One of the beauties of Democracy is freedom of expression. The liberty to communicate how you see things. Your opinion may not count but you are entitled to it!
Many centuries ago, the world was tied down to the Monarchical system of Government, wherein power was absolutely within the grip and control of one person; the King or the Queen. Authorities without the checks of a constitution on what they do. Though there were laws, but kings cannot err in law, if they do as humans that they are, their errors are automatically accommodated as laws. In the old Persian Kingdom, laws could be changed for flimsiness of a bad dream by the king without consultation. For sadness of countenance, a cupbearer could be beheaded. That was the judgement Nehemiah deserved but grace found with God in the place of Judgement became favour with the King.
The one who should say behead him for his sadness of countenance, opened his mouth under divine influence and said, of what, do you make request? That moment of favour became the nucleus of all achievements that Nehemiah will make out of his entire life. John the Baptist wasn’t that lucky, for destiny chose his path. He became the victim of the power of the throne that no one should question. Nehemiah or John, divine script of life will play out as written.
Many Johns are living like Nehemiah and ending up in death. And many Nehemiahs are confrontational like John and are ending with favour. May your script of life not be hidden from you in the mighty name of Yeshua!
John’s head was put on the platter as a laurel for the best dancer who hid behind the oath of the throne to ask for anything as a gift for the impression she made on the king.
The world had a fair share of this trend, nowhere but Africa experienced the philosophy of absolute power, essentially captured by the Yoruba nation in the word “ka bi o o si” shortened to Kabiyesi, a pronouncement that when made is to remind the one on the throne of his absoluteness and a proof of submission to the same by those chanting it. This is what the world has over time evolved from. And we can’t afford to go back to the same nor decorate today’s bearers of powers with such beastly exercise of it without control, that has kept animals separated from humans. Of course, both man and animals are dwellers of kingdom, but something defines and differentiates the animal kingdom from the human kingdom. Power without control and power with control.
The balance of power for the purpose of control is what makes democracy the best form of Government in human civilisation.
Please, let us not be confused about the purpose of power in a democracy. It is not for development in the context of infrastructure as we easily submit; hence, North Korea would be more desirable than Nigeria.
The hallmark of Democracy is the calling of its leaders to stewardship! They are leaders called to serve the people. This meaning and the dynamics of its understanding is key for us to having a rewarding, dividend-delivering democratic system.
Democracy is an amusement of human intelligence to subdue brute power. It’s like the stripping of power, to tame it and refine it to the benefits of humanity. Broken down into 3 arms, was simply not just enough, a section of the society was bestowed the honour of the fourth realms, professionals whose calling is to speak truth to power and report the people in power to the people in whose mandate they hold power in trust. This realms largely is where democracy has failed us in Africa, due to the desires of men and women of the fourth estate of the Realms to partake of the crumbs falling from the tables of those in power.
Democracy, a government of the people by the people for the people is premised upon the dynamics of choice, that gives power to the majority and control of that power to the minority through a concept called opposition. Better explained in the relationship between the wheel and the brake system. The purpose of the wheel is speed whilst the function of the brake system is to slow speed and halt it where necessary. Envisaging the failure of the fourth realm, in its wisdom, democracy fashioned the opposition. Whence the majority decision is having their way running with power, Minority opinion will have their say to put checks on power.
This my elementary lecture in political science became necessary because of my perception by friends so dear, men I prayed never to lose in my present “confused conviction” of Apostolic and Nation Building mandate.
In Igbole Ekiti home town of Pastor Olaitan Aromolaran and birth place of Ven Blessing Ajayi, whom we joined to give his mother the last respect. Pastor Light, as we often call Pastor Olaitan noticing that a fan on the ceiling of St Saviour Anglican Church where the service held was not working, turned to me in his usual humourous way to say I hope you won’t go back to Lagos and write that Tinubu is the reason the fan here is not working? Dear readers, is that truly how bad it is?
My closest ally and a man with whom resides my respect; Bishop Joseph Ighalo Edoro, wrote me a note after reading my piece of Tinubu’s Disappearance… his many counsels were golden, hidden in it is a line I will like to share here, “no matter what, he is still YOUR PRESIDENT” (emphasis mine). To this friends and many like them that I treasure is the reason for this clarification of my intention. Though a rejoinder to other opinions and perception by pro Asiwaju media, one among them believes I hate the President and his government, truth is my love for the nation and Mr President supercedes that of many of his apologists. A media surrogate of Mr President described me as the Bolaji Akinyemi who is always insulting the President.
Insulting the President for standing up for Nigeria!
