On November 6, 2018, Governor Babajide Sanwoolu, made a stunning confession. He didn’t have to, but God got it off his chest. He had just become the governorship candidate of his ruling party. He had to “beat” an incumbent fellow party-man, AkinwunmiAmbode, for the ticket and things got a bit nasty and trashy. Sanwoolu, or more like Asiwaju Bola Tinubu prevailed and because Ambode lobbed a very dirty one about mental illness and certain files at Gbagada General Hospital during an infamous media appearance, Sanwoolu had to do a media blitz, to scrub off the smear, from the outgoing governor.
In one of the engagements with the media, he said, “ “In 2015, I was lobbying to become Hamzat’s Chief of Staff when he ran for the Lagos governorship primary. We have been close friends now for 12 years or so and I totally trust him. Whatever God says will be, will be.”
As of the time of making this timeless revelation, Hamzat had already been nominated as his second calabash (deputy governorship candidate)! A friend will say, a bi e riOlorun (see God’s wonder) Old comic, Zebrudaya, alias 4.30, will say “wonderment”. Three years before, Sanwoolu was lobbying, which in plain language of politics, would mean, scheming, to be chief boi-boi, (or what is CoS beyond running governor’s errands, including the dubious), and it was likely that Hamzat didn’t even know he was scheming to be his chief servant, if he had beaten Ambode to the ticket then.
Three years after, it was Sanwoolu, now topping Hamzat, on a joint ticket, preaching the que sera sera (what will be will be) sermon. He was asking for a chicken wing, God decided to place a whole barbecued elephant on his lap, for brunch. Igbo, would say benevolent spirits, cracked his nuts.
God that sees the heart of all men, decided to make Sanwoolu the boss and Hamzat, the boi-boi. God is unquestionable and His ways atimes, may appear arbitrary, but the truth is, He sees what no man can see and knows what no man, knoweth. He must have seen something in Sanwoolu’s heart, to switch the desires of the duo. If Hamzat knew Sanwoolu wanted to work under him and still accepted to serve as his “extra tyre”, then it is either he has a greater agenda which he believed the office of number two, would serve in the long run, or he is simply what his media aide, Mr. TundeAlao, says he is; a simple man who sees nothing in life. If the latter is his attitude to life, then, it won’t be long before God will further decorate him. He is always looking for the humble to lift and the “foolish” to use, to dazzle the wise.
But He has also shown that unprofitable nobody, lifted into the palace, can be discarded. He deliberately blessed Ephraim, more than Manasseh, his older brother, against the wish of their father, Joseph. But Ephraim went in the way of the unrighteousness and God pronounced him desolate, for joining himself to idols. God cancelled every opportunity of mercy at a point for Ephraim.
What about King Saul? What about Prophet Eli? Saul, just like Sanwoolu, confessed he was unqualified to be the ruler, being from the smallest tribe in Israel. God overlooked his unimpressive CV and picked him. Yes, it was Prophet Samuel who anointed him, but all the orchestration, that took him to the palace, was God’s.
In the gbas-gbos of 20/10, the choices before the governor aren’t that difficult; it is just to decide who got him into office, God of man or man, playing god. Once he settles that, he should vigorously search for the truth on the Lekki matter while the dissimilar sides of the aisle keep having a go at their disputation. Once the truth is as staring as it can get, then he should decide if he wants to be on the side of the truth, no matter what, especially if he concedes that getting into office was definitely beyond any Emperor or Lion of anywhere, or stands the truth on its head and damn the Divine consequences. According to Sanwoolu’s White Paper, there was a body, recovered from the Lekki shooting scene, with BULLET wounds. He should hold those who fired live bullets that night responsible, with restitution starting from him, who invited them, except he is saying, the life with gunshot wounds, doesn’t matter. Well, maybe to man, but to God, definitely, every life matters and those who shed the blood of that fellow, would definitely pay, if not with man, but with God, including those who sent them. Abel was just a life and a whole generation, was punished for it. Every wanderer is of Cain’s lineage.
(To be continued).
Oga Folu at 70
In my decades-long journey in Tribune, which began unintended, I had met and worked with different leaders. Plenty stories and details, are reserved for “Reflections”, primed to document how my active years were spent, before the nightfall. And it would just be as good if I pass on before being able to write a periscopical autobiography.
Pastor SegunOlatunji recruited me, but Uncle FoluOlamiti hired me. The former was then, the Daily Editor and the latter, the Executive Director, Operation, which was more like wearing the Editor-in-Chief’s toga, without the MD’s mantle. Despite his immediate interest in me (the circumstances would be in the coming book), and the reported good grade in competence test, Pastor Olatunji needed the approval and conviction of OgaFolu, for me to be hired and had to take me to him upstairs. Right in my presence, he demonstrated his trust for his Editor’s judgement, by simply directing that a good salary that would tempt me away from the medium I was with, in Lagos, should be fixed for me. (Will reveal the good salary later) No rigmarole. Uncle earned my respect.
On November 30, Uncle joined the septuagenarian club. Even when he left Tribune, he has used every available opportunity to assure I could be better than my supposed best, if I don’t stop aiming. When he sees what should be done differently, he would call to say, “Aburo, o se sekiniyibayi (can’t this be done differently).
Uncle Folu, like all men, isn’t without weaknesses, but inside of him, is locked a great deal of the purest of humanity. I celebrate his graceful aging. May the rest of his life, be the best of his years, Amen.
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