“E ma dami duro, emi omo baba olowo, ewo won, won fe dami duro, emi omo baba olowo”
That was the song of the Nigerian music prodigy; David Adeleke aka Davido. Permit me first to interpret the chorus “ Emi omo baba olowo”; “I, the son of a rich father”.
I had an opportunity to see live rehearsal of Davido & his producer, Seyi Akerele aka shizzy at the 2015 Nigerian Entertainment Conference organized by the NET newspaper & Black house Media, thanks to the pacesetting Ayeni Adekunle. In the gathering were the crème de la crème of the entertainment industry. The 20yr old Davido then had just finished writing his last undergraduate papers, before coming down to the session which was tagged “music on steroids”. To me, in Davido I saw a young man, so confident and proud that he’s not just a rich dude, but the son of a rich dad, he feels & breathe in ambience of opulence & surplus.Thus he fears no poverty or economic higgledy-piggledy.I wonder if he would believe entering his father’s house one day, only to hear that there is no money. He could cook, wax and promote his songs to any length, he fears no hindrances, he trusted his rich family management under the leadership of his rich dad, Mr. Adeleke, to keep the family purse. Such a person like Davido could campaign far and wide promising heaven and paradise with utmost assurance that he could give open cheque any time.
However, how sorry would Davido had been if after promising his fans and bragged to provide succor to all, only to find out that the house of wealth & splendor has been demolished by a dullard. The dullard did not just rape the Adelekes’ financial palace, he actually watched them rape & squander it. What story would he tell his fans? What is the way forward? It is his financial ingenuity, economic sagacity, integrity per excellence & excellent interpersonal communication and relationship that would make him reassure his fanatic followers and patriotic fans of his unwavering determination to still fulfill his promise.
The Similitude of Omo Baba Olowo, David Adeleke is the present situation in which president Muhammadu Buhari found himself.He is not just Omo baba Olowo, but Baba Olowo of Nigeria (Olowo – leader). This was a man who was the head of state of a very rich nation like Nigeria more than 30 years ago after which every sensible person would expect such a nation to have grown financially & economically in gallant style and notwithstanding the mismanagement, corrupt
and misfit leadership, a modicum of humanity, morality and conscience would have been expected of any would be economic rapist and allies. Ironically, its dejavu for Buhari, he’s face to face with what he faced in 1983. With all his preparation and sincerity to steer the wheel of the giant of Africa back to greatness, there seem to be a cog in his wheel. Who are those that want to da BABA duro? Who dey dull baba na?
PMB campaigned far and wide Nigeria, made a lot of promises and some were made on his behalf.He however hinged his promises on the tripod stand of “Security, Anti-corruption & Economic Recovery”
On Security, this Baba olowo Nigeria has a pass mark from me, having managed the military,the fight against boko haram had seen remarkable progress. I was stunned and actually raised alarm when the immediate past administration budgeted One trillion naira for security in 2014. I opined that the fight against BOKO haram has become a mass economic enterprise for those in the corridors of power.How cannibalistic could some men have been, whilst thousands were being bombed and dislocated, billions of naira were going into some private pockets. Look not too far for vampires, those are our own vampires. This is the challenge and task before Baba Olowo Buhari.
On corruption, it has been a very good fight from all fronts. The greatest fight against corruption is building strong institutions. The fact remains that the house has been destroyed,the financial virginity of the nation deflowered.It was a gang rape more than three-some. It’s multiple-some economic orgy done on our common purse as a nation.
According to Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, the Nigerian Economy is a 100 trillion naira economy. Surely Nigeria is rich and still rich in its human, intellectual & natural resources, the task is to annex them.
President Buhari fight against corruption would not end. He has been able to recover and save some money, another kudos to him. However the economy must bounce back. Those recovered resources should be immediately used to fulfill almost all his promises if not all, as the time is ticking away.PMB’s political party APC had started with bad politics of getting parliamentary officers, forgetting the fact that good politics begets good economy, and bad politics begets bad economy. PMB as a lone ranger has a date with posterity like the late MKO was reported to have said “I’ll fight for mandate till the last so no one comes in the future to say you are fighting for what even MKO couldn’t get”. Majority of the masses are of the belief if Buhari fails, then who else could fix this nation that’s bereft of many men of virtue and integrity in its leadership circus.
Surely Buhari must take a cue from the pride and confidence (not arrogance) of the innocent & youthful Omo Baba Olowo to win back his followers by fulfilling all his promises to them with strong personal conviction to remain unstoppable.
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