Insultocracy is a strange political culture based on insulting political opponents. It was popularised by the former minister of the FCT and current acting Deputy National Secretary of the APC, Mallam Nasir El Rufai. By practice, insultocrats are intolerant in nature. They are usually ruled by hate and desire to protect parochial, narrow and shallow interests. At best, insultocrats flaunt lies as truth and half-truths as facts.
There is a small clan of insultocrats parading themselves as progressives. In the current dispensation of opposition politics in Nigeria, one only needs to insult President Goodluck Jonathan to be labelled a progressive. This is very sad for our democracy. It is the lowest point of opposition politics.
In modern democracy, political opposition is not about insulting political opponents. Opposition politics is not about telling lies or flaunting half-truths as facts. The whole essence of insultocracy is to deceive and mislead unsuspecting Nigerians.
Some online and social media practitioners reported that the revered Noble Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka called Nigeria’s First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan an illiterate. When I read the story, I did not believe it. My doubt was built on the fact that Soyinka is a responsible leader in his own right. Responsible people don’t dive inside the gutter or scavenge the dustbin to pick words.
In a widely circulated denial, Professor Wole Soyinka said: “When I first encountered the statement, I was sufficiently appalled to send a personal message to Patience Jonathan disassociating myself from such a base sentiment.”
There is no doubt that leaders of the opposition are behind the spate of negative media exercises aimed at tarnishing the image of the president, so that they can make some political gains. Clearly, these unethical press war against the person of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan bears mark of frustration on the part of the sponsors. It is worthy of note that the frustration of opposition leaders is arising from the knowledge that most Nigerians now know the difference between criticism and insult. Like any other human being, Jonathan is not a perfect person. This is why he tolerates criticisms. Unfortunately, opposition politicians see this as weakness on the part of the president. It is just like Daniel thinking lions are heartless simply because they did not harm him when he was thrown in to their den.
Many Nigerians now understand that ventilation of frustration is different from opposition politics. Where is the mark of politics in El Rufai calling the president and C-in-C a scumbag? Where is the trace of politics in El Rufai calling the president a drunk? He has severally referred to the president as lazy, docile, hopeless, and docile. This is not politics. This is not the true meaning of freedom of speech.
In human relations, everybody’s freedom ends where that of another begins. Without this understanding, men will step on the rights of their fellow citizens. The likes of El Rufai believe that President Jonathan does not have rights. This is why he does not respect his person and the high office he is occupying for the time being.
El Rufai is not the only high caliber insultocrat in the opposition. The acting National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande was reported to have referred to Jonathan as a kindergarten president. What a shame! It is more of confessing that Nigeria is a kindergarten nation. Where is his sense of patriotism? No amount of negative sentiments can debase Nigeria, the economic giant of the African continent.
In all of these, one thing is sure: Discerning Nigerians cannot afford to give power to a bunch of intolerant and abusive politicians come 2015. If these politicians can insult and lie against the president and C-in-C, only God knows what they will do to the masses if they seize power.
I want to salute Professor Wole Soyinka for defending the noble culture of truth. Everybody cannot like the president. There is no legislation or convention that encourages people to insult those they don’t like. Like Soyinka, we can criticise without insults, lies, and half-truths.
For El Rufai and his clan of insultocrats, repent. Political power is not a ‘do or die’ thing. Power comes only from God. He who God has chosen, let no man curse.
Kali Gwegwe 08064074810
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