in round hole, who restored Abuja by exerting “so much zeal”, but by the exit of El-Rufai it “has fallen back to it’s jungle state of pre-El-Rufai.” He further added that if a former governor of Lagos State (Tinubu) is made FCT Minister he is sure that “the splendour of Abuja will be restored…”‘ (Direct quotation from Mr. Dele Ajibade’s response who appears to know him well). So is it a protege of Tinubu and El-Rufai that will now attack FFK and sensible people will follow him? I mean someone that has written open letter to both Buhari and Osinbajo on how he can connive to bring RUGA in hypocritical style to Lagos State and Kogi State amongst other states, if not that his open letter could not get to them. We should know better…
5. Are those attacking FFK insinuating that he has no right to write tribute (like others did) on his friend of 40 years that died? A man that was his school mate and that they worked together in his father’s Chamber. It’s so senseless and too childish for anyone to attack FFK just because he paid tribute to his friend from another party. Anyone with common sense will know that no political devide can end 40 years friendship except if they have personal unresolvable crises.
8. Out of many other people including PDP leaders and serving PDP governors and president of many countries that also wrote inspiring tributes on Mallam Abba Kyari, why do some people focus only on Chief Femi Fani-Kayode for attack? Obviously such attack must be politically motivated, but funny enough some gullible Nigerians are falling for the prank to shoot arrows at the vocal voice that has been speaking boldly ever since.
Among those that sent inspiring tributes to the Presidency over the death of Mallam Abba Kyari are: Gov. Samuel Ortom (PDP) of Benue State, Gov Okezie Ikpeazu (PDP) of Abia State, Gov Ben Ayade (PDP) of Cross Rivers State, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan (GEJ), Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ), Mr. Anyim Pius Anyim, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina. Other international leaders include: Mr. Emeka Anyaoku (Former Common Wealth Secretary General), president of the following countries; Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Republic of Benin, Guinea Conakry; leaders of other countries too poured in tributes from Japan, Congo, Libya, Mauritania etc.
In conclusion, another person who said he knows the Bolaji said, “The author is typical of his ilk: small-minded, socially insecure, malicious and seething with the resentment.
“He always say crap things, we used to be in the same platform, he was chased out and due to his treachery he was been lock up at a police station by Chief Kenny Martins on the allegation of cheap blackmail.”
Therefore, I conclude that if the basis of his charge of treachery is that Chief FFK is not, in addition to opposing their politics, an enemy of every Northerner in government, then he is exceedingly emotionally and mentally immature, and excels only in the cheap score.
TRIBUTE FROM TWO PDP GOVERNORS
I will not end this essay without quoting just two of the tributes from two PDP Governors. Before you say it’s not true, check Femi Adesina’s Facebook page, I copied the following from his Facebook
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In his tribute to late Abba Kyari, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River said,
“We have lost a great statesman, a consummate professional, and an exceptionally brilliant mind. Our nation has lost one of its best,” the governor said in a statement.
According to him, Kyari was a patriotic statesman who was diligent and meticulous, uncommonly accommodating, and a great listener who was ever receptive to anyone who came across him.
“My heart and prayers are with the family at this very difficult moment. I pray for the repose of Mallam Kyari’s soul,” Governor Ayade added.
On his part, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, sent condolences to the President on behalf of the government and people of the state.
He said the demise of a loved one such as a trusted aide can be devastating, noting that death was an inevitable end for which mankind must prepare at all times.
Governor Ortom also extended his sympathies to the Kyari family and prayed that God would grant the late Chief of Staff eternal rest.
*Rev. Olorunmagba is Public Affairs Commentator.
