The central thesis of the words of the readers of this column and watchers of our current politics and political personages which I tried to set down last Friday, and which I am trying now to continue cannot but be seen or viewed from the perspective of those who are wrestlers with the idea of noble actions and right deeds.
Clearly and apparently, only noble actions, pure deeds, perfectly perfect thoughts that nothing could shape to cheat and deceive can earn a leader, a political and non-political leader, fame that is fame in a country, in a good country – as we wish our country to be but which it is not, or has not always been. As a matter of fact, the language of our politics and of our politicians lacks the knowledge of truth and virtue, and of love, beauty, justice, cleanliness and goodness. Am I going philosophical? Let the question be without ado.
The most significant discussion of our politics currently centres on Natasha for the reason we all understand – or try to understand fully or un-fully.
Who do we believe – or un-believe or do not believe – or try to believe or try not to believe between Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan the bewitching loner, the bewitching fearless loner in our Senate lacking in natural and famed elite of moral guardians and the Senate President His Excellency Godswill Akpabio who seems not to understand transparently his duties and functions as the exemplar-in-chief in the hallowed chamber that is seemingly becoming a hollow chamber of hollow male senators in particular?
What does it take for our senators who want fame to act and perform their duties properly and conscientiously in our almighty senate bereft of the ingredients of almightiness? It is not my duty or responsibility to tell them what rightly they ought to know and understand. I am trying to speak to them seriously without a tinge of ironical irony –as the gleaner, this gleaner, may say. In any case, let words don’t digress from my lips or from the lips of my pen, the gleaner’s pen.
So the matter at hand concerning the fighting senators who are friends and friends of friends shall not escape and must not escape from our reflections: the reflections of the gleaner, and of the readers of this column, and of keen watchers of keen events happening from the duty posts and seats, allotted and un-allotted seats, where the pleasures and idiosyncrasies of our lords and ladies rather than our servants of state hold sway.
Some readers and watchers, in addition to those who appeared last Friday, spoke thus:
Lucas Aghedo (a traditionalist): Dear Sir: If Senator Akpabio wants us to believe that he did not harass Senator Natasha in any form he should come to Benin to take an oath at Ogun-Oba and Sosomaye. He should come with kola-nuts that are three-in-one and bitter-kola. Then we shall know whether Might makes Right.
Professor Olu Obafemi (one of Nigeria’s correctly famed and highly dignified inventive writers and an indigene and citizen of Kogi State): Dear TA, the poet of poets and polemic’s polemicist, your piece (on Natasha) is very fascinating and evidently supportive of the enigmatic features of Natasha of exquisite glamour; no one can take it from her.
Her braineousness is similarly not in contest. Her capacity to deploy all these is beyond question. But this is how far I can go along with her and your supportive analysis. At which point did she become aware that Akpabio was harassing her? When they travelled together for nearly a week without her husband, there was no mention of flirtatious gestures. We need to separate the moments of regulation flunking from those of harassment. And if precedent is a teacher to follow, Natasha’s numerous harassment posers all of which remain only at the level of allegations call for concern. From Yahaya Bello to her darling husband. … The clouds remain hazy and more search requires embarking on methinks.
A reader, a high-ranking poet, from the middle belt who requests to be anonymous: The very unsettled dialogue of public interest, the opening in a poetic piece as an epigram is interesting. The clouds over the unrevealed closet relationship between the two senators: Natasha and Akpabio. We must push that this is placed above the carpet for the public to trample upon. Thanks for your very well written piece on this subject of national interest and shame if the truth is un-ravelled.
The trial of this issue must take place and someone must face the music as part of our national recovery from the prevailing cut-throat corruption in all ramifications that have become a thing of pride by the perpetrators. The Natasha and Akpabio masquerades must be brought to dance naked in the public view or glare to enable us determine who is a greater lover-boy or lover-girl. Thanks, indeed, I say it again, TA, for your very brilliant and technically presented piece on this troubling issue whose end we must see.
Jurinor M (Natasha’s brother-in-law): Thank you, sir, for your balanced article on my sister-in-law and Senator Akpabio’s katakata in the Senate. They are good family friends. It is our hope that they settle their differences amicably before we and the fire blowers know it. I read your mind in this direction. There are things I would have liked you to put in your column. But I won’t do so for now, at least. But know this. Natasha never “arm-twisted” my brother to marry her. She never in any way “blackmailed” my brother to marry her as the liars are saying in the social media. Let the anti-Natasha chaps go on with their notorious and evil lies and vile gimmicks.
I am fully in the know of what transpired between them before they got married. Natasha did not do anything untoward to my brother. As a couple they had their disagreements as in all good lovers’ relationships. I don’t think the detail is for public discussion. Yet I should say this. She is very loyal to my brother as my brother is loyal to her as well. She has always been loyal to hm. They had an agreement – lovers’ agreement. But somewhere along the line my brother wanted to back out of it, which I thought was not right, and I told him so. I still think and believe that my brother was wrong. We must be sincere in our dealings. Thank God that they settled their differences and they are now fully together.
The yeye people, the busy-bodies are now blackmailing her because she won her man back, because she won my brother back. Natasha did so much then for my brother as she is still doing for him, honestly, in terms of transactions and connections. She loves him dearly as he equally loves her. Let me let the sleeping dog lie. I am very close to this good woman. I must open up to you.
I got my appointment which you are aware of, I believe, through her, thanks to her likeness for me. I am really grateful to her. You have my authorisation, sir, to place all I have told you now in your column. Anytime we meet face-to-face in Abuja, or Lasgidi or Wafi or Safi or Bafi I shall tell you fantastic things about her and my brother, but not for your column. I trust you as a prince of honour. Good afternoon, sir.
To be concluded next week.
Afejuku can be reached via: 08055213059.
