Lets do some àjé mathematics. 1. Power is bound by geography. Example 1: Fashola is the most powerful man in Lagos. Example 2: Jonathan is the most powerful man in Nigeria. 2. Power, at its height, is local. Example 1: Fashola is more powerful in Lagos than Jonathan. Example 2: Jonathan is more powerful in Nigeria than Obama. 3. Power, at its height, is local. But Local is a function of who is involved in the power game. Example 1: Saddam Hussein was the Lord of Iraq. Iraq, a country, being the Local. Then the US entered the picture. And International became the new Local. 4. Power shifts the moment Local shifts. Example 1: Refer to the last example 5. Power pass power. Example 1: Rotimi Amaechis plane was grounded. Local was not Rivers State. Example 2: Lagos didnt get allocation for a long time while OBJ was president. Local was not Lagos State. Example 3: The US crushed Iraq on their own soil. Local was not Iraq. 6. Power obeys protocol and hierarchy. Example 1: Jonathan cannot just come to Lagos without informing Fashola. Example 2: The US cannot set up a military base in Nigeria without OBJs approval. He didnt agree anyway. Example 3: The US invaded Pakistan and killed Bin Laden without the knowledge of Pakistanis government. They didnt have to. Local wasnt Pakistan. (**Yea, Like a boss**) 7. When power violates protocol and hierarchy, it still obeys it. Example 1: Withdrawal of Ameachis security detail. Faceoff between Rivers CP and Ameachi. If Local was Rivers State, that wouldnt have happened. This is where it gets interesting… 8. In line with Number 7, Small Power can challenge Big Power, provided the Biggest Power in the Local backs it. Example 1: A small boy slaps you and you cant beat him, because you know its a set up. LOL 9. When Numbers 7 & 8 gain foothold, impunity is birthed. Example 1: All the stories of brazen impunity youve heard or read about. 10. There can be NO impunity when the Biggest Power in the Local is not backing it. Example 1: Any insurgency that lasts more than 24 hours has the hand of the government in it - Sani Abacha (I would have tagged him if he was on Facebook) Exercise Use this mathematics to resolve the following mysteries: 1. Boko Haram 1a. Bring Back Our Girls 2. NASSs yesterday fracas 3. Ekitis yesterday fracas 4. Every other case of numbing impunity Given 1. President is greater than or equal to FG, Police, Military 2. FG, Police, Military is less than but not equal to President 3. Police, Military is not equal to FG 4. FG is not equal to Military, Police Tip In case you are stuck, find answers at the back of Facebook!
Posted on: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 11:21:30 +0000