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Tinubu’s third anniversary, Ogun deity and voodoo vote numbers, By Festus Adedayo
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Tinubu’s third anniversary, Ogun deity and voodoo vote numbers, By Festus Adedayo

From Premium Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Analysis Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • President Bola Tinubu marked his first anniversary, delivering a speech that drew criticism for its repetitive language and perceived lack of substance.
  • The president's administration justified the removal of fuel subsidies by claiming significant savings, which were allegedly redirected to healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
  • The article uses Yoruba allegories to reflect on the transient nature of political power and criticizes leaders who rely on rhetoric over tangible results.

President Bola Tinubu's first anniversary in office was marked by a speech that critics found to be filled with tautological language and a "suffocatingly huge aroma of deodorant." The address, delivered on May 29, began with the phrase "fellow compatriots," which language experts have flagged as syntactically redundant, noting that "compatriots" inherently implies fellowship.

Ohun t’ó ńtán ni eégún odún, omo Alágbàáà ńbò wá rà’kàrà jè’ko.

— Yoruba proverbAn allegory used to illustrate the transient nature of political influence and authority, meaning 'The yearly masquerade festival will soon come to an end and the son of the Chief Masquerade will, like every other mortal, buy his fried bean cake from the market.'

The article critiques this linguistic redundancy as emblematic of a broader issue in leadership, particularly in Africa and the Third World, where leaders are characterized by "tautologos" – an excessive use of words without corresponding action or delivery of democratic dividends. The author contrasts this with the Yoruba cultural tradition of using concise allegories, such as the fleeting nature of the yearly masquerade festival or the morning dew, to underscore the perishable essence of political influence and authority.

Ìmò enini kìí di ojó alé.

— Yoruba proverbAnother allegory reflecting the fleeting nature of power, personifying the morning dew whose reign is governed by brevity.

Tinubu's administration defended its controversial decision to remove fuel subsidies on May 29, 2023. The president stated that the policy halted the daily expenditure of N18.4 billion on subsidies and that these funds have since been channeled into healthcare, education, housing, and critical infrastructure. However, the article dismisses these claimed benefits as "voodoo numbers," suggesting they are as illusory as voodoo statistics and are not visible in the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

fellow compatriots

— President Bola TinubuThe opening line of President Tinubu's speech marking his first anniversary in office, criticized for its redundancy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Premium Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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