SOFTLY SOFTLY MADAM DARIS GOD OOOOO BEFORE SHE DESTROY OUR PDP Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear And chastise with the valour of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round, Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crowned withal. William Shakespeare (Act 1 Scene 5 Macbeth) The above words were uttered by the wife of the protagonist in one of the most famous Shakespearean plays, Macbeth. That lady, Lady Macbeth, as she was known and called, depicted supreme desperation and lust for power. She eventually led her husband to murder an innocent king in his quest to get power and fulfil the prophecy of some extra-terrestrial beings. For those who know the story, the consequences were cataclysmic to say the least. Although her husband keeps the company of flamboyant men of God, I do not have any insight that they have received celestial wisdom about his fate in 2015. Again I must say that President Goodluck Jonathan has up till this time conducted himself in an overtly peaceful manner, so I am reluctant to paint him a Macbeth. However, one can easily connect with the obvious similarities between the actions and utterances of Lady Macbeth in that legendary play and the wife of the President, Dame Patience Faka Jonathan. The First Lady could go down in history as one of the most controversial spouses of a Nigerian president, living or dead. She has brought so much unnecessary negative attention to her husband, it has almost become a style. The biggest tragedy is that this does not seem to bother her. Like many Nigerians, I was contented with making references to some of her oft-quoted hilarious statements for purposes of comic relief. Although I was constrained on a few occasions to make tangential allusion to her, yet, I always tried to avoid making her a key subject of my conversations. I somewhat agree with the Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, that a “mere domestic appendage” should not be given underserved prominence in national discourse. However, I also concede that although her office is not recognised by the constitution, it does not make it less powerful. Her meddlesomeness in Rivers State and all the consequences and contributions to what is now known as the Jonathan-Amaechi saga are fairly well known to many nationwide. Only a few days ago, she publicly and audaciously raised the hand of one of the governorship aspirants in Rivers State and a former Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, ostensibly endorsing him to “go and conquer”. I do not know who she sent him to conquer. I do not also know exactly how chieftains of the PDP in Rivers State and the voting public feel knowing that they are simply being compelled to vote for a candidate imposed from Abuja. But that one is left for the people to decide when and if the time comes. The other time, the First Lady was reported to have resigned her controversial position as Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa State because she was allegedly bent on stopping the incumbent Governor Dickson’s second term bid and installing her preferred candidate, Hon. Waripamowei Dudafa. The same influence, according to media reports, she wants to extend to Delta, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Bauchi, Oyo, and Kwara states where she had reportedly anointed someone or another to take over from the incumbent governors. A few days ago, she reportedly summoned the PDP leaders in Oyo State to a meeting in Abuja to suggest to them to “accommodate” her preferred candidate, former Governor Rasheed Ladoja of the Accord Party. Those who attended the meeting were thrown aback by the First Lady’s request and questioned where she derived the powers to interfere in the running of a political party. Who sent her? Some of the governors in the affected states are said to be threatening to withdraw their support for President Jonathan not because they hate him but because they can no longer cope with the “overbearing influence” of his wife. Now, for a President who may be facing election in a few months, that is a luxury that he cannot afford. The First Lady’s attempt to intervene in the Chibok girls’ abduction saga earned her (and in some ways, all of us), sufficient global scorn and opprobrium. She reportedly called a meeting with Service Chiefs and parents of the abducted girls and allegedly spoke to them in a most uncouth way. Under Mrs. Jonathan, the Office of the First Lady of Nigeria has almost become another big government agency with overreaching powers. During both military and civilian regimes, the country witnessed the reigns of many First Ladies who commanded a lot of respect across the country. Many Nigerians proudly identified with and benefitted from their empowerment programmes. An invitation from the office of the First Lady ought to be a privilege that will be forever cherished by whosoever gets it. This is no more the case under the present dispensation. Sadly, her meddlesomeness, unbridled partisanship, and interference in stately affairs continue to paint her husband in such a bad light and impact negatively on his already dwindling popularity. For many Nigerians, the actions of Mrs Jonathan portray her husband in uncomplimentary light. To an extent, one will imagine that she is acting the script written by her husband. That is very probable. She may have good intentions at least for her husband. She seems to be working to protect his interest at all costs. However in doing so, the First Lady continues to do more damage to the President’s image. Even if the First Lady thinks and believes that 2015 elections are a done deal, she should strive to increase the tally of her husband’s friends and not open their battles lines on too many fronts. Beyond Lady Macbeth, I have looked for other First Ladies to compare Mrs Jonathan with across Africa. The first is Mrs. Lucy Kibaki, wife of former Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, who was always pulling stunts that would make you giggle forever. The next is Mrs. Grace Mugabe, wife of President Robert Mugabe, who coincidentally bears the title “Dr” like the Dame. Now wait a minute – Mrs. Mugabe has just indicated interest to succeed her husband as President. Now I am getting concerned. With the North fuming and the South-South clearly fragmented, I am worried where President Jonathan will get the votes that will ensure his electoral victory. I reckon that 2015 will be a year of surprises, and like in Macbeth, the great Birnamwood forest may eventually go over to high Dunsinane hill. Can someone therefore help me tell the First Lady that it is time for her to thread softly?
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 08:48:11 +0000
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