I am sorry, this might offend a lot of my Yoruba friends, but the truth must be told, no matter how bitter and uncomfortable. Now, many Yorubas sincerely believe that Nigerians, especially Igbos, hate President Tinubu because he is Yoruba. A lot of these Yorubas “honestly” believe this to be true. But it is not true.
Yes, many people do not like the president, but it is not because he is Yoruba. It is because of what I will call “SOCIAL MORALITY.” Let me explain.
Social morality is the minimum acceptable standard of character and behaviour in any sane, safe, and sound society. The moment a person aspires to occupy any significant public office, that person is subjected to the scorching test of social morality. Every facet of your life is examined by this moral standard to determine if you are fit to lead.
And any blemish found can fatally damage your electoral prospects. In more developed nations, a character flaw as minor as drinking too much in the past can end a political career. They will say, “A drunkard cannot be our leader.” Just ordinary drinking. Such a flaw, tiny and insignificant as it may seem, can become powerful political and moral ammunition on the campaign podium.
Now, let us come to Nigeria and to President Tinubu. When Mr. Tinubu faced this moral examination, it was revealed that he once forfeited a huge sum of money over drug-related infractions. It was also alleged that he presented a certificate showing he graduated from a school before the school was founded.
You will agree with me that these are debilitating and despicable flaws. They are sordid and unacceptable. They are inexcusable for someone who, if elected, would have the responsibility of conferring “NATIONAL HONOURS” on meritorious citizens.
How can a hand stained by allegations of drugs and certificate forgery confer NATIONAL HONOURS on decent individuals? Tell me how. We can use every superlative — “bad,” “worse,” even “worst” — to describe the gravity of such a moral stain.
When these facts became public, there was an overwhelming outcry from the voice of morality: “Step down. Your baggage is too heavy.” A man of honour in Mr. Tinubu’s position would have stepped down to avoid disgrace. But Mr. Tinubu did not.
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He shut his ears to moral scrutiny. He said to himself, “I will not step down. Those telling me to step down are no better than me.” And he meant it.
Mr. Tinubu banked on the moral deficit in Nigeria’s political culture, and he exploited it to the fullest. He showed no contrition and no remorse for his controversial past.
He hired astute orators and unrelenting spokespeople to advance his cause and argue that neither the drug forfeiture nor the certificate controversy was enough to end his ambition.
He went on to “allegedly” win the election, prevailing over our social morality in the process. Perhaps he helped shut it down.
So, to those who “sincerely” believe Mr. Tinubu is hated, I have given you the reason. Personally, I still cannot come to terms with the fact that we have a man whose reputation is stained by drug forfeiture and certificate forgery as our president and people are cheering him on.
That is why I cannot reconcile myself to it. Tinubu would not win an election in Saudi Arabia, where drug offences are punished without mercy but here in Nigeria, he is our president. How sad.
Stephen Emele
