Essay from Ayokunle Adeleye

Of Artists and Scientists

Medicine is both a science and an art: the study of Medicine starts
predominantly as science, the Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and
Biochemistry; continues as a blend of science and art, the Anatomy,
Physiology, Pathology and Pharmacology; and ends predominantly in art,
Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medicine and Surgery.

In the one you are expected to think outside the box, imagine, and
explore; in the other, well, just cram and pass, do it as it has been
done for centuries: stand on the right side of the patient, say it
thus and thus, no need to reinvent anything. In the one you have to be
smart and genius; in the other, just be alert and attentive, and tune
your antennas to synch.

And as it turns out, Medicine asks for scientists, admits more
scientists than artists, and turns us all into artists by virtue of
the training; yet, Medicine makes it (extremely) difficult for the
scientist to survive! Much like Nigeria: Nigeria votes you in as a
Democrat, but expects you to be a Dictator; wants you to swear to
protect and uphold the Constitution, yet would rather you threw
everyone in jail, even without lawful convictions; wants you to build
lasting structures, but would rather you did so overnight.

And what is worse? Nigerians refuse to blame the Constitution, or NASS
who continue to not strengthen it, but blame the President who is
merely the executor. If you asked me, I’d say it’s Stockholm Syndrome:
we have been under military dictatorship, and oppressive democracy,
for so long that we cannot recognise what stellar democracy we have in
our current dispensation, and what asset we have in our President.
QED!

Yet we got ourselves here: Removing Subsidy was the right move,
however much we fault the when and how, but when we protested and
brought our country to its knees, not only did we weaken our
President’s resolve to do what is right at all cost, we discredited
the well-meaning allies he had chosen, and inadvertently put around
him those questionable characters that have now ruined things. One
really cannot have his cake and eat it, it turns out.

Fortunately, such power-hungry ones have abandoned the seemingly
sinking ship and defected, shall we again empower them by voting
Buhari, and starting all over? I say No! As should you! (SEE, The
RESET Button)

Our problem, asides dancing only to popular tunes and flowing wherever
the power brokers shove us, is that we lose faith so easily, yet we
pray. We hope to be free, yet we shackle ourselves to popular opinion.
We want to be rid of the Cabals, but we are so blinded by that desire
that we cannot see the Cabals are now waiting for us on Buhari’s side,
since they are always on the popular side.

The only reason Buhari has become so popular in recent time (you may
believe in Change! as long as you want, it is all PR; get in touch
with the right people, and #AykforPresident2031 will be on everyone’s
tongue) is the shift of the Cabals away from Jonathan. And we have
always prayed for it, but now that it has happened, we work against it
ourselves! The people behind Buhari are sacrosanct; if they were not,
they would not be with him since it is only commonsense to protect
one’s interests.

These people are smart. They are invested in Buhari to secure their
vested interests in Nigeria, against our interests and our future.
Whatever laws Buhari passes will have loopholes for them to exploit
and be safe. (Remember, taxes were invented to take from the rich and
give to the poor, but as the rich never lose, the tax laws have always
provided havens for the haves, and deprived the have-nots.)

Yet, we want them in power, continually.

Those that got us where we are, and benefit from our misery, are
strong, and will not give up without a fight. We must first tie their
hands by laying waste to their plans for Buhari’s tenure. We must
defeat them now, or we will become collateral damage for the next four
years, or eight. (WATCH OUT for “Me AND Now”) The only way to overcome
them is to vote against expectations: Vote Jonathan.

Ayk Fowosire.
Sagamu.
@adelayok

Jonathan! Jonathan!! Jonathan!!!

When I read “Vote Jonathan for CONTINUITY” on your handsome
billboards, I shake my head because you got it wrong. We are not
voting for you to continue to respect Obj, Atiku, Clinton, US, UK,
Tinubu (call a thief a thief, no need for diplomatic analogies of yam
and goat!); we are voting for Change! We want you to change. We
understand that you cannot throw everyone in jail, but we expect you
to seize their lives (lawfully); we expect you are smarter now, we
expect your “allegiance” to the Cabals have expired.

No one is greater than Nigeria, since we all derive our identity from
her. So, no more sacred cows. No more underground pardons. We are the
jury, expose them all! Damn them! Remove subsidy! Frustrate NASS to
cut their salaries. If they threaten to impeach you, just come on air
and tell us; and they will smell their bum bum…

You are a scientist, you are a democrat, and we understand now. But
even then, you must be seen to perform. (That is the only way
scientists survive Med School!)