By: Kunle Adebayo
I have read My Participations by Chief Bisi Akande. It is a canticle of Autobiography. Its highest possessions are selfsame claims, historical revisionism, factual escapism, overemphasy of common knowledge, rationalisation of notorious facts and whiplashing of notorious foes.
Apart from its lack of literary fervour and editorial finesse, the work carries a huge burden of suspicion on its true intention, on account of its failure to rise up heroically, to speak with finality on matters which are the real issues.
For instance, what disqualifies Gen. Buhari from his rightful place as the lead villain of the 1983 political detention story? Secondly, why discounting the detailed story of the emergence of Sen. Bukola Saraki as the Senate President within the run of things after the 2015 merger victory?
Chief Akande says all did not go well after the merger as the new-PDP members met nocturnally “seeking what should be their own in the new arrangement”.
“It was in one of those meetings that they decided to go against the decision of the party by snatching the National Assembly leadership.”
But it is important to review the facts of the period to shed more light on the fabric of the events. Out of the 5 key positions available at the Centre of Government, the CPC picked the President slot which was the head of the cow. ACN picked the VP, Speaker & National Chairman of the party which were the four legs, neck and abdomen while the ANPP was dashed the Senate President which was the horn and buttocks of the cow. Could it be that the PDP component of the new party, was expected to be a band of onlookers or mere applicants?
With not less than 5 serving Governors, about 6 former Governors, serving and former Senators, MHRs and MHAs, could the PDP therefore be called a minor or an inconsequential partner? What was “the decision of the party” that the PDP people “decided to go against by snatching the National Assembly leadership”, as claimed by Akande?
Was it the decision of the party therefore that the PDP joiners were to to be kept in abeyance, awaiting exorcism before they were entitled to any shareholding in the new party? What was ” the decision of the party”? How, when and what was the configuration of the decision makers? Was there trust and goodwill at negotiation table?
What was the run of play and what elements ran against it that produced the above scenario which reminiscence conveniently suffered an economical narration in My Participation?
Thirdly, for a deep friend and soul brother whose antecedents, character, pedigree, parentage, upbringing and educational background heave under the heavy weight of doubts and cloud, the nation would have been served well if the puritanical, no nonsense Akande “looks us in the face”, dispense off with all niceties and tells us who Tinubu really is?
Fourthly, the book provides much facts about Akande’s chequered childhood and untangles many complexities about his adult and working life than the about the contemporary political experiences which form the main expectation of critics and publics from a politician of Akande’s stature.
The extraordinariness of the book is its audacity to speak up as the author sees it. In picking up and dwelling more on experiences with”personal friends, and the dramatists personae (Adebanjo, Akinfenwa, Fasanmi, Durojaiye, Omisade etc), who are second rate provincial operatives and who are seemingly inconsequential to the core of national politics, it cannot be in doubt that Akande’s real induction into national engagement were his trilogy Chairmanship days.
My Participation’s fiery fiefdom which offers neither respite nor right of reply to men who have embraced death, attracts the same burden of all biographical narratives: controversies, more controversies.
As for its tapestry of narration of the intricate politics of the Yorubas among and within themselves first and then nationally, it seems clear from the mostly sidetalk narratives by Yoruba leaders against one another, recorded and given life by Chief Akande, that the Yorubas are the enemies of themselves.
“…he drew me aside and whispered into my ears….we were alone when he said in low tone……”.
The book, My Participation speaks in its own voice, apart from the authors voice. Its own thin, lone and lonely voice makes a thesis loudly and eerily about the lessons of Karma and History.
The Book says to the Yorubas that which the Yorubas know about themselves but which it wishes to say to others, ” the hot pounded yam of twenty years can still burn the hands, even today.
Kunle Adebayo,
Akure,
20th Dec. 2021.
