Nigeria: Ogbulafor
Source: Democracy And Its Sworn Enemies - AllAfrica.com (Original Article)
"I will be 101% loyal to President yar’adua" "I don’t care if Nigeria becomes a one-party state…. We said we are going to rule this country for the next 60 years and we mean it." — Vincent Ogbulafor, Chairman, PDP
A schoolboy essay on chief Vincent ogbulafor, the national chairman of the ruling political party in our country, the PDP, will best summarise the man’s political character in a few words that possibly will read this way: "a colourless character not known to stand for any ideals or principles (and therefore likely to stand for anything depending on who his puppeteer is), and unable to author any original thoughts that can edify society"! This neat summary came to my mind this week when I commenced thought on the first few sound bites that have so far emanated from the man that was imposed as the national chairman of the PDP a few months ago.
Vincent ogbulafor is an expression of everything that is wrong with Nigerian politics: the manipulative propensity that has made politics the preserve of the most irresponsible elements of the nation’s elite; the crass opportunism which suffocates life out of political culture and the triumph of the worst elements of prebendalism. Ogbulafor was imposed as party chairman at a point when the PDP needed to make a renewed effort at responsiveness to the popular feeling and away from the authoritarian bear hug it has suffered under Obasanjo. Unfortunately for Nigeria’s political progress, ogbulafor’s imposition merely raised hope, but it was never really going to amount to much: a lot of motion without movement.
The problem with the types which come in the political shape of Vincent Ogbulafor is that they do not possess the breadth of political vision; the intellect and principle to lead change. Ogbulafor is not known for any grand political idea or any seriously instructive ideological conviction able to lead change. At best an apparatchik House And Garden Article 4508 of the very colourless hue and …continue reading