Ofone: Obaseki’s Politics of Hubris
Every student of Literature in English must have come across the literary device or concept of ‘hubris’ which is a key aspect of the Classical Tragedy. Or in the Children’s Literature, which is also another distinct genre of literature, particularly under Greek mythologies, we were regaled with the classic, magic, moral and interesting tales of how some mythological figures, notably, Icarus, Sisyphus, Niobe, among others, were consumed by the blazing fire of their own arrogance! Literature, indeed, is the mirror of society!
For instance, in Greek mythology, Icarus was the son of inventor Daedalus. The story goes that Icarus and his father Daedalus were imprisoned, so in an attempt to escape from the tower, Daedalus, being a skilled craftsman, decided to build two wings for himself and his son. After creating the wings, Daedalus clearly and sternly warned his son Icarus to fly carefully. If Icarus were to fly too low, Daedalus warned, the spray from the sea would wet the feathers of his wings. Also, if he flew too high, the sun’s ray would melt the wax, and Icarus would fall into the sea and die! His father’s instruction is simple: be obedient and humble. Sadly, while flying, Icarus became giddy with extreme excitement, and he flew too close to the sun as against his father’s warning and his wings melted. So, he fell into the sea and he drowned. Unfortunately, his father was powerless to help him!
And what happened in the last gubernatorial election held on the 21st of September, 2024, in Edo is full of the reminiscence of many similar historical rhythms, especially as we were taught in the Children’s Literature. Godwin Obaseki, just like the mythological Icarus, fell into a deep political sea and drowned. Similarly, just as Icarus’s father was powerless to save him, so were Obaseki’s many friends. But Icarus and Obaseki have a common enemy: hubris. Or simply call it arrogance!
After he was pushed from the APC in June 2020 in the build-up to his second tenure, Obaseki was formally welcomed into the PDP, and he eventually won his second tenure under the same platform. Ironically, Obaseki became the peacock of Edo politics. He listened to no one, and he fought everyone, especially the bridges on which he climbed to his second tenure. He wore the belittling badge of his ingratitude with pride.
Obaseki turned democracy to autocracy; he became an absolutist revanchist, plotting to eliminate friends and political enemies. Three years after winning election, 14 members of the Edo State House of Assembly were denied inauguration and swearing-in. ‘The lawmakers-elect who are members of the opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress were not sworn in because they were said to be loyalists of a former governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole, who at that time had fallen out with Obaseki, his erstwhile political godson,’ The Punch Newspaper reported on the 27th February, 2022.
Obaseki treated his deputy Philip Shaibu with withering contempt and haughty disdain. Obaseki made a dramatic descent into anarchy and dictatorship, leading to his orchestration of Shaibu’s impeachment. ‘He [Shaibu] was impeached during the House’s plenary session in Benin City, the Edo State capital in a move that began months ago following the soured relationship between Obaseki and Shaibu,’ Channels Television reported.
The Edo PDP became a theatre of unending drama. Intense intra-party rancour ravaged the party and the party apparatchiks rioted against themselves. The PDP under Obaseki has another PDP inside, such as the faction called the PDP Legacy. Obaseki betrayed Dan Orbih, the former National Vice Chairman, South-South of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and other key political actors like Anslem Ojezua. He betrayed Nyesom Wike, whose strong backing he enjoyed and got the party’s ticket in 2020. He undermined the Benin Traditional institution, and derided the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, HRM Ewuare II, like a dead wood! Obaseki has no respect for revered royalty, but he has now been reduced to a crumbling heap of rubble.
Funnily, after he ruined his strong political relationships with many people, Obaseki has brought Asue Ighodalo to succeed him. Oh, what a smart man! He wants to have his cake and eat it, too. But politics is not Nollywood. Even in Nollywood, it’s not always so. You must reap what you sow. After the voting ended, and the collation of results started, he entered one of the collation centres, and he was disgracefully chased away. Before then, we saw a video of the PDP jubilating and laughing in their situation room. Many people thought Obaseki already had the last laugh, but that wasn’t the last laugh. The laugh was rather the last epitaph of his political dynasty. He was intoxicated by his own hubris, but he failed to wake up on time. You know, whoever the gods want to kill, they first make him deaf. If Ighodalo had won, Obaseki would’ve embarked on another political pilgrimage through him, but it turned out to be a political miscarriage. Obaseki organised festivals, but he witnessed his own funeral while he was still alive. And I screamed ‘Ofone:’ It Is Finished!
Sule Abubakar Lucky Mark,
Writer and Sociologist.
Email: suleabubakarmark1111@gmail.com
28/09/2024.