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Power has an expiry date
By Lanre Olumoh
Newsdiaryonline
Fri June 24,2011
 It
was my first lecture at the University of Ilorin. The good old
Professor Akinsanya had just entered the class to take on us on
‘Introduction to Political Science. Pol 101’ and he chose to
start by demanding to know who said that famous line “power
corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely ”. To be honest,
most of us were looking helpless and intimidated in the presence
of a professor. The professor’s threat to inform the vice
chancellor to return us to the secondary schools in the event of
our failure to give him the answer turned to be a joke. We were
never the less pleased
and relieved when Lamidi Jaji, a versatile student in the
class got up to tell the Professor it was Lord Acton who uttered
those memorable words about power. He got a rounding applause.
That was
several years ago. Politics as we were made to understand is all
about the acquisition and exercise of power. Absolute power
really belongs to God and He alone confers it on man. Power
tastes wonderful hence it is tempting for man to play god when
he acquires a measure of power that can enable him dominate and
influence his fellow men or given an opportunity to be part of
the decision-making process in an organisation or society. This
is why when we find ourselves in position of leadership, we see
it as absolute and could become desperate or obstinate in
refusing to leave that position for another person when the time
is up.
Power or
leadership should be about legitimacy and commitment to serving
people. But often, one wonders what is it about this power that
makes man behave like an animal? Now, see the former president
of Cote de Voire. Laurent Gbagbo, a man blessed by God that he
got to the highest position in his country. He was expected to
just show gratitude at the conclusion of the election last
November which he lost by bowing out graciously, rather than be
grateful and thank the people like a much younger Dimeji Bankole
did in Ogun state. Gbagbo was hell bent in contesting the
people’s will and this resulted in needless killings and havoc
in Cote de Voire. President Goodluck Jonathan and several other
leaders’ world-over pleaded with him to accept the results and
leave power honourably but NO, power was too sweet and he
believed it must always remain in his grasp. Before long, we
began to see the antics of one who though had lost out continue
to hold-on to power. This prompted the United Nations and France
to support the winner Quattara’s forces to effect his removal.
The price of
ingratitude to God and the greed of humankind was obviously what
we saw a few weeks back when at last, Gbagbo, his wife and son
were captured while hiding in the presidential palace. When you
fail to thank Him and be contented with the favours granted, it
is well within the absolute powers of God to bring man down to
the lowest level. As an individual, Gbagbo has disgraced
himself, his family and Africa as a whole.
This is quite
a disgrace to Africa as it suggests we are still in the Stone
Age. It is again unfortunate that a lasting solution could not
be immediately found to the crisis within the context of
regional organisations like the African Union, ECOWAS as they
were more or less folding their arms watching the effects of the
sanctions they imposed until the International community moved
in to mobilise support for the people of Cote de Voire. In the
sub-region, I had expected to see ECOWAS at work having
established a record through ECOMOG as a defender of democracy
and institutional order in the West African sub-region. Instead
of the seemingly lethargy, one would have thought the
sub-regional body would intervene in a decisive manner through a
revived ECOMOG, if only to halt the wave of killings and maiming
going on in Cote de Voire. The African Union too could not
intervene and it even appeared that some of the African leaders
were supportive of Gbagbo due to their lackadaisical attitude to
the whole process.
Events in Cote de Voire, Libya, Egypt etc has no doubt sent
wrong signals about the integrity of the African Union a
credible organisation that can call its members to order. In
terms of democracy and the level of democratization; one may not
be too sure if the world would have much regard for either
ECOWAS or AU.
Where ever he
is kept now, former president Gbagbo must be asking himself
whether it really worth all the shame. The same applies to
Mubarak of Egypt and the embattled Libyan leader Gadaffi. It is
indeed a sad experience for Africa in the 21st
century; one would have loved to see a person who has ruled for
so long to be happy in presenting himself as a shining example
of leadership by respecting the wish of the people whenever
asked to transfer the baton of office.
This does not
only apply to political leaders, even at our micro level; many
of us are afflicted by the same problem of wanting to perpetuate
ourselves in positions at all cost. We get flattered and carried
away by glamour and privileges of office. It becomes a trouble
if asked to proceed on transfer or change offices. We carry
ourselves with arrogance and look down on people with contempt,
if not disdain; lacking the spirit of humility.
The point
that must be stressed is that the moment we get to a position of
authority, there is a serious need for God’s guidance and
direction so that we know it is all a question of time before we
quit that position. There is also need for wisdom not to misuse
the power or take the people for granted to a point when we get
disgraced and ridiculed out. No position is to be held
perpetually. I think it is crucial to inculcate this orientation
in our children in their early education so that they do not
grow into adulthood with a dangerous mentality about power and
all positions of responsibility.
If for reasons best known to people or employer one is
asked to move from a particular position, it is not right for
one to be devising all tricks to remain in that office or turn
people against one another just to continue to enjoy power. The
right thing to do is to thank God for the privilege and bow out
with grace and dignity.
If Dimeji
Bankole, the speaker of the Federal House of Representatives
should come out for election in few years time, it will be
surprising if he does not win the support and sympathy
of his people given the gentlemanly manner he has
conducted himself in the face of defeat at the recent polls.
That is a good example of how we expect our
political/organisational leaders to behave. Ultimately, power
should not be seen as a do or die affair but something that will
sooner or later pass away. Power has an expiry date, whether we
like it or not. If you want perpetuate yourself or install a
proxy, humiliation will set in sooner than you expect. If you
are not removed by the people through their vote, or protest as
we saw in Egypt, death will most surely remove you or rubbish
whatever political design you may have fashioned out .it Is only
God’s power that is absolute and has no expiry date.
In
conclusion, it becomes important to remind
those currently saddled
with power at all levels of government and those newly elected
to see the need for better interaction with the ordinary people
at the grassroots. If we try as much as possible to relate
properly with the down-trodden and less privileged ones, I think
we will develop a more positive spirit and understanding about
Power.
Dr Lanre Olumoh wrote
this piece from Sokoto and can be reached through:
lanreolumoh@yahoo.com
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