Obasanjo’s Caesarist tendencies

BY GBADEBO ADEAGBO

History holds three approaches. The good and fascinating approach. The bad and cruel approach and Infact the most irrational- conjectural approach. The topic of the essay looks gloomy because, the event of Olusegun Obasanjo as a military warlord who has metamorphosed himself into political and economical relevance coincides with the late Roman empire war lord Julius Caesar. Even the Bible made reference to the influential tendencies surrounding him during the pre-death era of Jesus Christ, saying, “give unto Caesar what is Caesar and Unto God what is God”. The statement is borne out of  sheer interest to steer clear from the political landscape of Italy which was acclaimed to be the power house of the world. The concluding part and a critical reflection of the biblical quotes is a framework which distances theocracy from politics and unguided manipulations. Many narratives affirmed Caesar as reformer, loved and adored military generalissimo at his early political struggle days. It is reasonable to assume that Obasanjo and the Caesar school of thought share resemblance except some little shortfalls. Many historians will however stand on this premise to cast Obasanjo and paint him a worse military neo-politician any day.

The spate of alliance and re-alliance in political socioeconomic advancement can never be jettisoned. And of course if politics is vested in alliance, then how best can we test the loyalty extent in which by extension is a requisite for any government to be acceptable.

Whether we like it or not, Obasanjo just like Julius Caesar, has conquered many battles. It is within the ambit of benevolence to extend his achievements to all walks of life ranging from dominance, alliance, politics, international relations, and ruthlessness in dealing with perceived foes. One critical question to ask is the succinct measurement of Obasanjo’s level of good, bad or conjectural approach. In real life, the event of man cannot be fully determined, the character being a consequential reflection of damage or repair to the general perspective of populace is an instrument of confusion except for the more notorious who feels that leaders should be judged more above their charade tendencies surrounding their pretentious positivity.

At least we can say affirmatively that Caesar’s reform benefitted the poor and the middle class irregardless the modicum justification for this premise. It was however on record that Julius Caesar paraded the most expensive luxuries and his associates are nevertheless unlimited to regional despotism but also a continuation of his hierarchical structure clustering Spain, Syria, Rhine in ill-fated unison.

Farther away from conjectural approach, it is an admissible fact that the good of Olusegun Obasanjo is lesser than the bad. A sane person does not need to place himself on eternal mull or conjecture to determine the true colour of the ex-military stalwart. Obasanjo is by no limit a dictator, enforcer, despotism propagator and the pseudo democrat. The fresh retention of historical facts cannot exonerate him as an advocate of autocratic rule where decisions are made by a few membersof  cabal and implemented even if not by him but his exceptional structure. Why many continued to praise Julius Caesar after his death is not far from his opposition to double standard on ethical issues. It can be said that his rigidity to a particular course made his name more resonating in historical psyche more as a brutal dictator and an initiator of emperor government in the early days.

A couple of facts are therefore required to raise Caesar’s ugly rascality above his clemency if at all done with sincerity of mind. What should have been more adorable to him is rather than incarcerate the defeated squads during supremacy battle, he could have granted them pardon to boost his chances of getting succor from the elite and the less sophisticated being in the street of old Roman empire.

What necessitated the downfall of Caesar is however what is obtainable in most third world countries. Brutus and Cassius may pardoned him from being assassinated if he had trailed the path of decency irregardless of his economic power. He could have used Crassius’s economic war chest to equip the Roman military which is supposed to be embattled by the forces of Caesar and the Senate. The story beyond the wielded power and influence should not cause a distress to noble minds but should rather prepare them for fear of paranoids.

In contemporary political studies, Obasanjo’s level of fake pedagogic theories of democracy cascading the fall of the legislative arm during his tenure as the elected president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is utterly a chagrin that no reasonable Nigerian is delighted in. Just like the despotic Caesar who among his reforms parade a pseudo republic state imposing senate head, collecting bribes through heavy taxation system and barbaric political structures in the senate. They say government should be troika on basis of trust and nobility to rid of external influence. The executive, legislation and judiciary under the Nigerian ex-general is the worst in Nigeria’s history with palpable difficulties. Pompey could have regretted Caesar’s offer before he was killed on the premise of being a dull student of negotiation in the future of old Roman empire.

After his demise, “the dictator in perpetuity” can no longer live to finish his battle with the elite and the poor. No matter how bad a leader his, he shall be remembered on the justification of the three assumptions I mentioned earlier.

The good, bad and conjectural approach.

Those who are far away from the corridor of merriment will paint Caesar’s external invasion and his centralized government as insincere. Those who benefit from the same jackpot which the men of Caesar consume will praise him to heaven. The conjectural approach will find no basis to defend or castigate him but rather tell their sons and daughters the strength and weakness of Julius Caesar. Can the aftermath foretell good of Obasanjo especially as he has defied virtually all Nigerians with his propensity to dictatorship and oligarchical rule? There is a general belief that there exists a triumvirate between Obasanjo, Babangida and Abdulsalami. If so, how long will it take to expire. I am very sure that larger percentage of his attributes can only manifest in mirage because greater forces are converging to sack him from political relevance.

Today, in Nigeria’s political landscape, contemporary knowledge has argued that much of the woe we are undergoing is largely due to Obasanjo’s misrule. They have shown evidence of his administration’s borrowings and his inability to show for it in terms of progressive change. The truth is that nearly all the claims are valid and real.

In large scale comparison, Obasanjo and Caesar are only synonymous in dictatorship, ruthless treatment of enemies but unmatched with Caesar’s belief that even while dictatorship should hold, citizens should be considered first in all decisions. We have seen many Nigerians leaders being a Caesarist in dealings, policies, dominance and corruption deficiencies. For all this, no one is yet to match Obasanjo’s conjectural approach which places his as innocent to those outside the corridor of the government.

Gbadebo Adeagbo is a public affairs analyst. He writes from Akure.