The spirit of Akinloye lives on
Events shouting down the news
The noise of megalomania coming from the House of Representatives drowned out news that seems to link up with the events taking place in that chamber.
When the Buhari/Idiagbon putsch swept out the corrupt and rotten politicians in December 1993, one thing depicted the conceit, excess, wanton debauchery, arrogance, shameless hedonism and appropriation of wealth for personal gain – unopened bottles of champagne.
Whether it was the truth or not, the military regime displayed bottles of champagne named for and labelled Augustus Meredith Adisa Akinloye A.M.A., the then chairman of the ruling cabal called the National Party of Nigeria.
They are still about
The parallels between the $5 million renovation of the Speakers’ residences and this seminal event would eventually be a subject of history.
The shame of it all is that as one of the many who allegedly squandered the resources of Nigeria and left it in a deplorable state of corruption and chaos, he was never indicted or arraigned for his supposed part in this matter just as many like him got away with what essentials were crimes.
As the military government tightened their grip on power and corralled the political miscreants into prison, he escaped into exile for 10 years and then returned to glorious welcome masterminded by the current chief thug of Oyo State Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu.
The brood of vipers are still spawning their deathly and poisonous influence in Nigerian politics today and many of their followers cannot with honesty see through the façade to challenge their questionable conduct and hubris.
That one could say he did his best for Nigeria in general beggars belief at the way people would believe a blatant inexactitude to conform to a false but accepted impression.
Another signpost
So, the death of the Seriki of Ibadanland at 91 last week is not necessarily the end of an era of corrupt impunity and excess, it was just another signpost in the history of Nigerians who got away with it; the many, who were once thieves that became respectable through the peddling of questionable influence.
Now, nothing was proved about Akinloye’s culpability or guilt having not been arraigned before a court of law, but he would have been in the crosshairs of an agency like the EFCC and even if he was innocent he symbolised everything that was atrocious, ignoble, dishonourable and bad about the government of the day, more so an educated Nigerian.
I would have loved that these traits got buried with the high chief, but unlike Mark Anthony, I come not to bury Chief Akinloye and definitely not to praise him for a biography few honourable men would deign to accept as their story.
Reference
Akinloye: Sunset for grandfather of politics
Nigeria: UCH - Akinloye Died of Chronic Liver Problem
Chronic liver trouble! Nonetheless, he did live to a ripe old age.
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