LIKE we have always been told, criticism is a brilliant but lazy vocation. It is very easy and beautiful to sit on a fence and point out in very delicious prose all that is going wrong without as much as lifting a finger in firm and pragmatic contribution to national development
Mr Dele Farotimi comes from a long line of social critics and activists who whip up public sentiments, evoke resistance but offer nothing as credible alternative to a system they constantly rail against
It was the very clever IBB who embarrassed Farotimi’s forebear by setting up the Peoples Bank for the late Tai Solarin and watched with a mischevious smile as that one used the umbilical chords of ineptitude and incompetence to rope with his own hands his neck, leading to a very public axphitiation of his well worn reputation
Today, Dele leads a new generation of empty critics. From Sowore, down to Aisha, you get a class of people not experts in any field of governance or public policy advocacy but leaning on academic backgrounds and words on the street and rail endlessly at a Government that, by their own acts, even deserves some of these empty tirades.
Listening to Sowore debate and campaign for Presidency, his hollowness was astounding. He was plain stupefying in his engagement on economic issues. He looked lame when it came to international relations and out of insecurity, we finally threw him up as just a noise maker
Todays critics lack the finesse of their forebears. Go back and listen to Chinua Achebe or Prof Wole Soyinka in his hey days.. Listen to Ken Saro Wiwa and listen to Dele Giwa. Listen to Femi Falana, who is still spitting fire or listen to Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti. Dele Momodu is a marvel to listen to till tomorrow and you will marvel at their ability to design a different kind of structure for our people.
Dele Farotimi goes the rounds of the media, from mainstream to gutter blogs, to expound his theories backed by native intelligence and a well read mind, He brilliantly lares bare government policies, asks for change and pushes very negative attitudes on government and its operatives
But if you drill down his message and take a pragmatic, intelligent recourse towards it, you will see nothing. Total garbage but couched in beautiful language, taking advantage of engaging metaphors, cascading similes and meteoric euphemism to get the attention of the listener but leaving him with nothing to hold on to
When he speaks, he reminds me of the Pentecostal pastors who trade on empty positivism driven towards posterity. While seated in the sermon, you are pumped with the ‘can do’ spirit that makes you feel like a superman. In excitement, you jump up and drop all your earnings in the pouch, believing that the breakthrough is around the corner but as the scorching Lagos sun hits you, all the energy drains out, leaving you empty and feeling really stupid
What we need is credible opposition. A distinct and felt opposition would earn the respect of even the Government.
IBB converted most of his critics into ministers. From Olikoye Ransome Kuti to Bolaji Akinyemi. He gave them roles because they ‘made sense’. They provided alternative and very pragmatic policy directions, which made the government stop to listen.
We have been told that Gani Fawehinmi refused so many Government appointments and even international assignments. He was pursued by even the most violent of military dictatorships to come contribute cause he made sense.
Awo, a virulent critic of military government, was tipped to serve in the war years but today the class of critics are just empty rabble rousers who make noise for the fun of it or just to be noticed.
The next time Dele is on air, please take your time to listen very carefully and deeply. Brush away the beautiful prose and you will see an emptiness that will make you just hiss and walk away.
This reminds me of my brother Fela Durotoye who had gotten drunk from all the adulation he was getting from the fickle population as a result of his sweet nothings and, as such, pushed for the Presidency.
He had a spectacular run down in front of millions and on National TV, when he could not handle simple questions on the economy and health.
Everybody can be a critic but it takes a fertile mind to offer structural and credible alternatives to a Government that is determined to self destruct like this one
Thanks
Duke of Shomolu
