PitObi: Between Capitalism And Opportunism – By Richard Odusanya

Let me begin with the golden words of Oluseun Anikulapo Kuti, better known as Seun Kuti, a Nigerian musician, singer and the youngest son of the famous Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti. The Grammy-nominated Afrobeat singer, Seun Anikulapo Kuti, held no bars back as he criticised the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi during a recent interview with his namesake Seun Okinbaloye. Seun Kuti said, while on the MicOn podcast, that Peter Obi is nothing but an opportunist who is merely using the Labour Party platform to actualize a selfish personal ambition. Seun posited: “Labour Party is a socialist structure, Peter Obi, an opportunist, is a capitalist. Where are they are going?”

Peter Obi, is unapologetically a capitalist, but better described as an opportunist (a merchant of consumerism). Let it be known that capitalist produce and are very inventive of solutions to problems from which they make money. But let me be very clear: Capitalism without competition isn’t capitalism; it’s exploitation. Over time, without healthy competition, big players have penchant to change and charge whatever they want and treat us in whichever way they want. And for too long many Nigerians have had to live with it, that means accepting a bad deal for things that can’t go — you can’t go without. Sadly, we’ve lost the fundamentals.

Unarguably, compassion, empathy and courage are the qualities of an effective and great leader, whereas opportunism is the practice of taking advantage of circumstances – with little regard for principles or with what the consequences are for others. Opportunist actions are expedient actions guided primarily by self-interested motives. In the recent past few days, particularly as the situation gets tougher and our people are experiencing excruciating pains occasion by the twin evils of fuel scarcity and redesigned naira malady. The reaction of Peter Obi clearly shows the opposite of the magical (packaged messianic product) that was presented to the gullible followers of Peter Obi.

Over the weekend, Peter’s crass political opportunism and subterfuge manifested in the way and manner that shows open support for the twin evils of fuel scarcity and the redesigned naira ill-conceived policy. Clearly, Peter Obi is a ruthless capitalist feasting on the gullibility of the masses particularly the churchy people who are usually given to bandwagon appeal. Therefore, it is perfectly correct for Seun Kuti to have eloquently posited in his interview with Seun Okinbaloye of channels TV earlier today that Peter Obi is nothing but an accomplished opportunist.

Similarly, in the Month of November 2022, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has described his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, as the best packaged fraud for Nigerians ahead of the 2023 general elections. Sowore had said this while reacting to Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s claim on Channels TV on a particular Thursday evening that he was not aware of any investment made by any of his predecessors in the state. Against the backdrop of the twin evils of fuel scarcity and redesigned naira. Sowore also noted that the claim that the redesign of the naira notes is not true as some Nigerian dignitaries spend foreign currencies.

But on the contrary, Obi had declared support for the naira redesign policy, while asking Nigerians to endure the difficulties being experienced in getting the new notes for their daily transactions. To be clear: Obi is part and parcel of the same system including benefiting from a rotten system at the expense of the masses. But of course, even that assumes that Peter Obi is the messiah that Nigerians are waiting for; many things points to the opposite. I have written several articles on the Obi’ and his gullible followers ‘obingos’ I am vindicated and surely a time will come that some of us will be respected for standing up against falsehood.

In conclusion, these curious actions by the elements of the opposition given that Peter Obi is not alone in the shenanigans; Atiku Abubakar (AA) Obi’s principal in the 2019 general elections and currently the flag bearer of PDP has recently flip-flopped several times on the issues of fuel scarcity and redesigned naira similar to his tweets on Deborah. These are clear evidence that the opposition has turned this whole issue into a political game, preferring to make Nigerians suffer more on the altar of an unconscionable political gamesmanship. How else can one describe the opportunistic tendencies of Peter Obi and the grandmaster AA as things unfold. Nigerians, shine your eyes.