To many who have left me to myself unlike Pastor Olaitan Aromolaran and Bishop Joseph Ighalo Edoro, I have become enemies of friends and social reject among ministers of God who don’t have the gut to counsel me but are ignorantly misinterpreting the Bible in the context of civilisation and Democracy.
Rom 13:1 KJV Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
If you will allow me to interpret that verse in pyramid structure or what is called organisational structure in administrative study.
God will be at the peak of the pyramid, next to him will be the constitution of nations to which leaders of the 3 arms must defer individually and then collectively, drawing inspiration from the spiritual representation of the offices they hold.
Isa 33:22 KJV For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.
The Lord is firstly our Judge, the judiciary to whom all men must submit. The greatest damage to our democracy is the immunity to law never intended for any mortal according to this verse that we offer their offices.
His judgement of us must be by the law he gives, so the Lord is our Lawgiver, confirming the Legislative arm of Government as a duty to God and humanity. The verse finally started; “the Lord is our King who will save us! Whao! A king without respect for the Judiciary and reference for the Legislature can’t save the people.
Same Lord, our Judge, Lawgiver and King that is the extent of cooperation intended by democracy. Not the collective agreement to pad budget and individual scheming to out do each other at looting the treasury.
Next in line under them is the fourth realm, men who are neither answerable to power or the people but to God through their consciences. Unfortunately many with dead consciences are in the practice of the noble calling of the Scribes.
To understand the concept of Democracy as put forth in the scripture is to accept the fact of life that democracy is not failing us rather we are the ones whose ignorance is failing democracy.
This is not in any way to crave superiority of knowledge or any social importance for myself, but obviously, the article; Tinubu’s Disappearance: Shettima stranded! Nigeria is on autopilot, has forced words out of the Presidency. This for me is a moment of national honour, undeserving of an academic literate that I am.
Though he had made a post on his social media handles on the 29th of April 2024. Temitope Adeniyi came to town with; takeaways from President Tinubu’s trip to Riyadh and Hague, he did by tweaking his earlier post into an article, posted and circulated on Whatsapp recently, but was it an article? No! That is the option left for the institution because it was belated, the need to put the Presidency on its toes is our collective duty. Note please, not just Mr President, but the institution accommodating his presidency.
Soldiers come soldiers go, but barracks will remain. That Nigeria philosophy applies! His presidency will come and go, but The Presidency will remain. While pledging myself to continuing criticism of Mr President in the interest of a better and greater Nigeria. Let me assure you that a platform of media interrogation of government and its activities that will focus more on the activities of the Presidency as an institution will hit the public soon.
Ayayi reported to us in his take away, the errands of our mandate given to Mr President to run as he wrote; “Like his previous travels where he had forcefully spoken, with admiration, on behalf of Nigeria or for West Africa as Chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of States and Governments and at the United Nations General Assembly and COP28 in Dubai, President Tinubu has not failed to use the available opportunity to send the right message to the world of the immense possibilities to do great things when the developed nations and global business leaders partner Africa, and Nigeria in particular; in a mutually beneficial way.
It was the same message of partnership, collaboration, investment opportunity, shared prosperity, and sustainability that he took to the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.
Both at The Hague where he met the Prime Minister, the Royal family and business leaders and in Riyadh, where he participated actively at the Special Meeting of the World Economic Forum, President Tinubu was regal in his carriage and convincing in appeal”.
Ajayi went further to list the takeaways;
“Here are the key takeaways from the trips:
Thursday, 25th of April, President Tinubu led the Nigerian delegation to the Nigeria-Netherlands Business and Investment Forum. He used the opportunity to reinforce the more robust economic and diplomatic ties between the two countries. He used the occasion to sell his Renewed Hope Agenda, harping on the favourable investment climate now in Nigeria and the reforms he has undertaken to promote a stronger and more resilient economy where businesses can thrive. In his call to action, he invited investors from the Netherlands to come and reap bountifully from any investment they make in Nigeria.
During his bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Mark Rutte at his official residence, President Tinubu was at his best element as a salesman. He told the PM of the abundant human and natural resources available in Nigeria, especially the energetic, enterprising, and resourceful young people who are breaking barriers and excelling across the world in their various fields. On his part, the Prime Minister said Dutch investors were ready for a fresh $250 million investment in Nigeria and another $100 million in a waste-to-wealth industrial facility in Lagos State.
At a high-level panel discussion at the World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, President Tinubu held his audience spellbound.
On the same panel, with President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, and the Managing Director of International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Geogieva, President Tinubu spoke on the imperatives of building global collaboration and cooperation to deal with some of the problems confronting humanity”.
