"MC Oluomo is a thug; I believe so. He is alleged to have instigated murders; it may be true but I don't know. What I know is that we have laws against thuggery, intimidation and murder because they are immoral. We can demand that he be prosecuted with evidence not by insinuation". |
| Bamidele Ademola-Olateju |
By Bamidele Ademola-Olateju
In politics, the ends justify the means. Politics has never pretended to be a vocation that encourages moral reflection or insight. In other words, politics is not about morality in the strict sense. Politics is blood sport. It is not the Church or Mosque where the gospel or hutbah of love, empathy and forgiveness are preached. Politics is about representation, where numbers is destiny. In politics, I vote and campaign for whoever will represent my interest and it is a choice the constitution guarantees me. In Lagos, Sanwoolu represents my interest. I cannot speak for Asiwaju. What I know is that, MC Oluomo represents a certain voting bloc. Instead of blaming this and that, we should ask and focus on reforms, reward and leadership structure of the NURTW. Unions are powerful anywhere in the world. Ajimobi warts and all put an end to Tokyo and his minions in Ibadan.
Human society is complex with different goals and values. What we should fight to uphold is the role of the state as an unbiased umpire in the enforcement of the rules of the game (our living in harmony). The government should be like a referee in a game of football. The government should not take sides or support you, MC Oluomo or Lagbaja. It should exist to ensure we all follow the rules. That is, the rule of law.
Morality comes into government because our rules are not morally neutral. What this means is that, the government is not taking a neutral stance when it enforces them because every rule is based on some concept of right and wrong or a certain view of morality.
MC Oluomo is a thug; I believe so. He is alleged to have instigated murders; it may be true but I don't know. What I know is that we have laws against thuggery, intimidation and murder because they are immoral. We can demand that he be prosecuted with evidence not by insinuation. We can protest the undue influence of the NURTW leadership in our culture by picketing and making sure our vote trump theirs and a focus on values rather than riches. That is how societies change what they dislike not by pontificating.
In Saturday's election in Lagos State. Sanwoolu represents my interest. That is it.
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