Former governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande’s autobiography titled, ‘My Participations’,launched on Thursday, December 9, 2021, in Lagos has elicited massive commentaries from Nigerians,with many spotting numerous inadequacies in the book.
Each respondent picked part(s) of the book either considered unfit for an autobiography, more so,at this critical period in the history of the country, or areas where the author is perceived to be untruthful or, economic with the truth.
Identified simply as The Duke of Shomolu, this Nigerian believes the entire book isn’t worth reading and, goes on to discourage people from picking it up to read. In an article published by The Cable, The Duke of Shomolu wrote:”You can be sure that I will not read this book. To me, it will be a bloody waste of time and a lame distraction as we begin the tedious but achievable journey of winning back this country. Snippets from the book already being bandied in the press do not come to me or any serious-minded watcher of our country as a surprise
“Peddling boring pepper-soup joint type gist as major themes of a book that is written by a so-called insider is not a way to ensure a legacy especially in the twilight of a career.
This book, its contributors, and those who went to launch it with him represent the order that will be swept away by a robust and vigorous wave of positivism”.
His anger towards ‘My Participations’ gets to a surprising climax; “I wish I was wealthy enough, I would buy all the copies of Baba Akande’s book and make a huge bonfire of it and get true free born Nigerians to sing the national anthem in our different ethnic attires as we dance around it. I will not read that book and I beg you all not to either. A waste of time”.
The leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo has also been pissed off due to Chief Akande’s claim in the book that he(Adebanjo) mounted pressure on former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu to build a house for him. Adebanjo who has since thrown how he built his Lekki home to the public domain, said he was compelled to put the record straight “since Bola Tinubu himself was present at the presentation, I expect him within a few days to refute such a malicious falsehood about me emanating from his Man”.
“There has been a lot of pressure on me not to react to Chief Bisi Akande’s tantrums, he is a neophyte, a beneficiary of a struggle he never took part in. I have been urged to keep to the adage not to ‘Answer a fool less you reduce yourself to his level’, but there is also an adage that says, ‘Answer a fool less he thinks he is wise’.A lot has been said in the press and the social media to demolish tantrums. But I owe a duty to myself and to put the record straight for posterity about the big lie that Bola Tinubu built my house in Lekki for me.
“I therefore deny categorically that my house at Lekki was built with my resources through the sale of 3 developed properties, loan from GTBank and the sale of undeveloped landed property given me by my late leader Chief Obafemi Awolowo of blessed memory”, he explained.
Vanguard’s article titled; “1983 COUP: How Buhari’s regime maltreated southern Christian politicians- Akande”, has also attracted huge comments on the matter, with many judging the auto-biographer as one of the people that contributed to the travails of the country.
F.B. Eye wrote, “Buhari’s regime was and has been the only administration where a Fulani was the president and vice president. GMB’s loyalty is to his tribe and religion.
AlaoMugari; ”I have always said Nigerians had enough information on Buhari to make an informed political decision in 2015 but they failed to use the information.
Buhari has always been this, even years after he left office. He never changed nor developed himself intellectually or socially or in other critical areas. Akande and the rest of them knew this and yet went ahead to mislead their followers.
“Was it not the same Buhari that was calling a united Germany West Germany?
Buhari’s world view has never changed, nothing to suggest he ever repented or changed from being full of nepotism, yet they went ahead to form an alliance with him.
In all, Akande has by this passed the right judgement on the stewardship of himself and his colleagues: and posterity is already judging all of them”.
Replying to a comment, ChikeAfanna wrote, “Let’s start with the president of the time Shehu Shagari whose government Buhari accused of “outrageous corruption…” Did Shagari, Buhari’s fellow Fulani, who ran the government, see the walls of a jail? In contrast was Ekwueme, Shagari’s VP, not jailed?”
The man who was the president – head of the government that was accused of outrageous corruption was never sent to jail, while his vice president who only served in limited capacity at the pleasure of the president was jailed and you did not see bias. Never mind!!!”
Olu wrote, “Do u see that the baba is one hypocrite that shouldn’t be taken seriously?
He refused to mention the person who put them in jail unjustly which is the person of Buhari he’s worshipping today”.
Mystic Mallam; “The irony of Nigerian politics – 37 years ago, Buhari jailed Mr. Akande, a toothless deputy governor of Oyo state, for 42 years on charges of corruption and shortage of integrity. Last week, Mr. Akande launches a self-laudatory book and the same Buhari attends the event describing the same Akande of 37 years ago as an honest man of impeccable integrity. And we had never heard anywhere in between that Buhari ever apologized to Akande and the other “Southern Christian politicians’’ whom Mr. Akande claims that Buhari discriminated against and maltreated.
“On Akande’s part, what changed – if he knew Buhari to be such a tribal champion and religious bigot who would maltreat southerners and Christians while favouring and cuddling northerners and Muslims, why did he [Akande] join the alliance, or was it conspiracy, to make Buhari President in 2015? Perhaps, in 2015, we can consider his simplistic innocence for buying into the propaganda of a new-born democratic Buhari. What of in 2019, 4 years after as President, Buhari had proven beyond a doubt that the leopard had not changed, and had no intension to change its stripes? So, was this Akande man of later-day ‘’honesty and impeccable integrity’’ being a cheap crony hypocrite for political relevance and love of lucre when he joined the gang of conspirators to make Buhari President? I’m asking because he has accused others [Pa Adebanjo] of a lack of honesty and integrity. You be the judge”.
