The governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, finally joins the long list of Nigerian pantheon who read their obituary on the pages of newspapers or the internet, after he was rumoured to have died twice in the last couple of months.
Prominent amongst this list is the late sage, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, a man who was recorded to have died severally to the extent that people referred to him as the cat with nine lives. Zik did not die until he was very old. Next, was the ex-President Muhammadu Buhari who was reported to have died and buried in London. The report was so bizarre that the propagandists literally swore that the he man or clone who ruled Nigeria in the last six years of Buhari’s regime was a certain Jibril from Sudan. The argument gained so much currency that it almost tore Nigeria into shreds. However, it’s gratifying that Buhari is enjoying his retirement at his Daura home, full of life..
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was not spared in the game of mockery that you find in our social palace. He was also demonized and dehumanized emotionally during the election campaigns because he carried out a surgery on his knees.
He was called all sort of names, including some people who have taken blackmailing as a trade, describing him as too old and weak to rule Nigeria, saying he was suffering from dementia and Parkinson diseases. Tinubu did not die after all but waxing stronger and stronger by the day. He could even compete at any sprint event, while still recuperating and recovering from the kneecap surgery he did last year.
Other Nigerians on the list include veteran actor Olu Jacobs who, in the wild imagination of the evil ones has died so many times while the case of raving gospel singer, Yinka Aiyefele was widely reorted too. Kanayo O Kanayo.also had his own time in the internet rumour mill.
These are great Nigerians whose deaths were announced by riff-raffs and faceless bloggers on Facebook utterly oblivious of what the great literary writer, William Shakespeare who in Julius Caesar said about the nobles when he wrote: “When beggars die, there are no comets seen; but the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.
My worry about the Akeredolu rumoured death is the fact that my state, Ondo State, noted to be the hub of men of integrity suddenly degenerated to the base of the dirtiest mud ever. Here is a state that produced political icon Adekunle Ajasin, Pa Rueben Fasoranti, Bishop Emmanuel Gbonigi, Olu Falae, Dr Segun Agagu and many notable Omoluwabis in the state. And, now, this swirling cacophony about Akeredolu’s health.
The question that come to my mind is Who is afraid of Akeredolu? Or who wants Akeredolu dead? Even if Akeredolu is dead (God forbid) it will never be the internet that will announce it.
Ironically, Nigerians are so religious and prayerful but when you compare the way they mock fellow human beings whenever any sickness comes knocking to any highly placed public official is what I can’t explain.
But thank God for who He is. He is no man that anyone can mock. Our God is not a politician and he will never be till thy kingdom comes. And nobody can play God in the affairs of men. Only Him knows time and purpose for His creature to come home. Not the bogus politicians who want power at all costs. Or the faceless internet bloggers.
Let me say this that as human beings, we all have our health challenges, even including our doctors and health workers. Nobody, created by God, is above health challenges. But in the event that one falls sick and some people make mockery of him is nothing but the height of evil against God and humanity.
The situation where some people have turned the sickness of Governor of Ondo State to another propaganda machine in the state is disturbing. Rather than support him and his family with ceaseless prayers, these devil’s workshop have their gaze on the public treasury and paraphernalia of the office. So, the best these morally bankrupt.fellows could do is to wish him dead. This is abomination and can only come from people without fear of God.
Don’t we all fall sick in our individual homes and get better later, after receiving the right medical attention? What is wrong if Arakunrin is sick like any other mortal and needed to attend to his health challenge? Will he be the first person to be sick while in public office? Will he be the last?
Let me say this with all emphasis that Akeredolu will not die as Jesus said concerning Lazarus in the Bible that his illness was to add to the glory of God. And that was exactly what happened as Lazarus rose from the grave after four days. I make bold to say that Akeredolu will recover and resume to continue his good work in Ondo State.He has an unfinished business in the state and he will complete his assignment by His Grace.
Also, the political bickering amongst the state cabinet members has attained intolerable dimension and shouldn’t be allowed to tear the state apart. To some of our brothers and sisters who see politics as more precious than life and soul of the State, my appeal to you all is to ‘ calm down. Yes, as a matter of right you are free to aspire, but it should be done with decorum especially with the mood of the state..
If there is peace in the state, we have enough time and space to play our politics but if by our actions and inactions, the fragile peace is disrupted, we may not have a place to play politics again.
This is my sermon to my kith and kin in Ondo State.
.Otunba Sola Olatunji, Chairman, Ikale Heritage Development Association, IHDA, writes from Lagos
