A big surprise! Audu is one man whose activities never passed unnoticed let alone easily forgotten. But it appears birthday for him is not such an activity. Generally, birthday whether hugely celebrated, quietly marked or ignored altogether gives us the picture of life. As often said, it means”a different thing to a different people”.
The meanings people make of birthdays are quite emotional. Our birthday replicate the day we first opened our eyes to this wonderful world and experience the beautiful creation of God, that is for one who still sees the world as beautiful. Again, they are people
who give birthdays an occultic interpretation involving the transport of the soul out of the body to the source for a meeting with the supreme for sustaining powers.
Whatever is done or undone, birthday remains significant in our lives one way or the other; it either rekindle the flame of our aspiration or brings us into the reckoning of our friends, families or associates and their expectations on us.
For a Prince Audu, birthday especially this edition is significant in more ways than one. Audu is a politician wanted for the restoration of hope and sunshine in Kogi State that is endowed with enormous potential for greatness, and as God would have it, was blessed with a highly versatile and visionary Prince Audu as governor to help catalyze the development of the state as an admirable case study.
Two, elections are around the corner and as would be expected, the electorate and the people of Kogi State and beyond are looking forward to a leader who they expect can bring about the desired social change and Prince Audu, indeed, belongs to that of
class leaders. Three, Audu is a man after many hearts, and surrounded by many who care, appreciate and genuinely love him. For them too, his birthday counts. Last but not the least, Audu conveniently portrays the figure of the most stormy, controversial yet heroic political figure of Kogi State and that comes with its costly price, as Audu is continually put in the view of friends or foes, accordingly.
Just as Audu is greatly admired by the majority he is passionately loathed by a reactionary minority who finds
discomfort in his exceptionally astute political prowess, and ambitious eyes for the enormous possibilities of transforming Kogi
State. Audu visualized the state as pulsing with vitality and went to great lengths in trying to bring the visions to fruition but somewhere along the line, in a mix of business and political interests, it was deduced that a man of Audu’s disposition
and mental capacity could be dangerous to let hold on to power.
He was thought too progressive for the comfort of the political profiteers. Here lies the genesis of
his travails which in turn marked the pain and sorrow that became the lot of Kogites since the past 11 years. So this birthday, springs up memories, sweet or bitter as the case may be depending on who Audu is and represents for you. After Audu’s exit from the Lugard
House, those who took his place have been weighed in the balance and found wanting. Year by year, as the cups of bitter leadership
is proffered to the people of Kogi State, Audu is increasingly missed. It was said he placed a curse which is taking its toll on the state as it continually recedes into the depth of nothingness, a kind of darkness that points to a malicious intent to obliterate the legacies he
built.
Perhaps, one can say anything goes so long as Audu is out of the way. The phenomenal significance of Kogi politics is that despite the
concerted and carefully manipulated efforts to keep Prince Audu in check, there still exists an insatiable
public appetite for a rendition of the man’s visionary leadership. Though the man was successfully removed,
all efforts at removing his legacies failed. Ironically, Audu is as good as his legacies. Hence, his dominant image in the state.
Audu is a practical lesson of life, you don’t know what you have got until it is gone. We had Audu. We thought he wasn’t good enough. We impute arrogance to him, we conspired against him and sold him out. But alas! Those who shun smoke often fall into fire. Did we not fell into static fire for eleven sorrowful and teeth gnashing year? In all of these, there are reasons for us to take
Audu’s birthday as important even in our private homes.
It must be pointed out that Audu’s life-long dream of taking Kogi into broader horizons may not have been shattered. The
people do keep faith with him as was amply demonstrated on the 23rd September, when over 5,000 persons defected from the ruling PDP to join camp with Audu’s APC. The landmark event which took place in Lokoja, Kogi State capital witnessed a massive entry of big party stalwarts and heavyweights into the APC and the declaration of allegiance to the prince. It was a striking testimony of his dynamic leadership qualities, the intensity and severity of the helplessness that has engulfed
the people and a burning expression of the desire for the changes
resident only in the prince.
Audu’s ambitions are supportable because they hold meanings for the generality of the people.
He alone as demonstrated and has never been seen since his days, is capable of the sound and sensible plan necessary to harness the natural and human resources available to Kogi to transcend to the heights of glorious developments.
The first time in 1991 when Audu was introduced, he instantly became a great leader who nurtured the then new state to greatness. Both within and out on government, he has not wavered one bit. If anything being out of government has increased his perceptions and given him new perspectives of governance.
Happy birthday the Prince of the Niger!! Even though I have not met you one on one, my admiration for you remains unbreakable
.Wada writes from Abuja.
(The Sun)
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