THE REJECTION OF FESTUS ADEDAYO: A COMMENTARY AND LESSON
BY
JERRY OBANYERO (OBANS)
NEWS DIGEST – Personally I am a great respecter and admirer of columnists and social critics and commentators. Candidly, I have and I am still silently nursing the ambition of hammering bad government or leadership and their anti-people policies with the wrath of the severe temper of the ink of my no-nonsense and loquacious pen. Perhaps I perceive it as patriotic and a thankless job or a job which benefit is public rather than private.
To my my mind, the people who take this task upon their shoulders are doing nothing short of xraying the societal decadence and bringing same to public knowledge and scrutiny and whose ultimate intendment is to bring about viable and genuine change. It does not stop there, they have taken upon themselves the task of fumigating the society from deadly insects of maladministration, corruption, insecurity, nepotism and leadership visionlessness and other allied poisonous human and behavioral organisms that will break us or destroy us as a people and as a nation.
More so, to say I have drawn huge inspiration from the writings of Festus Adedayo, a great columist and social commentator with a successful career in the media, is an understatement. I have practically been transformed and stirred to believe a better Nigeria is possible especially when our leadership problem is fixed.
Having laid the above foundation, I would say the appointment of Festus Adedayo as the Special Adviser Media and Publicity to the Senate President, Dr Ahmed Lawal, was commendable and nothing could be ascribed to it than a reward for hardworkand craftsmanship spanning over a decade. Even critics to the appointment know it was well-deserved. But the question is not whether the appointee possesses the required skill for the job but that of whether a popular face of anti-government can still be the spokesman of that same government. You may argue that the legislature or National Assembly is an arm of government different from the Executive but you cannot separate the two especially where the Executive and party stalwarts handpicked and anointed who emerge leaders of the two Chambers, as we witnessed in the emergence of Senator Ahmed Lawal and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as Senate President and Speaker, respectively.
As an institution, the National Assembly has come under intense attack from Festus Adedayo. For example, the 8th Senate led by Senator Bukola Saraki where the present Senate President was a majority leader had almost been burnt down by the fire viciously emitting from the pen of Mr Adedayo. Even the APC led Federal Government that President Mohammadu Buharipresided, in the first tenure, had been ridiculed and embarrassed from stains that dropped unapologetically from Mr Adedayo’spen. It is not easy especially by the body language of this government, to forgive the man, who deliberately stains your multi-million dollar white “baban riga” that you custom-tailored for an event to improve your battered image and win back the heart of people that once admired and believed you to lead them to the promised land but have now taken all or any of your venture as a deception. Little wonder, the launderers and messengers of the government came for him with the same weapon he has always used against them – the media!
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By presenting himself for interview and eventually accepting the appointment, Festus Adedayo has unfortunately exposed himself to vilification and media bullets which he got before his eventual sack. For some critical minds like us, we think that his conduct first and foremost demonstrated a hitherto red-herring for solicitation and advertisement for a media job of that nature. Many before him have used same gimmicks and theatrics patterned after social crusade, criticism and commentary using the power of their pen to secure themselves a juicy job in the presidency and National Assembly. His colleagues in the likes of Reuben Abati, Femi Adesina, Garba Shehu, Tolu Ogunlese etcare good examples. Reuben Abati who served as a spokesman of former President Jonathan has even turned to a full-fledged politician after an intimate romance as an image-maker for erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan.
We thought that Festus Adedayo even when persuaded or cajoled or recommended (as he claimed), would reject the offer. He cannot suddenly accept to work for the government which emergence to power he questions and criticizes whole heartedly. Infact, accepting such a job is an endorsement of government he has always fough. It portrays double standard and a high level of hypocrisy.
More so, we thought that the #SackFestus campaign on the social media and which headlined some tabloids, would quickly make him rethink of his accepting the job and revisit his deed or better still, offer his resignation, which is the right thing to do in a developed climb or expected of a man like him, who for decades has exhibited strong belief in ideology, loyalty and nationhood. But nay! He held on to the appointment and andeven mocked those who called for his sack like a proud and stubborn African lizard on top of an Iroko tree until his employer whom has suddenly become his hero withdrew the offer and sent him packing with a best of luck message!
His rejection, no doubts, is traceable to party faithfuls who saw his appointment as uncharitable of the Senate President whose emergence was firmly supported by President Buhari and other party chieftains. However, there are lessons to learn from perhaps his misfortune. The first is that not all the time you are lucky to enjoy the magnonimy and generosity of the person you have publicly insulted, disgraced or embarrassed. Even if the man in question forgives you, his friends and servants will not. Secondly, consistency is a virtue. This does not mean you cannot change your position if the need arises but you cannot approbate and reprobate at the same time or condemn a government and suddenly thinks of praising the same government upon offering you a job. Thirdly, hunger is an enemy of intellect. We have seen people who show great intelligence and are passionate about bettering and correcting the society ills only to become a mouthpiece of the government that they have hitherto fought against and criticized. Such people are not easily forgiven nor their acts forgotten. Most times they invoke the wrath of the people which, if they are not careful, bring them disgrace and leave them hungrier. The last lesson, when you become unpopular or suddenly there is genuine outcry against your appointment or occupation of an office or questions arise about your performance, the honourable thing to do is to resign. Yes, this last one is uncommon in Nigeria. Ill-performed leaders would rather kill everyone than resign from their office! They always think that the call for resignation comes from their political enemy. This is not always the case. To build a developed and better nation is about service to the people and accepting constructive criticism. Service in any capacity comes with responsibilities and are not devoid of criticism no matter your level of performance or nature of office. It is necessary to be tolerant and open-hearted. It is not all your critics that are your enemies.
In conclusion, for Festus Adedayo’s critics, you cannot take it from him that he is very good at his trade and in the annals of journalism he has written his name with gold. He has a beautiful career before him perhaps outside being a spokesman. I will advise him to try law. Honestly I would like to meet him as an opposing counsel at the court!
Jerry Obanyero (Obans)
Legal Extern
J. B. Daudu SAN & Co
Kaduna
