Ajimobi, Seyi Makinde and the Absence of Ubuntu – Ali Smart

Ajimobi, Seyi Makinde and the Absence of Ubuntu.

Sorry to day this: Nigeria is a hypocritical society. This expression isn’t a mere fabrication shrouded in the smoky screen of regrets and fear; it is the obvious truth. And if the conscience of many, especially the younger generation, have failed them; I won’t join them in the shenanigans. I won’t be part of the sensational hypocrisy anchored on partisan politics and expressive bitterness for fellow men. Anytime any day, I will always choose ubuntu over morality and counter morality arguments.

The damning truth is: when God created the first man; it infused in him the spirit of ubuntu (compassion) so he could muster the ability the love; so he could develop human feelings to feel the pain of another; so he could choose Ubuntu over selfishness. Such was the philosophy behind the multiplicity of men on earth. Can anyone imagine how feasible generational transitioning would be if the first man, as reported in the scriptures, Adam, couldn’t have the ability to love a fellow man? Would Adam have fallen for Eve? Would they have copulated to produce their two sons?

Another truth is: ubuntu (compassion) is a creation of the divine while politics is a creation of men. So we can’t afford to intertwine the both to produce excuses for atrocities, immorality, self centeredness, etc. Judging from the history of creation, compassion is an intrinsic value that was imbued in every man born of a woman. Main reason why every man is capable of expressing love and emotions unless they choose to do otherwise. Politics, on the hand, is a masterwork of men originally engineered to earn hegemony across divides. In other words, politics and compassion are no Siamese twins of common parentage.

To narrow down the argument to fit perfectly into the “Nigeria” narratives, the stream of compassion has stopped tiding in the heart of many Nigerians. This damning situation has forced many to truncate the reality that they are human. They are always inclined to argue politics and written laws to justify absence of conscience and empathy. They have permanently forgotten politics is a creation of men and law is made for man (and not otherwise).

At the moment, the ultimate news flowing around was the news on the death of Ajimobi – a former Governor of Oyo State. Since the News was broken to the general public, some rather disappointing comments have been flying in the air about the deceased. Many have quickly forgotten that he was a fellow man and he had blood of imperfection running in him. He couldn’t be infallible just like every other person. Although he gaffed many times; but he also had his good sides. That’s not far from the truth!

However, the most shocking revelation that followed the death of the former Governor was the accusation that was levied against Oyo State Governor by the deceased’s wife. The former Governor’s widow alleged that the incumbent Governor purportedly failed to pay condolence visit nor sent messages throughout their trying times. This revelation was contained in a video being circulated across the internet. Was the governor’s lackadaisical attitude good enough?

Now the arguments set in: did paying condolence visit to the deceased (former Government) while on sick bed the morally upright thing to do by the incumbent? Is difference in political camp a reasonable ground not to show any form of compassion throughout the deceased trying period till the point of death? Are people contriving the sophistry that the incumbent government wasn’t bound to show empathy logical with their arguments? Is failure to show empathy appropriate considering the fact that the deceased served the State for eight years? Should self created principles outweigh the rhetorics of morality? I think we need to argue these!

Ali Smart

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