Responding to Mystic mallam’s comment, WetinNaija wrote, “Buhari is the same tribal champion but the South foolishly supported him. Now we are paying for our foolishness”.
And to both Mystic Mallam and WetinNaija, another commentator replied, “A little correction, ‘’the South did not foolishly support Buhari’’, the Tinubu wing of Yoruba politics did”.
Someone is fully backing Chief Akande and he is Adeola. He wrote, “Adebanjo, anyhow you will deny everybody know of your bitterness. You are the liar here and not Akande. Selling the Yoruba race my foot. Is a Yoruba man not a Vice President, when during the Jonathan administration that no single Yoruba man got anything, what was your message concerning the Yoruba nation? You were okay since Jonathan was feeding some of you. Shame on you”.
JasV, “God our Father knows how He does His things. It’s time for these these people to expose themselves. No matter what, leadership will go to who will resolve our problems, who He himself has chosen for us”.
Prosper5also wrote, “So you know Buhari to be tribalistic and nepotistic, you know that Buhari is a religious bigot and yet you supported him again in 2015 and 2019. Now Buhari has practiced what he knows best, though this time his people are suffering it too. The Bandits he and El Rufai imported to Nigeria to push Jonathan out have wreaked havoc in the North”.
Lanre replies to Prosper5’s comment, “Thank you prosper5.Vanguard is moderating my comments; don’t know why. Bisi Akande just confirmed Buhari is a nepotist and a bigot. Chief Adebanjo, please defend yourself in the best traditions of an Awoist”.
On point also replies to prosper5’s post, “Everything is getting clearer to Nigerians now.. The problem of banditry in the north is self-inflicted. What they planned against GEJ has boomeranged. God gave Jonathan wisdom to accept the result of the 2015 election otherwise this country would have been in civil war since then”.
CliffordAussie; “This man Akande has proved to be two faced, despite all he knew about Buhari’s bigotry, he fought hard to install him again as president. Akande deserved sympathy as he stands condemned before he meets his maker, his confession is not enough, he and his cohorts are the problems rocking Nigeria”.
Okoko wrote, “The same Akande was among those who labelled AIT’s documentary of Buhari’s life as hate speech. God will reward all of you for deceiving some Nigerians to queue behind Buhari in 2015″.
Emezana; “Ha Ha-Ha! Edon de sele for yonder oooo! So, wetin this Chief Olabisi Akande de write about Muhammadu Buhari for here after 37 years? It is Much Ado at nothing. You see, I will not use a hand brush to paint all Yorubas here. Why? Because for many years I have dinned and wined with good Yoruba men and women.
There are very good Yoruba men/women. However, crop of Yorubas in the mould of Chief Olabisi Akande, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, etc., etc., are the problems of Southern Nigeria, and Nigeria at large. We were there, and we are still around as students of Nigeria’s political-history and events.
Here, I will personally feel very sorry for the SW Yoruba youths: especially the millennials who have been misled by these old and expired SW Yoruba Leaders who ought to know better. When we write and blog to educate the un-informed Nigerian youths, they called us liars from the pit of hell.
But, today, we are hearing from the horse’s mouth and political actors of the Second Republic. It is a pity, that the same Buhari de facto, cancelled with fiat the Lagos Metro Line Project, first of its kind then in Africa in 1983 after he had led a military-junta and seized political-power on December 31, 1983.
The Metro Line Project was fully paid for by the defunct UPN Lagos State Government led by late Alhaji Lateef Jakande of blessed memory. Buhari clamped indiscriminately on “Southern Christian Governors” in prison via military tribunal(s). Most of the Southern Governors imprisoned by BUHARI, e.g., Pa Adekunle Ajasin, Chief Bisi Onabanjo, Chief Sam Mbakwe, Professor Ambrose Alli, etc., all came out of prison partially blind.
He seized Pa Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo’s Nigerian travel passport when he put him under house arrest on Point Road, Apapa-Lagos. Buhari’s sins/crimes against Southerners & Nigerians are well documented. Yet, Yorubas in the mould of Akande and Tinubu, etc., installed the same Buhari as Executive President and C-In-C of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2015 and 2019 respectively.
So, what’s Chief Olabisi Akande and his co-travellers telling Nigerians in 2021? It is all sour grape my dear! I sincerely pity our youths who have been their foot soldiers. It Is Much Ado At Nothing! God Bless Nigeria!”
EhiEhinomhen wrote, “The man Akande just revealed to the whole world how lacking in character and integrity he is. He, been a sort of a lapdog for Tinubu, supported Buhari in 2015 and 2019 and in fact continues to support him today and one just wonders what kind of men are these. So, Akande is aware of this open secret and yet supports Buhari?
The shame is his, that is, if he still has any left. Nigeria will outlive all of you”