Tunji-Ojo's Messy Blues.

Two weeks ago in my column in Daily Trust, I praised the change steps coming from a ministry that until lately was known for dropping the ball and announcing public holidays. The ministry of Internal Affairs has enjoyed its own plethora of scandals. It was headed by Abba Moron when a recruitment saga led to the death of recruits. Moron is now a lawmaker. Lately it was led by Ogbeni Raufu Aregbesola with a shameful jailbreak that his enemies say contributes to the level of unprecedented insecurity in the Middle Belt (North East) region and especially Abuja.

When I penned that piece, I had no inkling that Mr Tunji-Ojo had featured in the 'off-your-mike' show of shame at the National Assembly. The man at the center of that saga, Godswill Akpabio is now the third most powerful man in the nation as President of the Senate. In the words of late Umar Ghali Na'Abba while defending the fraudulent editing of a law passed by the NASS of his time, 'he knows what we did'.

Every other day, Mr Tunji-Ojo's name gets mentioned in the Betta Edu saga. As usual in a society where fraud is a garland, the jury is out on whether Mr Tunji-Ojo and his company are one and the same. In my world, they are. But then I am biased. No. Strike that, I am stupid. I've lived in Canada for over a decade and I think I am becoming deracinated from the way the cookie crumbles in Nigeria.

In Canada, this chap would have resigned. ògún a pá anybody who suggests that in Nigeria. That is when you will hear - he is guilty until proven otherwise. Mr Tunji-Ojo looks like a good man. But he is carrying his garment of goodies to the altar of equity and like those who approach the shrine of Ogun, he must come with clean hands. But again, he didn't swear on the unforgiving God of iron. He probably swore on the book of the foreign gods who are trying to determine if they know him or not. Remember the saying - depart from me ye workers of iniquity syndrome? Yes, that type.

It is shameful (for those who still believe in that virtue) and very distracting to see the name of a potentially good minister being dragged in the media daily over this. This is even more so as Betta Edu (beta soup na money kill am - saying not mine), has vowed not to go down alone.

Yoruba and Yagba elders say tí a bá fà gbùrù, gbùrù a fà 'gbó. This young man sure has more than resignation from a company he owns to answer for. He could resign and keep using the leverage he has made now and before to regrow his company. He could apologize to us (who we be?) in the process thereby meeting the criterion expected of the 'not too young to run' generation.

I know that it is dreadful to fall out of favour with the system. So, he could also step aside until all the investigations have been completed and he is exonerated. Those are his options if you asked me - but please don't.

In my holier than thou mountain in Canada, he cannot eat his cake and have it, except he kept a part in the fridge. I feel pained that each time a ray of hope appears on the darkness that beclouds our nation's political hemisphere, a red blotch smears it's snowhite garment.

I truly wish that in good conscience I could continue to wish away the distractions of this case, but my stupid heart just won't let me. And it's because this young man has unlimited potentials that such an action could enhance. I know nobody asked me. I am just soliloquizing very loudly. If you happen to hear me, please ignore me or wish me well in my lunatic asylum.

The Yoruba have another saying - w?n ní amúkùn ?rú r? w??, òní òkè l?? ń wò, ? ó wo ìsàl??. May The grace of governance be with us all.à?? wàá!