The Power and the Faith

Olu Obafemi.People of discerning mind in this nation have always counseled that we separate matters of religion from those of politics; the material from the spiritual; the physical from the ineffable. This caution, rational as it always is, has constantly fallen on deaf ears. Politicians at all levels continue to seek the support, approval and […]

Olu Obafemi.
People of discerning mind in this nation have always counseled that we separate matters of religion from those of politics; the material from the spiritual; the physical from the ineffable. This caution, rational as it always is, has constantly fallen on deaf ears. Politicians at all levels continue to seek the support, approval and mediation of the clergy and the Imams in their bid and obsessive search for power. Hence, the Clergies take absolute liberty, not only to make positive or negative predictions, depending on what side of the divide their ‘divine’ pendulum swings, but they enjoy limitless and captivating influence on their captives in power. The story makes the round (and some swear that theycan name names of the numerous Marabouts, Dibias, Aafas, Alufas, Priests, Reverends, Overseers, Mallams, and so on, that have moved their churches, mosques and other spiritual warehouses to their homes, offices, private guest houses of very powerful men (and women?) of politics who are in power and/or who intend to be in power; all bills paid and quantum of money shifted to their bank accounts. Remember the story of the medicine man who directed a powerful man in the South to go and set ablaze millions of naira if he hoped, as he did, to retain his power or get it renewed. The outcome of that story is veritable history. The sad thing is that the inordinate nudge and ambition to acquire and keep political and economic power blocks the ear and swoons the mind of these victims in power and they never learn from the lessons of history. Don’t get me wrong. This is not a Nigerian affair at all. Many African men of power along the West African coast and beyond participate in this faith trade– keeping Marabouts, Elebolooguns, Dibias and clergymen as bedfellows; funding them to opulent and drowning levels to receive assurances of power conquest, victory at the polls and survival in political offices in perpetuity. Another dimension of this game of power people and power seekers of purchasing the hearts of the spiritual people and compromise them has been extended, quite generously, to the palaces of traditional rulers. It used to go in the manner of awarding fat contracts to the business-minded ones among these ‘demi-gods’ (Alase Ekeji Orisa, Igwes, Ogbuefis, Emirs and their  titular equivalents in traditions and languages, describing these occupants of traditional stools and institutions as second-in-command –to- God. These contracts, because of the reasons for their awards, are hardly meant to be executed or completed. What needs to be executed as the ultimate purpose of the award , is for these ‘rulers’ to ensure that the votes are secured in the Obas’/Emirs’/Obis’ domains to the awarding authority in power or in aspiring positions.
Nowadays, these less covert ways of perverting the morality and ethical rectitude of the traditional rulers has yielded spacey to direct distribution of resources to their royal palaces. It is now the responsibility, through budgetary allocations, to distribute amenities to their royal highnesses—official cars from the stat houses, council offices, campaign offices of power-seekers for other positions like the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly. Sure, these royal monarchs are entitled to being taken care of by their ‘subjects’ in power or about to be in power. They should not just be expected to give their royal blessings without any returns. After all, teachers, who are conventionally or traditionally expected to reap their rewards in heaven are vigorously resisting that suspended reward process,  post-dated to extra-terrestrial times. They are  asking, quite rightly, insync with the distribution patterns in vogue on the land, that their reward be given to them here and now. Why then should these custodians of the people’s traditions not be given their own largesse and comforting gifts by their loyal subjects in power, especially nowadays when they no longer possess constitutional duties or positions as it used to be in the past when they were taken care  of in the House of Chiefs  and Emirate Councils. The only problem here is that many of them are led to attribute this life-giving succour from the power-that-be as an exchange for their political neutrality; as a hand-tying instrument at election times.
To be continued.