Daniel Bwala as a metaphor for lack of convictions, by Batos Nwadike

Daniel Bwala, you can easily remember and recognize him. He worked for Alhaji Ahmed Bola Tinubu( Asiwaju) earlier on. He later moved to the Alhaji Atiku Abubakar campaign organization, offering all kinds of reasons. He worked as Spokesperson on communication.

Many persons looked up to him to show them the way. Suddenly today he works for the APC and Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Presidential spokesman on media and policy communication. Haba!

His name is sweet and attractive, and bearing Daniel shows clearly that he is a northern christain. Bwala comes off with stridency in his scathing articles and remarks. In one of it that he is well known for, he said and wrote that “Nigerians should not make the mistake of voting APC and Tinubu as President of Nigeria because the government that will ensue will ” borrow, borrow and borrow until they will borrow the peoples kidney and liver”

Terrible, horrible, caustic,

On Tuesday 11th of February 2024, Arise television Morning Show crew Rufai and two other veteran broadcasting ladies hosted the Special Adviser on media and policy communication- Daniel Bwala. I sat glued to the show as Rufai opened the session with “Bwala, what are you doing in this government?”
Daniel tried to put a bold mien looking down as he responded to the question. He retorted something like ” I discussed with the president, and he asked me to come on board” At this point he went down, dry, and called for water. For me, that point was the end of the interview. Daniel Bwala was a shadow of himself at the moment as Rufai pummelled him with the retort that “you lack convictiona of what you write and talk” No answer! He was only saved by the other lady on the crew who came up with other questions. Though it was clear that as the referee in the match between Bwala and Rufai, she had counted a knockout against Bwala. It was so pitiable!

Like Bwala, like many other Nigerians. It is a common political behaviour for so many people who lack convictions, integrity, and character. How can a man, for instance in Imo State, serve in the government of Governor Achike Udenwa( 1999- 2007) as Special Adviser. Then, the same man will serve as Special Adviser in the government of Chief Ikedi Ohakim. The same person will still serve in the government Chief Rochas Okorocha as commissioner and still serve as the same commissioner in the government of Chief Sen. Hope Uzodimma. One man! Is it that he uses juju or he is indispensable or yet that he is shameless. I wonder what he will be saying or doing with the various Governors with different visions. In Imo State, i know not a few who are buffoons. I can mention their names, but let it be. They throttle around Government House which, seems, to be their factory. It is so unbecoming. Political shamelessness is one of the bane of our polity. So says Prof. Vitalis Ajumbe, who is a one, time commissioner for information in Imo State. In a recent interview with ABC television, a social media outfit, he advised these pereenial appointees “to be steadfast in their group or party and avoid defections as a tool of stomach infrastructure” I totally agree with him.

The shameless and mindless attitude of persons without character, integrity, and convictions by moving from one party to the other and one government to the other is perfidious malaise in our polity of today.

Recycling, of course!

Then, let us think of the leaders who bring these political nomads and destitute into their governments. Is it to applaud them for calling out their visions pre-election? Perharps to maintain old relationships? I am completely at a loss why a governor or president would invite a person who stridently criticized him to high heaven and worked assidiously to stop him to, get, elected into office into his government. It makes no sense. It is an abuse of the democratic process and a show of ineptitude in leadership.

Then Daniel Bwala and his like are a threat and avid harbingers of corruption of the democratic partisan ideals. They deserve nothing than the primary school chorus of shaaaaaaaaame! Even their enablers as governors and presidents should take part of the shame for deliberately corrupting the partisan democratic ethos. Everyone should wait for his time and follow his convictions rather than greedy defections to fill their insatiable stomach.

Dr. Batos Nwadike( Oyi of Igboland), President General Leadership By Example League International( LELI) and writes from Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.