When the Nigerian-born British boxer, Anthony Joshua visited Buhari some time ago and prostrated, many hailed him for having home training which is a very commendable attribute of the average Yoruba man or woman, but I felt he lacked abroad training. My gross with him was that a man who has callously presided over an era in Nigeria that might eventually be declared as genocidal for the ethnic minorities in the middle belt of Nigeria among other governmental malfeasance that included mortgaging the future of Nigerian youths does not deserve any respect whatsoever. I imagined the greatest boxer of all time Mohammed Ali doing the same to a ruler like Buhari – IMPOSSIBLE! What most celebrities or public figures do not know is that their words, actions, and inactions have multiplier effects. Respecting a tyrant or the head of a tyrannical government gives credibility and endorsement from whoever is showing it. It does not portray good home training. For me, it speaks volumes of the reasoning of the person doing it. So, for Mikel Obi, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Kamaru Usman to all visit Yahaya Bello and endorse his bid for president tells you we might have a long way to go in our walk towards redemption in Nigeria if these well-traveled youths are showing such gullibility.
The irony of these visitations is that these visitors are not hungry men. They have enough financial resources that should ordinarily prevent them from joining the queue of those cashing in on the millions of Naira from one of Nigeria’s most impoverished states ruled by one of Nigeria’s most irresponsible governors. With all these unthoughtful visits by some of our youths who have excelled in their careers and made Nigeria proud, you begin to wonder what the future holds for us as Nigerians. If the endorsement and conscience of Nigerian international sporting billionaires could be swayed by the millions of a Nigerian governor who is destroying our hope of the ability of our youths to govern, then poor ordinary Nigerians will continue to sell their votes for peanuts. If Kelechi Iheanacho who recently signed an improved contract with his club after helping them to win the FA Cup could join the queue, then our hopelessness is exceedingly high. If Kamaru Usman – the UFC Champion who recently won a fight that increased his finances considerably could join this queue of thoughtless celebrities, then we are almost finished.
In a world where sporting celebrities like Naomi Osaka are using their celebrity status and following to champion social causes like police brutality and mental health, Nigerian sporting celebrities are endorsing a governor who cannot pay the pensions and salaries of those old enough to father him. The US basketball great LeBron James used his platform repeatedly to call out Donald Trump whenever he goes out of line. But such is not the case for Nigerian sporting greats. They are selling themselves for peanuts while wholesale killings, kidnapping, and raping are going on in the domain of the individuals they are endorsing. We will be judged not just by the sins we committed or did not commit. We will be judged by how we used our platforms and resources to alleviate the suffering of the populace. Tyrants in Africa continue to remain in their tyranny because they have many who hail them like Mikel Obi, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Kamaru Usman. They owe Nigerians an apology and refund of the honorarium given to them by Yahaya Bello. They should also go a step further by joining the well-meaning Nigerian youths home and abroad like the comedian Mr. Macaroni who regularly joins protests to show their disapproval of the present leadership in Nigeria.
Ata Ukuta, Editor – www.towncryyers.com