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Wolf in sheep’s clothing: Oga Adeyemi and Madam Tinubu in the spotlight

Joseph Adeiye
Point Blank

IF you have been on Twitter in the past few days you must have witnessed and even partook in the bashing of Oluremi Tinubu who represents Lagos Central senatorial district. The censure of Senator Tinubu must have been so immense considering how the reactions reached those of us who were absent from Twitter through other media.

Radio and Television reported the vitriol of Nigerians in response to the Lagos senator who questioned her colleague’s loyalty to their party in the middle of a debate in the Senate House. Smart Adeyemi, the senator from the Kogi West Senatorial district, was delivering a heartfelt oration against the federal government’s fumbling efforts to curb endemic insecurity in the country when Remi Tinubu interrupted him with her question of loyalty. 

 

Smart & Remi
It is easy to get carried away with the sensationalism of the whole matter as reported by the media and the rebuttals, but it will profit us if we take a look at the implications of what Senator Remi Tinubu said.
In her opinion, only the opposition is expected to oppose the APC led government. Perhaps she also believes that the federal government is already doing its utmost best, perhaps the status quo is not as bad as the media has made it seem. In reality, the country has seen a soaring increase in criminal activities. The Boko  Haram insurgency is still ravaging the North, banditry has become a major concern in the South East, and kidnapping is thriving like a million dollar startup with branches across all states of the federation. Governor Sani Bello of Niger state reported on Monday that Boko  Haram has already hoisted its flag in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state. On the same Monday, there were almost a dozen separate incidents of kidnappings and killings reported in the news. Boko  Haram have already become next-door neighbours to the Federal Capital Territory and we have reached an all-time low in security. So, many would agree with Senator Adeyemi when he says “This is the worst instability we are facing. In fact, this is worse than the civil war”.
We can make a case for Adeyemi, likewise, we can make a case against. The civil war was the worst experience for Igbos but it was not experienced by the South West and the North who were proponents of that war too. There are many ways to object to Smart Adeyemi’s statement, but Remi Tinubu chose to ask him: “Are you in PDP (Peoples Democratic Party)? Are you a wolf in sheep’s clothing?” 

Senator Adeyemi might well be a wolf in sheep’s clothing; politicians are notoriously known to be in an eternal game of scheming to secure their personal interests. We cannot trust his tears in the chambers of the National Assembly alone. For when a grown Nigerian man of his generation sheds tears in front of a camera, he has either been personally affected or he wants you to be personally affected. A politician employing sentimentality, even with matters of serious consequences, to score a few more popularity points from the people is a well-utilized trick in the book. Whatever Smart Adeyemi’s true intentions are, we can still focus on finding a solution to this national challenge which he has not denied.

However, Oluremi Tinubu has revealed her position already. Without disguise, her loyalty to the All Progressives Congress and her political interests comes before her service to the Nigerian citizen. The likes of Remi Tinubu, protected in their cocoon of political elitism, will not cry or sweat for those who they promised and swore to serve even as we die by the hundred. They will not toil to set things right in this country, they will not take up the full responsibility of public office.

Nigeria’s problems are not insurmountable neither are our public officials all mentally retarded or dumb, the willingness to serve Nigeria in truth is simply absent. Our so-called representatives are more interested in amassing illicit wealth and power, they would rather leave Nigeria in flames than halt partisan politicking in government just for a moment.