KAKANFO AND THE FLYING "MAD DOGS"
Ayodele Ayetigbo
by Ayodele Ayetigbo
Are we safe in Nigeria? The news that the home of Concord Publisher Aare MKO
Abiola was
besieged by a group of Air Force men early last week, if anything, has
proven that no Nigerian,
no matter the class, is safe from organized violence.
While lovers of peace have condemned the psychological agonies suffered by
Aare Abiola
and other members of his household in the hands of air-fighters, an argument
still lingers on if
equal attention would have been given to the issue was the victim lesser
mortal than Abiola.
Again, journalists are the scapegoats. The socialists are accusing the
journalists of
overflogging an issue they (socialists) perceive as everyday occurence. They
wonder where the
reporters were days before when different phalanxes of armed soldiers went
on rampage at
Oshodi.
The Oshodi show of power was triggered off succinctly like Ayodeji Abiola's
encounter with
the uniformed men. According to a reporter, a kinsman of a soldier was hit
by a civilian motorist.
That was enough crime for the armed men to unleash reign of terror against
innocent civilians.
Mr. Ayodeji Abiola, Chief Abiola's second son, was less lucky to have been
involved in a
minor traffic accident with a vehicle driven by Air Force Corporal M.
Danjuma near the airport.
But quite unlike Ayodeji's encounter with the airbombers, the Oshodi
incident was started by
unknown soldiers versus civilian phantoms.
If there was not enough media coverage of Oshodi power show, the variables
that give news
the prominence it deserves were just not there.
Aare-Ona-Kakanfo is not a small fish in Nigeria by any measurement. As the
publisher of the
Concord stable, he is controlling a portion of Nigeria's media estate. If he
or a member of his
family coughs, therefore, his stable at least will pick up the vibration. To
crucify Nigerian
mediamen for reporting what is considered newsworthy event the way they did
on Kakanfo's
encounter with the "mad dogs", amounts to lack of grasp of the dynamics of
Nigeria's mass
media.
Ideally, the journalists should endeavour to throw a lot of light on such
imbroglio as civilians
versus the "mad dogs". The victim of either police or military brutality
should not necessarily be
a big fish before getting deserved prominence in the media. But in reality,
if you have not made
enough money and noise to be noticed in this country, an ordinary private in
uniform could give
you a dirty slap and get away with it. You can call it jungle justce, if you
like.
On the obverse, however, Kakanfo's ordeal in the hands of some "mad dogs"
has shown that
real power belongs to the lethal-wielders. The American system, for example,
thrives on military
industrial complex. America makes money selling ammunitions to countries
insane enough to
be fighting unnecessary civil wars, or unstable enough for the Robbin Hoods
to be causing
confusion.
Where the commoners have been sapped in all ramifications, poetic justice
dictates that
there is no way a "Mad Dog" will not attack its sustainer once in a while.
The cycle must
complete.
But the question is, is Nigeria a reality or a dream? Reality and myth are
upheld to make one
look like the other. Quintessentially, the Kakanfo title is wrapped in many
myths. Kakanfo was
said to be "generalissimo" of the Yoruba. Generalissimo, according to The
Oxford Dictionary, is
defined as commander of combined military, naval and air forces, or of
several armies. Since
Nigeria is a republican federation as opposed to a confederacy, the whole
idea of choosing an
individual as a generalissimo of a particular section is farcical.
Bashorun's choice as the "Kakanfo" of the Yoruba by the Alaafin of Oyo
consequently
generated expected controversy. The opposing axis, for an historical
balancing act, argued that
Alaafin ought to have made Bashorun the "kakanfo" of the Oyo town instead of
the Yoruba.
Chief Olorunosebi an Oyomesi (kingmaker) swore the title of "Kakanfo" could
not be
conferred on non-indegene of Oyo town.
Justice Aderoju Aderemi, however, thought otherwise. He ruled in favor of
Bashorun
becoming the Kakanfo of the Yoruba. So, Chief MKO Abiola was installed the
14th Kakanfo of
his people on January 23, 1988 against oppositions from whatever quarters.
As Kakanfo's talking drumers postulate that adversaries should go and hang,
they
(adversaries) revelled in the belief that the previous holders of that title
never kept it for long,
anyway.
Couple of days later (January 25, 1988), the modern airforce men molested
the Kakanfo.
Was there any ethnic calcualation to their action? Suppose MKO was a
Yar'Adua, a Dantata,
Hamza, or an Ibru? Thus, many have expressed fears and consternation that if the
"generalissimo" of the Yoruba could receive such a shock treatment from our
modern fighters,
then no citizen is safe. This may sound fallacious.
Nevertheless, as much as tribalism has been linked with this issue, the Air
Force spokesmen
argued they should be heard before outright condemnation. Air Vice-Marshall
Nura Imam said
that as far as they were concerned, the whole episode amounted to much a do
about nothing
until investigation proved otherwise.
In the true spirit of a man of valour, Aare Abiola has vowed to do
everything possible to get
the Air Forcemen concerned to book. It is hoped the Aare will succeed in
this regard. Even a
"mad dog" should know who and when not to bite.
Editor's Note: No time for spell-check.The above piece was first published
in The Republic,
Wednesday, February 3, 1988, page 12. Do you have any published or
unpublished thoughts
on Nigeria that can bring the current crisis in correct perspective? Share
the quality of your mind
with others. Send articles to
The Editor
USAV
POB 3345
Baltimore, MD 21213
Internet: cos...@worldnet.att.net
You can visit our temporary site on the web and tell us how to make it more
attractive and
interactive. Thanks.
Ayodele Ayetigbo
IF YOU THINK THE PAST SPEAKS A LOT FOR THE PRESENT,
THEN READ THE FOLLOWING AS REVISED BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
....................................
>you a dirty slap and get away with it. You can call it jungle justice, if you
>Editor's Note: Little time for spell-check.The above piece was first published
>in The Republic,
>Wednesday, February 3, 1988, page 12. Do you have any published or
>unpublished thoughts
>on Nigeria that can bring the current crisis in correct perspective? Share
>the quality of your mind
>with others. Send articles to
>
>The Editor
>USAV
>POB 3345
>Baltimore, MD 21213
>
>Internet: cos...@worldnet.att.net
>
>You can visit our temporary site on the web and tell us how to make it more
>attractive and
>interactive. Thanks.
>
>http://www.webperfect.com/afrinet/usnv.html
Tel 410-485-USNV
fAX 410-325-4574
Ayodele Ayetigbo
Note: The piece below under the above headline first appeared in The Republic,
Wednesday, February 3, 1988, page 12.
......................................................................
you a dirty slap and get away with it. You can call it jungle justce, if you
Editor's Note: No time for spell-check. Do you have any published or
Ayodele Ayetigbo
Note: The piece below under the above headline first appeared in The Republic,
Wednesday, February 3, 1988, page 12.
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