Rudolf Okonkwo: Final final Seun Kuti turns into Obidient

A number of weeks in the past, within the warmth of the 2023 marketing campaign, I commissioned two social scientists conversant with Nigeria to assist me map out the DNA of an Obidient. They went to work. Periodically, they despatched me their findings. After stating that deep down, the Obidient motion shouldn’t be about Peter Obi and Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, Scientist #1 propounds that Obidients are desolate, dejected, and dislocated hitchhikers who noticed a shiny wagon on a muddy highway and hopped on. Scientist #2, alternatively, sees them as reluctant anarchists plotting destruction within the bushes, solely to be distracted by the sound of a loud wagon filled with hitchhikers engaging them to provide the Nigerian challenge a remaining probability.

The primary time they appeared near a consensus was when Wole Soyinka intervened within the political course of after the election within the notorious Datti/fascism debate. The workforce thought that they had mastered the traits of the Obidient. They talked about one explicit trait, anger. They stated that these have been livid individuals who have been additionally impatient. They in contrast them to at least one particular group through the Civil Rights Motion within the US that compelled Martin Luther King Jr. to begin to speak concerning the “urgency of now.”

The social scientists felt that the anger of those folks steamed from years and years of being victims of the Nigerian state’s failure. The Obidients, the scientists, argued had grow to be so disenchanted with their scenario and the scenario of their nation that they’ve relegated the norms of their society to the again burner. They urged that at present’s world village provided new instruments to those actors and amplified their sense of violation. After I requested for a greater clarification, the scientists instructed me that what social media uncovered them to about conditions in different components of the world heightened their expectations of their nation’s management. Nonetheless, one thing of their pronouncements didn’t apply throughout the board.

One other working example was after they used the instance of Oby Ezekwesili’s intervention within the information story that Pastor Enoch Adebayo stated that God would assist the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, to repair Nigeria. For many who missed the drama, right here is the way it occurred. Based on a information report, Daddy GO despatched one in every of his pastors to symbolize him at an occasion. When this little-known pastor, Dele Balogun, went, he learn a speech. The day after, the newspapers reported what he stated. And as it’s custom, they attributed the message to Pastor Adebayo.

Right here is the precise factor Dele Balogun stated. “Allow us to pray for the incoming authorities that God will help it and provides it the Grace to do the proper factor… Thank God the President-elect has promised to repair Nigeria. If God helps him, Nigeria will prosper in his arms.” The response of the Obidients was swift. They tongue-lashed Pastor Adeboye for maintaining quiet when the elections have been rigged, and voters have been suppressed and killed.

Some folks didn’t see something mistaken with what the person of God stated. Any true man of God’s job is to hope for his nation’s authorities. It doesn’t matter whether or not the federal government is elected, chosen, or imposed.

Sadly, the Obidients don’t pray like this. They usually made Pastor Adeboye know that they don’t play like this.

Similar to with Soyinka, the response of the Obidient shocked the political area, together with Obi himself. Peter Obi needed to come out and disassociate himself from the tongue-lashing the Obidients gave Daddy GO Adeboye for daring to say what God instructed him. Obi even urged that the folks doing the unhealthy stuff have been disguised operatives from different events attempting to provide his supporters a foul title.

For saying so, he obtained tongue-lashed by indignant Obidients and supporters of different events, from Reno Omokiri to Omoyele Sowore.

Even those that shared the information story weren’t spared. Former minister, Oby Ezekwesili, felt the necessity to defend Pastor Adeboye and to name Reuben Abati an unprofessional journalist and purveyor of pretend information for tweeting the story. Within the language of Obidients, Oby Ezekwesili known as the story “utter garbage.”

The social scientists agreed that there are quite a few secret cells of Obidients throughout Nigeria. They stated that the biggest variety of latent Obidients is within the North. They’re ready for an ideal set off to coagulate round a mission, a reputation, and a motion. Regardless of the notion, the social scientists famous that the multitude of tomorrow’s Obidients within the North shouldn’t be glad with their lives in relation to their friends in related components of the world. They agreed {that a} day would come when faith and custom wouldn’t be sufficient to cage them and cease them from breaking unfastened and dethroning those that have diminished their lives.

“For now, it’s sufficient for his or her leaders to level at others exterior their area and blame them for the poor life they dwell,” the social scientists write. “That technique is just too outdated, however it’s nonetheless working. But it surely received’t suffice for lengthy. And when the North ignites, with plentiful dry leaves, tears, and heartbreaks, there received’t be time to fret about trifles like respect for elders and constituted authorities. And the nation might be on fireplace when the North is on fireplace.”

In a pivotal reminder, the scientists pointed at Sudan, Egypt, and different Arab African states as examples of locations the place individuals who shared the identical worldview as these within the North of Nigeria had stood up and demanded change. They believed that, finally, it might get to the flip of northern Nigeria.

Peter Obi used to say that the society we abuse at present would take revenge on our youngsters. That was so yesterday. The brand new mantra is that this: The society we abused yesterday is taking revenge on us. And one factor about revenge is that the primary signal that it’s in progress is that it decouples all of the chains that join it to a structured and useful legislation and order society. It baffles those that missed the cue, particularly the elders, who’re apostles of gradual and ordered transformation that won’t upturn years of acquainted social order and civilization.

In moments like this, thinker, Friedrich Nietzsche, famous, “He who fights with monsters ought to look to it that he doesn’t grow to be a monster. And for those who gaze lengthy into an abyss, the abyss additionally gazes into you.”

Nigeria wrings everybody born and bread in it till they grow to be an Obidient. Relying on the fabric one is fabricated from, some remodel after only one wring, whereas others require numerous wringing, punching, and slapping.

For the social scientists, every thing got here collectively when Seun Kuti slapped a police officer on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos. For the primary time, the 2 social scientists agreed – final final, Seun Kuti turns into an Obidient.

And this conclusion is one which each Seun Kuti and the Obidients will disagree on. And nothing is as Obidient as that.

Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo teaches Submit-Colonial African Historical past on the Faculty of Visible Arts in New York Metropolis. He’s additionally the host of Dr. Damages Present. His books embrace “This American Life Sef” and “Kids of a Retired God,” amongst others.