Sycophants are group of people in any society who unnecessarily rain praises on a leader in any society in any planned actions or decisions. Sycophants therefore come inform of two different dimensions. Sycophants could involve those in government or those outside the government.
Those in government comprise of the political appointees, elected government officials or political nominees while those outside government comprise of professional politicians eyeing political appointments’, financial favour, government contract or government patronage in their business. Those in government indulged in sycophancy just to please their paymaster. They remain supportive in any planned actions in a bid to retain their seat. Even where their pay Master in taking a wrong step, they will never voice out or call on him to correct his doing.
The common attributes of this group of people are: They are self-seeking and selfish in their doing. They are not truly sincere in their resolves and actions as their decisions are cosmetic. The general interest of the society is not usually their primary focus but how to fill their pockets to the brim is usually their objective. The sycophants are known to always ill- advise Leaders in any unpopular decision, anti-peoples’ or anti-mass policies. They are fond of asking the Leader to carry on even when it is glaring to the least man on the street that the Leader has lost the confidence of the people and therefore cannot garner handful votes at the election contest.
The history of sycophants in Nigeria can be traced to the era of military regime in Nigeria. Former Military President, General Ibrahim Babandgida was one of such Leaders who had played into the hands of the sycophants. The activities of sycophants led to the annulments of June 12 1996 general election in Nigeria, one which was adjudged to be free and fairest in the history of Nigeria.
Late General Sani Abacha was another notable Nigerians Leader who had felt into the hands of sycophants. The activities of sycophants were taking to high heaven in 1998 when the 26 political parties in Nigeria unanimously adopted General Sani Abacha as their sole presidential Candidate for the election. They organized one million peoples’ match for him urging him to transform from military ruler to civilian President of Nigeria. They regarded General Sani Abacha as the Moses of our time who could take Nigeria to the promise land not until the cruel hands of death snatched him away.
Same goes to the immediate past President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan who also felt into the hands of sycophants under the organization called “Transformation”. The transformation of Nigeria (TAN) had traversed all the sections of Nigeria and declaring to people that Goodluck Jonathan remains as the only viable option for Nigerians. They assured him of winning election even when it was glaring to all that he could not win the 2015 general election.
One of such sycophants making a show of themselves on the propose Cattle Colony idea in Kogi State are Local Government Administrators. The Local Government administrators have placed advertorial in Nigeria newspaper declaring to all that having Cattle Colony is a popular and acceptable idea in Kogi State. One pertinent question to ask is that are these local government administrators truly doing this for the general interest of the society or just to please the Governor?
If their action is primarily for the society, I must ask again, have they summon stakeholders meeting to ascertain the mind of the people on the issue of planned Cattle Colony in our respective local government areas? When I talk of Stakeholders, I mean the Clans, who are the owners of the respective Lands in our State? I mean opinion Leaders of Kogi State. Also, did these local government administrators crafted a radio programme for our villagers to phone-in and share their thought in order to know the position of people for having a Cattle Colony in our State?
If they have not done these and unilaterally took decision and went ahead to declare in the newspaper advertorial that Cattle colony proposal is a popular idea in Kogi State, let me alert Governor Bello that these Local Government Administrators are dangerous individuals in his government and he needs to be careful with them. They are digging Governor Bello’s grave and ready to bury him while he is still alive for the sake of retaining their seat.
I make this proclamation because they ought to have done the needful before going on the newspaper advertorial in order to avoid an instance where the Governor would be standing alone on the Cattle Colony proposal.
I know many people out of political and tribal interest would erroneously consider my stance as ant- Bello’s government. That is a wrong assumption as I am not. I am after Governor Bello success and I frown at him trending on the wrong path. I frown at him taking a decision which would spell doom for him in future. I am after his progress and wish him not only to spend two terms in office as Kogi Governor but also to represent us at higher offices in the years ahead.
I am passionate about my society as Alhaji Yahaya Bello is the first Kogi Governor from Kogi Central, a senatorial district where I hail from too. His success and downfall is ours. Governor Bello should as a matter of concern learn from experiences of past Nigerian Leaders on the activities of sycophants. The sycophants who ill-advised former President Jonathan on the issue of Boko Haram insurgency and other sundry national issues during his administration where are they now? They have deserted him and have even jumped to All Progressive Congress declaring to Nigerians that the last administrator was a colossal failure as it was not proactive on National issues.
Recall that many of these sycophants abandoned and deserted Jonathan immediately after the election when it done on them that there are no more milk and honey anymore. Is Governor Bello aware that if these similar praise singers can do this to our past Nigerian Leaders, they can as well do the same to him?
Let me remind Governor Bello that Kogi Gubernatorial election comes late in 2019 when the main general election must have been conducted. If Kogi gubernatorial election is to take place the same period with that of presidential election, I would say President Buhari election winning favour would come to play too for the easy victory of Governor Bello at the election day.
Kogi gubernatorial election comes later in the year 2019 and that is why Governor Bello should be careful and watch his steps in all his actions and decisions. He should ensure that the society forms his backbone and not the deceitful sycophants. The performance of his administration, policy direction and programme would form the bulk of campaign of the opposition against his government. The issue of ethnicity will be another factor at the election. He should not allow sycophants to ill-advised him in taking a step which would slip his votes within his domain. Now that the Igallas are poised to take power back, he should not insist on unpopular idea which would make majority of Kogi central and Kogi west axis to frown at his re-election.
– Shaibu Stephen Ojate, a journalist and public affairs commentator, writes from Abuja.
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