PROFESSOR BEN AYADE’S NEWLY FOUND DINNING TABLE

Dr Bolaji O. Akinyemi

Growing up and growing properly, teachers at schools and parents with other members of our communal society at homes were challenged with exposing us to quite a number of ethics and etiquette, to which we gave heed to be rounded citizens of a civilised society.

Back in the days meal times at dinning tables had their dos and don’ts, a very common and interesting one that became a rhyme as teachers, parents and other kids or pupils with us were to say a phrase to caution erring ones among us: “table manners”! Which is usually followed by the chorus; “don’t talk while eating”.

Members of APC might have been reckless in power, but no one can accuse them of flouting table manners, their mannerisms of silence at the national meal table is second to none.

When PDP was in charge of both the meal and the table, noise was often heard, the ecstasy of eating billions was amusing to many of them, they were so adolescent in the venture that many mouths were left unclean, tables uncleared, leaving traces for anti-graft agencies to follow to arrive at the who ate what.

The maturity of the APC eaters family, devouring trillions of available and borrowed resources is never seen before, and if noise is heard at meal time, it is not for excitement but for greed as with the case of Niger Delta development, and many others, even at such moments, the family rule of putting off the “mics” will come handy to save the family from public embarrassments.

The family is reminiscent in the old boarding school structure of dinning tables where each table has a Prefect attending to whatever is brought to the table for sharing, Heads of tables have constituted themselves to a clique reffered to by the public as Cabals.

Privileged members of this cult in power and how they emerge will be a story for another day. They are occasionally generous with invitations to come join them at this table.

A thing of surprise however is what is on the table that has made it impossible for persons with impeccable records of ethics and etiquette to fall for their invitation, we were all taught to know that when you are invited to join a meal, your response should be, am full thank you.

Even when you are hungry this we must say to dignify our family name and maintain her social respect.

No one therefore expected a fall of the grace of an academia, a noisome scientist who held us spellbound during COVID lockdown. Professor Ben Ayade, His Excellency the Executive Governor of Cross River State fell flat like Esau to the plate of pottage in Jacob’s hand without being mindful of the unknown underlying exchanges that may follow.

Ayade was at his best elements in words spoken without reasoning, probably excited by what was on the table and intoxicated by stuffs hidden under the table that the Professor called for a one party State requesting ALL Governors to come and join Buhari at the DINNING Table to make decisions that will move Nigeria forward.

In Ben Ayade’s world, the narratives in the social media is screwed to paint a man of character, integrity, honour and commitment to the vision of our great country.

An indictment of all of us crying on the social media against the injustice, nepotism and bigotry that has characterised Buhari led administration by a man who should know, for our cry in his ears is as dry as the cry of the Journalist Agba – – , whom he tried to stiffen into silence.

Ayade for all I care have only crossed to the despotic side of tyranny where his likes can function without being questioned.

Ayade didn’t leave the discerning in doubt of what was hidden under the table; “that we want to as a team, work ahead of the President by working towards building a prosperous country that the SUCCESSION PROCESS OF 2023 will come without the fears and the worries that the International community holds”.

Ayade in his short speech revealed the incapability of Mr President at leading the country, for which the cabal has become a team working ahead of him not for the progress of our nation and the good of all Nigerians but the simple privilege as cabal to manipulate who will succeed Buhari as the President.

The Professor in Ben Ayade doesn’t want the world to be worried about a nation not at war but has the highest number of citizens living as refugees in their own country at Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.

The world, he believes, should be happy for us by simply leaving whatever data and statistics and join the locals who with the hope in God and mere wishes, remain the happiest people in the world in the face of all our confrontations.

Nothing much will change until we shelve the attitude of suffering and smiling which the Chief Priest at the African Shrine, Fela Anikulapo Kuti saw as our greatest undoing at evolving the revolution we need for a new culture of leadership and governance.

Only insane people smile in the face of suffering, only mad people laugh when they are beaten. Nigeria will not be normal until Nigerians are. May our madness be cured and our insanity healed.

May our leaders experience a corresponding reaction of their misgovernance of the people in the days ahead of 2023 so that our succession process will not be birthed at the dinning table but at the conference table.