Ekiti Politics: A letter to Hon Afuye

Between Honour and Politics of Bread

By Raheem Akingbolu

In the last 72 hours I have been reading some snippets on social media that were linked to you.

At the beginning, I doubted if indeed you wrote those things. I waited and waited for you to come out and dissociate yourself from those blasphemous writings that were meant to disparage the person of Mr. Governor, His Excellency Biodun Oyebanji and rubbish his work.

Hon. Afuye, I was one of those who met you the day you led a few guys to Ajilosun office of the All Progressives Congress (APC). After the short but memorable ceremony that heralded your defection into APC and I was introduced to you as BAO’s SA Media, you picked interest in me and we kicked-off a friendly relationship. From that moment, the Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji’s campaign office at GRA became your second home.

Throughout the campaign, you were always in the situation office in company of one young man, in his late 20s or early 30s. You later introduced him to me as your PA/Media Assistant. One thing I noticed was that BAO and other APC leaders gave you the respect you desired and you had unbridled access to him. One evening, after a short meeting with the then APC Governorship candidate, you came out joyfully and beckoned on me to have a private audience with you. I remember your exact words, “Mr. Raheem, your principal is super and a God-sent to Ekiti”. Though I didn’t know what happened behind the curtail but you spent about five minutes, praising and profiling BAO in positive picture. You spoke of his homegrown advantage, his understanding of Ekiti and its nuances, BAO generosity and his fertile mind.

After inauguration, anytime we had opportunity to meet, you always took charge, praising and reeling out good attributes of the Governor.

Two weeks ago, precisely on March 15, you chatted me up via messenger, to find out if I’m in Ekiti. Unfortunately, I was out of town and I told you so. You even pressed further to find out if I was out of the country. Perhaps, if I had met you, the discussion would have centered on BAO again and his wonders.

Hon. Afuye, I respect you so much but I fear, this latest development might reduce your rating and political worth. I doubt you are the one oozing out all these negative stuffs because of all those positive things you have said about the Governor in the recent past. One question I have consistently asked myself is; what happened to Hon. Afuye and since when?

As you must have read in the comment section of various platforms, many people have suggested reasons behind your outburst and I must confess, none, I repeat, none of those suggestions position you as Omoluabi.

One, some have reasoned that you were threatened by the defection of your former Principal, Erelu Elebute – Hallie who graciously made you his deputy governorship candidate during the build up to the 2022 election. Someone even quoted you as lamenting that Erelu was coming to steal show from you and ‘block’ your meal ticket.

Secondly my brother, the most popular opinion out there is that you are being used by some faceless enemies of government, who were desperately looking for a character like Kanu, Nzeribe and Ogundokun of the inglorious Abacha/Babangida military days, who will be ready to be used for cheap propaganda to demarket the Governor.

Finally, you have been described as an hustler who is desperate for attention.

Dear brother, whatever may be the reason for your recent tantrum, it’s not good for your personality brand. It gives you away as a cheap politician who stands for nothing and sings only to whoever that butters his bread.

Hon. Afuye, don’t you think Erelu Elebute – Hallie will currently be laughing at you. Also, your former co-travellers in Erelu’s former party, ADP, will be mocking you and calling you names. Can we blame them?

Sincerely, you fall my hands terribly because I assumed you stood for integrity and would guide yours jealously.

Just this morning, I read somewhere that you were planing to address the press in Abuja. You must have been wrongly quoted. I know you won’t contemplate that. Press briefing in Abuja over what or for what? If truly you are coming to Abuja, then you have confirmed the position of those who said you are either looking for attention or being used by some faceless politicians to run Oyebanji and his administration down. If indeed your worry is about Ekiti and for Ekiti, then coming to Abuja is nothing but attention seeking (mis)adventure.

On a final note my Honourable, I’m advising you as a friend and brother and in the interest of our lofty future to stop all these dishonourable misadventures. These acts will not make you but mar you. Perhaps you would have been taken serious by many people out there if you don’t have access to the governor.