By Lekan Ijelu
Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun unarguably, is a statesman in his own right. And Ikorodu is blessed with a few of them. And he is one of the very few remaining ones still living. It is hard to dispute his political astuteness and love for community, like or hate him.
As it’s characteristic of a man that truly bothers about the cause of events after him, one is not surprised that he summoned up the courage to invite a selected young and critical folks within the division to acquaint them about the political happenings in the division from the perspective of the leadership.
I cannot but be gratified at this gesture. At least one of the leaders deemed it proper to talk to the led about activities of their leadership – not in the sense of stewardship though – which usually are not conducted openly and transparently!
Whether or not his narratives are satisfactory and agreeable is another debate.
I believe the invitation came on the heels of the cacophony of agitations on the social media concerning what seems to have become a deliberate design to continually relegate Ikorodu to the background in the scheme of things in Lagos State particularly, in the areas of political and socio- economic developments.
Perhaps, the youths are most vocal in the agitations against backwardness of their division and political appointment’s lopsidedness among other things.
Most of the blames if not all, are heaped at the door step of the top political leaders – and justifiably so, in my view – in which Olorunfunmi Basorun ranks the second as at today.
My take according to the late poet, J.P Clark, is that “we are all casualty’. We view politics too selfishly from the prism of what to eat and earn. It is from one of our top players, then a gubernatorial candidate that I heard for the first time the definition of politics as “what to eat and what to acquire.”
In practical terms, this definition is not only callous and barbaric, it is most selfish! It has relevance only in ignorant and poverty stricken parts of the world such as ours. And it is sad and unfortunate that this is our mindset, the way a great majority of us are viewing politics and this is the reason we are where we are.
If the ancient political philosophers, leaders and thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Epictetus, Seneca, Aurelius etc had such thought about politics, there would never be what is today known as “Western Civilization” and its attendant development and freedom.
If the likes of Obafemi Awolowo had thought of politics as an art of selfish endeavor and pursuit, the South Western Nigeria would never be foremost in the Nigerian enterprise.
The point is, all of us: the leaders and the led, young and old, political office holders and non-political office holders, aspiring politicians and politicians in offices, must begin to re-examine the purpose of our venturing into politics. Is it for a noble cause higher than ourselves or selfish, narrow interest? We must change our mindset.
For me, the one and only reason you run for political office is for higher purpose – public good (What Cicero called “summons bonum”). Other interests are surbodinated to this.
We must form good intentions and be clear headed about our politics. It is when our interests are noble and pure that leaders will eschew imposing relations on their people. These relations are more often than not, bereft of positive ideas and only self serving.
It is when you have higher interest that you get elected or appointed and you devote your energy and talent to truly serving the people.
The truth is that we deliberately misplace our priorities. We erroneously think that it is by unjustly enriching ourselves with public funds that we become fulfilled and accomplished. This is not true. It has never been true and will never be true.
History is replete of people who thought this way and what eventually became of them.
Therefore, I urge all of us to rededicate ourselves to the ideals of candour and selflessness in aspiring to public office and in public office.
In my humble view, this is the only way to make Ikorodu great and re direct her forward in all ramifications. I’m not naive. I know Ikorodu of our dream is possible.
LEKAN IJELU, is a legal practitioner, politician and former aspirant for the Ikorodu Constituency I seat at the Lagos State House of Assembly.