What a joy to hear that our president shared a panel with leaders of nations and organisations that are inspiring the world. I hope the President also has “take backs” from his fellow panelists, ideas, running their estates of leadership, particularly from Paul Kagame through the Rwanda’s experience must come the need to tame the monster of religion and promote secularity of the Nigerian state.
The President, Ajayi reported; “called on the global community and more prosperous nations to pay more attention to Africa and the Sahel region of West Africa.
He said: “I am glad the world is recognising the need for cooperation and that with the type of population growth that Africa is experiencing, the diversity of its resources must be married with economic opportunity. We must collaborate to achieve that.
“We are encouraging the entire world to pay attention to the Sahel and the other countries around us. As the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, I have wielded the big influence of Nigeria to discourage all unconstitutional changes of government. Equally, we have eased the sanctions. We need to trade with one another, not fight each other. It is very necessary and compulsory for us to engender growth, stability, and economic prosperity for our people in West Africa.
“The rest of the world needs to look at the fundamentals of the problem; not just geopolitically, but at the root. Has the world paid attention to the poverty level in the Sahel and the rest of ECOWAS? Have they facilitated the infusion of capital and paid adequate attention to ensuring the exploration of resources and the creation of opportunities presented by the mineral resources available?
“Are we going to play a big-brother role in a talk shop without taking necessary action? We just have to be involved in the promotion and prosperity of that region in order to see peace, stability, and economic growth.”
Engagement with Moller-Maersk Delegation: A key highlight of the President’s participation at the WEF in Riyadh was a sideline meeting with Robert Maersk Uggla, Chairman of the Danish shipping and logistics giant, and his team. The meeting focused on the company’s existing business in Nigeria and the prospect of new investment to expand port infrastructure in Nigeria to accommodate bigger ships.
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, recently announced a $ 1 billion ports expansion and modernisation programme to take care of dilapidated infrastructure at the Western and Eastern seaports. President Tinubu welcomed the genuine interest of AP Moller-Maersk in Nigeria and the company’s willingness to make new investments. He expressed his appreciation to the Chairman for his company’s contribution to Nigeria’s economy over time, assuring him that Nigeria and his government would not take the country’s partners for granted”.
Thqaqqe footnotes to the article describes Ajayi as the Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity.
If the media had reported President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s trips adequately; would there have been any need for Ajayi’s belated synopsis of an article? The media is not just failing us, they are also failing Mr President.
Let me on behalf of Nigerians thank Mr President for errands so effectively ran and to Ajayi I give the appreciation of his information. However, where is our President?
In a statement released 9 hours ago by the Presidency through the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Chief Bayo Onanuga, the impression was given that our President is back. I don’t know if you have seen a video of Mr President’s returning home, but I haven’t. I grew up seeing Leaders waving at us when returning to the country. This tradition should be sustained for a President doing so much for our children. I would still love to see the President waving at my grand daughter’s generation. May, I because of them ask, where is our President!
For those who don’t know the difference between an insult and inquiring, it is insulting for me to ask Mrs Remi Tinubu, “where is your husband” and expect that she is under obligation to tell me; I congratulate the first family, Lady Remi Tinubu and the President children and grandchildren for the safe return of their husband, father and grandfather but it is within my right as a citizen to ask the Presidency, where is MY PRESIDENT?
The President’s trip was scheduled for just 2 days, but he wasn’t seen back ten days after, was I wrong to ask the Presidency for his whereabouts!
Now that Onanuga has informed us that our President is back ten days after the official period of the trip has elapsed? And the President is back without us sighting him, shouldn’t I again, ask the Presidency on your behalf, where is our President?
For those who are quick to quote the Bible and call me to duty of prayer for our leaders. Please, primarily your duty is to pray for all men which includes me and then graduate to pray for your leaders of which President Tinubu is central in the context of our Nation Nigeria! Men not prayed for are dangerous as leaders. Hitler was first a man before he became a leader, had the world prayed for him when he was just a man, the world could not had experienced the Holocaust that is the trauma of the Jews fanning intolerance which is prevalent at Gaza and threatening Global Peace. When men without prayers become leaders the duty of everyone around is to WATCH and pray. Since all you want to do is pray. Please, leave me to the obedience to God of WATCHING and praying.
Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi is an Apostle and Nation Builder. He’s also President Voice of His Word Ministries and Convener Apostolic Round Table. BoT Chairman, Project Victory Call Initiative, AKA PVC Naija. He is a strategic Communicator and the C.E.O, Masterbuilder Communications.
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