The Wolves and the Lamb Politics by some Leaders in Ówó, Ondo State

By Comrade Olabode Akinwale

RECENTLY, some self – acclaimed leaders of the beautiful and historic kingdom of Ówó in Ondo State tried to reenact again “The Wolf and the Lamb” ancient story that featured anthropomorphized animals designed to teach specific moral lessons.

In that story put together by David C. Noonan in his book Aesop & the CEO, Noonan narrated how a wolf stopped to drink from a brook and saw a lamb just downstream.
The wolf began to drool.

I’ll need to come up with a good reason to gobble up this innocent creature that’s done me no harm, he thought.

The wolf shouted over to the lamb; “How dare you muddy the water while I’m trying to get a drink! ”
The lamb meakly replied, ” How can that be? I’m downstream of you. ”

“Are you calling me a liar?” The wolf snarled.
“In fact, I think someone told me you were spreading lies about me last year.”

The lamb began to shake and said, “That couldn’t be, because I wasn’t even born a year ago.”

“Then it must have been your father which amounts to the same insult,” the wolf growled as he pounced on the lamb and ate him.

The import of the above fable is that tyrants will always lap up any excuse no matter how pedestrian to demonize their victim.

Such was the purpose of a write up by one Wale Obanigba, Esq tittled: “A Call for Caution in Ówó’s Political Space.”

Although, the write up tried to demonize its target, but all the attempt fell flat on its face.

Lawyers who are genuine are not expected to base their argument or write ups on inadmissible and unreliable hearsay or unsubstantiated claims.

Now to the Crux of the matter.

Politics in Ówó kingdom is as old and as vibrant as politics in Nigeria.

After Nigeria’s Independence in 1960, Ówó politics became part of regional and national party systems.

The Kingdom was influenced by the politics of the old Western Region, especially movements linked to late Obafemi Awolowo and Adekunle Ajasin.

Fast forward to the Fourth Republic.

Ówó’s Fourth Republic politics has been elite – driven, personality – based, and increasingly influential, especially since producing an Executive Governor within the Republic.

And since CHANGE is the only constant thing in life, a new Sheriff is now the Executive Governor of Ondo State.

Unfortunately, however, some of the past power brokers and mongers who were more or less leeches could not bring themselves to term with the new realities.

These set of political warlords are those that are trying to pollute the political waters of Ówó kingdom.

It is some of these dramatis personae that wrote a petition letter to the All Progressive Party (APC) Headquarters in Abuja alleging that the present Honourable Commissioner for Finance of Ondo State – Mrs Ómówumi Isaac has hijacked the APC structures in Ówó kingdom and many other trumped up accusations.

In the wisdom of APC Secretariat, the petition letter was forwarded to the Nigerian Police Headquarters and the Police promptly responded by inviting all the petitioners that signed the letter to Abuja for clarification and more information.

The APC Secretariat in Abuja also queried part of the petition that accused the Honourable Commissioner of hijacking the party structure when the woman is just a government appointee and not a full fledged politician.

The laughable petition that also lacked locus standi was thrown back at the self aggrandized politicians who lacked the basic grassroot ingredients needed to “own or control” any political party structure.

The shout of wolf where none exist by these new set of political usurpers is a futile attempt at transferring aggression to the convenient target within reach.

The dates and appointment being kept by the petitioners at Abuja is the reward of the poorly thought out and misplaced aggression against an innocent woman who has refused to be distracted from delivering on the assignment given to her as an appointee of the state Governor.

The Honourable Commissioner has lost count of petition letters from these same set of people and or their proxies most of which are frivolous in a bid to pull the woman down.

Since lawyers are not just to collect money from clients to appear or write on their behalf, they are also to properly guide their clients away from foolhardiness.

The big question then is: what efforts has Wale Obanigba put up in stopping his “clients” from raising false accusations and mischievous petition against an innocent soul?

The last petition letter in question did not just get to APC Secretariat and the Police, the petition was published in two national newspapers in order to destabilize, disparage and soil the reputation of the Honourable Commissioner!

Obanigba therefore must be in the dark if he is unaware of all the shenanigans of his adopted clients.

Chasing shadows and professional ineptitude can be disastrous if immediate care is not taken.

Comrade Olabode Akinwale writes from Akure, Ondo State.