By Dr. Yemisi Bamgbose.
It was the late scholar, poet and writer,Chief Adebayo Faleti,that narrated the agony and travails of a Catholic priest Rev. Father Michael in his book titled Idaamu Paadi Mikailu.Yorubas refer to a Rev.Father in those days as "Paadi" Michael was then pronounced as "Mikailu".
It is like the author had peeped into the future and had the premonition of what the President and Commander in Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces President Mohammandu Buhari will encounter in his present day position of leadership.
It is true that leadership comes with a price but what is before our leader presently is not the type of travails anyone will pray for. I am sure, the Turaki Adamawa and even former President Good Luck Jonathan on second thought and deep reflection and judging by what President Buhari is confronting today will be thanking their God that they are not the ones piloting the country at this particular time.What happened during GEJ's tenure was a child's play. "Eni ija ko de ba ni onpe arare ni okunrin"-It is only those that have not experienced any life threatening problems that will boast of their manly strength.
In all sincerity I feel for PMB.Travails from every angle. From the home front,there is turbulence judging by the salvo fired occasionally from inside the roof of Mr President by the First Lady. It is not easy when the closest person criticises your leadership openly. But what can Father Mikailu do other than accept God's verdict .Yorubas will say "gba fun Olorun".Of course every man does that. Even spiritual leaders, traditional rulers, rich, noble and highly placed MEN are sweating underneath as a result of unpleasant reactions from the home front.
A woman can at times frustrate her husband in such a way that he will almost voice a regret of their union. However,what happened to a traditional ruler in one of the South-West states is big enough a lesson for any man in position of power and authority to know that the masquerade must endure the offensive odours released from the body and radiating within his regalia ( iso inu eku, arunmora ni).
The travails of "Rev.Father Mikailu" from outside is overwhelming. It takes the grace of God for him to sleep. Boko Haram saga is there staring at the face of a not corrupt Rev.Father.
Each time the Rev Father remembers that Leah Sharibu is still in captivity of Boko Haram becomes moment of sadness for him. I have no doubt that It will be a daily prayer point never to receive any news from the North East because most of the news from that region leaves the Rev. Father devastated. Then suddenly enter another scene, the bandits.The North West that used to be the succour and comforting zone suddenly became a thorn in the flesh of the Rev. Father. His home state has been worst hit.What will the people say if a reputable hunter is being pursued by a beast.(Gbami,gbami ko ye agbalagba,egungun n le mi bo ko ye babalawo).If the home of the the Rev. Father is being ravaged by evil spirits who will run to him for deliverance prayer from demons. As Rev.Father Mikailu was busy directing the guards to ward off Boko Haram and bandits with sophisticated weapons, then enter the mother of them all, Covid-19.
The Rev.Father knows that North East is the place of abode of Boko Haram and the head of palace guards have been directed to cage BH there. He has directed the "dogaris" not to allow the bandits to go beyond Zamfara and Katsina. Surprisingly Covid-19 has been advancing from all fronts.The ruthless monster even mysteriously gained entrance into the most revered place despite the presence of heavy infantry, artillery,ballistic and air tactical command that guide the "holiest of holies" It was a divine intervention that did not allow the entire congregation to be thrown into pandemonium and mourning. Even with that,a Jonathan has to lay his live for David to reign as the closest official aide and longtime friend of Rev. Father Mikailu died of Covid-19. What a bad signal. If your peers are being reported dead, it is a sign that you must take extra cautious. May God reposed the soul of the late COS.
Nothing torments a man like lack of funds. The Yorubas will say lack of money is the grandfather of anxiety.( Aini owo ni owo baba iyaya,owo nini lowo baba afojudi). It is true, when a man is broke, he becomes like an unwise man, a jelly and he looks like a fool. Without money at times most celebrated love can collapse overtime. Some women can capitalise on lack of fund to divorce their husbands. Neighbours of the poor even hate them like Donald Trump hates Africa most especially Nigerians. A poor man borrows money from everywhere including World Bank and from a junior brother or former colleague like Nigeria borrowing from China. Honestly it is not a pleasant thing to be poor. A poor man can search for the stolen money and collect it back from a dead person like Sanni Abacha whom I feel the military should by now consider for demotion posthumously to a Lance Corporal or possibly dismissed from service. Of course the National Assembly may not have the courage to withdraw Sanni Abacha's presidency because the dead can appear to them to query their levels of righteousness to condemn him, afterall many of his beneficiaries are in the upper chamber majorly. Unfortunatey for Rev. Father Mikailu, there was no serious foundation for the economic survival of the ministry because some living and the dead leaders did not only eat up the altar but they stole away the pupilt. We understand that body parts of the altar are presently in UK,France, Dubai and SierraLeone among others. Nigerian leaders!.God dey o according to the former First Lady .Some of them are still alive but who will touch them.They have wild Dogs everywhere.If you mention their names,they are ready to inject poison into your body system. Unfortunately for Rev.Father Minkailu the only dependable product available as source of income is no more selling. Uneasy lies the head that carries the stone on head without headgear.It is always humiliating for a father to be borrowing from enemies to feed the wife and the children. Rev.Father Mikailu's congregation would not want to know where the food comes from but they must get food on the table. Minimum wage must not diminish. Pensioners must not be starved.
To compound the problem of the Rev. Father,those that supposed to help him, I mean his lieutenants in the states are working against his directives.He was trying to keep the Corona virus away from their doors but they keep telling him leave us alone, give us money, we have come of age. Some even said "babu corona".They are now exchanging infected Almajiris as they are operating Bureau de Change after they had publicly said the President cannot lockdown their region. Now the problem is getting out of hands from all fronts.The Palace of the Traditional ruler of the hometown of Rev.Father Mikailu has been visited by the virus which they say did not exist without any formal invitation.It has caused the palace to be closed, first time in history.
God forbid bad thing,Rev.Father Mikailu's ailments must not relapse because there is no country that is willing to take any visitors at least for now.
Now people are crying to the Rev Father "give us food.Lockdown .Don't lockdown. Unlock us.We are vulnerable. No, we are not vulnerable we are only poor. Give us herbal treatment.No,it must come from laboratory from developed country.They are stealing our money. No,we are not neither thieves nor armed robbers.
Idaamu Paadi Mikailu.
Honestly, the President deserves our support during this travails.
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