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“Excessively and pretentiously flattering the boss indicates a true sycophant”-Anonymous
The reason French iconic military statesman, Napoleon Bonaparte said that ‘in politics, stupidity is not a handicap’ is because most career politicians are sociopaths who often operate without conscience or shame. The politician’s obsequiousness is always with an underlying motive.
Nothing demonstrates this fact better than President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s rush to congratulate US President-elect Donald Trump even before the US Electoral Commission confirmed his victory after he had abused the man in September as an unpatriotic character.
The insincere flattery from the Nigerian Presidency in seeking Trump’s attention says a lot about the desperation of those in power to consolidate their position even if it’s at the expense of principles or their people. Many political watchers were startled at how the Nigerian Presidency swiftly, openly, and without guilt or embarrassment shifted base three-sixty degrees away from the Democrats that had been their old ally. No wonder it’s long said that success has many relations but the loser is always an orphan.
If the 46th US President, Joe Biden, and his party, the Democrats, had stood for justice and worked for true democracy to prevail in Nigeria, maybe Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would not be on the throne In Nigeria today. If former US President Barack Obama and his democrat party had not inordinately pushed their homosexuality madness beyond America to harm Nigeria’s democracy, maybe Muhammedu Buhari would not have come to the stage to multiply the nation’s problems.
The curious thing about the rushed congratulatory message, if you recall, was that the Nigerian Presidency had taken a huge dig at Donald Trump in September during the campaigns. While trying to get at the Labour Party leader Peter Obi whom they view as their current tormentor-in-chief, Nigeria’s Presidency compared him to the US President-elect then a candidate as possessing the same nation’s destabilizing characteristics as Trump. Many Nigerians laughed off the asinine comparison and described such thinking as preposterous and in line with the bewildering way the regime has been running the affairs of the country.
As of September 2024, every permutation was in favor of the Democrat candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris winning, exit polls were showing it, soothsayers also, and Nigeria’s Presidency fell into it in abusing the man. And now they probably are thinking that rushing the congratulatory message will help to delete the damage done by their thoughtless and discourteous expression.
The thing well settled about politicians is that oftentimes, they will wish that whatever they had said or done in the past that may not be helpful to them now or in the future were wiped away, never to be front-loaded. But with a digitalized global family such desires are hard to meet. Now that bookmakers, soothsayers, and legendary political sycophants have been exposed and humiliated by Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election, it may be necessary to explore the Trump character in the two main Nigerian political gladiators, Peter Obi and President Tinubu.
Perhaps the only and most visible similarity between Trump and Obi is their stubborn and unprecedented political willpower. While Trump is lucky to operate under a structured and institutionalized system where the will of the people is paramount, Obi exists in an environment where people’s power is virtually nonexistent and relegated by transactional politicking.
While both leaders have business backgrounds, their styles and policies differ significantly. Trump is an unapologetic American first man; Obi’s first and main choice is for the youth and the poor in society. Trump is conservative while Obi is Liberal, reform-minded, and focused on socioeconomic development.
It’s these very striking willpower similarities of the duo that kept Trump alive and kicking for four years since 2020 when he lost the election controversially to Joe Biden. He refused to go off the stage despite the media and judiciary onslaught on him. Only a rare, courageous political figure like Trump could survive the barrage of attacks he got from the ruling regime of Joe Biden and the Democrats. Similarly, all the expectations that Obi will fizzle out after the 2023 electoral hocus-pocus have failed the bookmaker’s predictions. He has not only remained afloat but has also been soaring. Not even the hijacking and disorganization of his political party platform has slowed him down. Obi may not be as brutish and bullish as Trump, but he has a disarming message that is second to none and that is delivered in the most simple and penetrating manner.
Trump’s similarity with Tinubu is that the two also share strong willpower and never give up spirit. They also share the grab-and-run style of politics nurtured by their transactional lives. What appears revealing so far is that all the contrivance by Tinubu and his men is to warm themselves to Trump and bring him on their side to continue enjoying the way and manner Joe Biden protected them. But that notwithstanding, it remains doubtful that Tinubu’s political sagacity will give him the same space he got in Biden with Trump, obviously two opposite political figures. President Tinubu and his spin doctors are already in panic given Trump’s body language against whatever faulty thing Joe Biden supported.
What is clear is that even if Tinubu pretends not to be panicking with Donald Trump’s presidency, he’ll likely need to adjust his administration’s strategies, especially considering Trump’s reputation for unconventional foreign policy decisions. Global watchers already expect that Trump’s presidency could shift global alliances, which might impact Nigeria’s relationships with other countries.
Trump’s emphasis on fair trade might lead to changes in US-Nigeria trade agreements, ditto his approach to security issues might affect the way of combating terrorism in the Sahel region. If Trump’s regime is going to be transactional, it might offer Tinubu the opportunity to reassess its relationship and priorities and, if proactive and adaptable, can navigate these changes effectively.
On the other hand, should Obi, the main opposition leader In Nigeria today, be concerned about Trump’s coming given his erratic and transactional behavior? Not at all; Trump’s America First policy tallies with OBI’s position to enhance our potential and bring back our people home. Trump’s policies focus on stricter immigration controls, but Nigeria isn’t explicitly targeted. Trump’s proposed merit-based immigration system could benefit Nigerian nationals, particularly those with US college degrees, as they’d be eligible for automatic Green Cards.
Trump’s likely economic policies, such as trade disputes with China, could impact Nigeria’s economy, particularly in the oil and gas sector but will strengthen Obi’s drive to shift Nigeria’s economy away from consumption to production.
Generally, what would Nigeria’s democracy be expecting from Trump’s Presidency from January 2025? Experts watching the events in the two nations are unanimous that Trump’s Presidency is going to offer Nigeria both challenges and opportunities. Trump is not going to overlook the fact that Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and one of the world’s largest democracies, has been experiencing serious democratic hiccups that stem largely from corruption and the inability to conduct free, fair, and credible elections.
In the end, the intersection of Trump’s presidency and Nigeria’s democracy will depend on various factors, including Trump’s policy decisions and Nigeria’s ability to navigate internal and external challenges.
Donald Trump is easily the most powerful man on earth today, politically speaking. A man who has used his determination so well to demystify those who thought they were powerful. One good thing about him is that despite his often unruly behaviors, he appreciates the fact that he draws his power from a higher being, God. His stubborn posture on gender issues and abortion will continue to endear him to the Nigerian and African populace.
The lesson to draw here, particularly for those Nigerians who play God and who rely on their transactional prowess to undermine the people’s strength of will, is that there’s ‘God oo!’ May He help us.
ABONYI, a veteran of political reporting, is a well regarded columnist and writes from Abuja.
