When I read the news that James Ibori, who governed Delta State between 1999 and 2007 when Bola Tinubu was governor of Lagos State, arrived at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa on Friday, I was not surprised. My mind immediately raced to the cord that binds Ibori and Tinubu and other Nigerian politicians who are still key players in Nigerian politics today. I remembered the conspiracy theory in other parts of the world concerning leadership. I thought about the United Kingdom where more than half of the Prime Ministers including the present Prime Minister – Rishi Sunak were educated at the University of Oxford. I thought about the United States, where 25 of the 44 men to hold the office of President have been lawyers – again more than half. And it started making more sense why these nations are or had been superpowers.

It is a shame that to date Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s origin, education, and source of wealth are still shrouded in secrecy. It is even more shameful that with corruption being Nigeria’s number one problem, James Onanafe Ibori is one of the early dignitaries to be dignified by this administration with an alleged stolen mandate. When are we going to collectively learn? I guess never! Because ethnic and religious bias will often trump common sense. Even nonsensical factors like political relevance that made Rotimi Amaechi support Buhari have also made the wicked Wike support Tinubu. It is no wonder we are where we are as a people, nation, and race.

A nation where the cord that unites her leaders past and present is one of the biggest thieves whose looted funds are still being repatriated years after his death is heading downwards. A nation whose leaders hobnob with convicted criminals and those with questionable income will seldom see a time of peace, prosperity, and progress unless its masses rise to the occasion of purging the land of such affiliation of corruption. If we are to turn a new leaf, our leaders must have a new cord connecting them like professional acumen as in the United States or educational affiliation as in the United Kingdom, or past accountable accomplishments as is often the case in many developed nations.

Ata Ukuta, Editor – Towncryyers