EBENEZER BABATOPE, SHAMELESSLY SYCOPHANTIC?

Who doesn't know this Yoruba Awosit, recently turned political carpet-beggar, whose convictions are now predicated and determined solely by his stomach? He has thrown caution to the wind and now dwells among the dregs of Nigerian political jobbers who engage in all manner of decrepitude things just to remain "relevant"? He served in the infamous midget of Kano, Sani Abacha's government; he praise-sang the evil of Otta, Olusegun Obasanjo, throughout his days in office and still continuing today despite the fact that Obasanjo was his former nemesis? Now his current self-assumed assignment, is eulogising the weakling of Katsina, Umaru Yar'Adua? His mantra, "provided there is something in it for me"?

By way of introduction, please meet the "egunje" master extra-ordinaire, Ebenezer Babatope alias Ebino Topsy! Once again he is on top of his game, having assumed the uneviable position of an unrepentant genuflecting and swivelling centipede for the present lacklustre President Umaru Yar'Adua's government? Why any of this "leaders" of Nigeria does not see through the veil of this scoundrel and still takes him serious, baffles Icheoku greatly. We therefore call on President Umaru Yar'Adua to be wary of this strange fellow's camaraderie? It does not look good and cannot and ain't good!

Our attention was drawn to a recent interview wherein Ebenezer Babatope attributed the recent Nigeria's smacking by the G20 to a colonial-imperialistic tendencies of the western world? Icheoku says, what a statement in buffoonery, since other hitherto similarly colonized countries were invited to the summit bereft of Nigeria? Icheoku asks Ebenezer Babatope to explain if India, Brazil, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Argentina, Thailand etc are part of his delusional colonial cum imperialistic axis of evil, that conspired to dis-invite his Nigeria to the gathering of the world's finest? The truth of the matter is that Nigeria is so cursed to have people like this despicable son of Osun State in its leadership positions, which explains why everything has been in comatose ever since and now requiring re-branding?

In his unarticulated delusional assessment of the G20 cold-shoulders to Nigeria, Ebino said, "As for the G20 Summit, we should not allow the imperialist world to control us with its own method of approaching matters. Their views on Yar’Adua and Nigeria smirks of world imperialism. So, lets forget G20. Eventually when they decide that Nigeria or any country in Africa should be part of G20, its’s their problem". And one wonders if this is the position of the thieving PDP government of Nigeria on why Nigeria was shunned by the world at London G20 economic summit? What a summation and you are forced to wonder, is such mind that could cough up such a weird explanation or reason capable of providing the desired leadership that will propel Nigeria forward? How can any sane man read the humiliating message to Nigeria, to get her act together, as an imperialist act when nations which started with Nigeria as prospective world powers have since left Nigeria in the dust due to lackadasical rudderless leadership, provided by the likes of this diarrhea-mouth Ebenezer Babatope? Their ilks have succeeded in obstinately holding Nigeria hostage since her coming into being in 1960 and have little to nothing to show for their adventurism? Instead of reading the fine-lines and subliminal message encapsulated in the non-invite, this political harlot is trying in vain to rationalize an indefensible report-card handed to Nigeria; which reads that the world is getting tired of waiting for the child-Nigeria to crawl, talkless of walk or run or even sprint? Who in the world has not left Nigeria behind? India? Brazil? South Korea? Thailand? And even South Africa which Nigeria helped to transition from apartheid to majority rule? This man, Ebenezer Babtope is unabashedly shameless and the family that he goes back to every day, after doing his dirty job for his masters, must be overwhelmed with revulsion at the denigrate who they call their family head? Only the truth shall save this morphed imbecile!

Ebenezer Babatope who was once a proven social defender from his days at University of Lagos before he was kicked out by the first military government of Olusegun Obasanjo over the "Ali Must Go" affair; to his time as National Director of Organization of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, under the leadership of Papa Obafemi Awolowo; is now cavorting with the north as a member of Board of Trustees of the much despised Peoples Democratic Party just for mere sustenance? (Note that we said Obasanjo's first military government because his second coming was nothing different, both in autocracy and ruthlessness). How is the mighty Ebino fallen so low and become destitutional, that it forces the question, what would Awolowo do or say about this turn-coat who has traded everything Obafemi Awolowo stood for, for a piece of the proverbial porridge from the pot of the PDP? Ebenezer Babatope once quoted Awolowo telling him as saying to him "any day you find me asking you how are you running your department, don’t wait for me to follow it up with asking for your resignation." To this Icheoku retorts, your remaining admirers and the entire Yoruba race, on behalf of Pa Awolowo, are asking Ebino what has come over him and expect his long overdue resignation from the PDP? In the alternative he should talk only when necessary and like a man whose faculties are still in tact!

Ebenezer Babatope's assertion that Papa Awolowo would not have frowned at his joining the PDP is evidence that the circuit in this man's brain is either misfiring for age-related infirmities or he was not really an accomplished ardent understudy of the late Yoruba sagely avatar as he erroneuosly believes? Admitted he later qualified his statement, acknowledging being in the wrong party, when he followed it up with "and in any case, my joining the PDP was based on protest which the leaders of Awo Organisation know about!" Whether this addedum makes him a conniving schemer of the highest kind, who will fox his way through any thing is anybody's guess? On his further claim that, were Awolowo to be alive today that he would be in the PDP was equally debunked by a commentator as a hallucinatory ranting of a confused man, stating that Obasanjo would never be qualified to lead a party wherein Awolowo belong? Icheoku concurs that the deity of Otta was once apositely described by Godwin Daboh as only good enough for his village headship? That Olusegun Obasanjo is still leading the PDP after all the trouble he put Nigeria and the PDP through, is simply an aberration, tolerated by unconcionable and voiceless party faithfuls who like sheep are being flocked according to the shepard's whims. Their orders is "never ask why should you jump, simply ask how high and salute!"

In the same offensive interview, Ebenezer was asked about Olusegun Obasanjo remaining as the life chairman of PDP Board of Trustees? To which he responded that there is no life chairman of BOT of the party at any time and nobody is being elected this time - meaning their upcoming convention? Surprise, surprise? Which now begs the question, has the monster of Otta once again out-foxed the sick man of Katsina? Has the master tactician, military mechanic deployed his experience from the military to draw Yar'Adua into a fox-hole for close combat hostilities? Icheoku says, President Umaru Yar'Adua retains Obasanjo as the BOT chairman at his own risk as Obasanjo never forgives nor forgets and will surely out manoeuvre Yar'Adua at the appropriate time. With the recent mending of fence between Obasanjo and Atiku as a hindsight, President Umaru Yar'Adua has another thing coming if he allows Obasanjo to stick around in such a powerful position as the PDP's BOT chairman. It will be the height of political naivety ever displayed by the Katsina native, to allow a conniving devil-maycare Olusegun Obasanjo to be around to determine who goes to Aso Rock in 2011? Talk of a weakling president, a Shehu Shagari without an Umaru Dikko? Anyway back to the denigrate son of Osun, Ebenezer Babatope!

The once columnist, director of party organization, senator, minister of transportation has been acting and talking strangely of late that a date with a psychiatrist may not be out of the ordinary. One commentator was so moved by the camelionic display of the Ebino Topsvy, that he was forced to observe concerning Ebenezer Babatope, "he once wrote derisively about Bola Ige and has joined camps with the men who he used to verbally attack as dangerous to the good of Nigeria"? Any you ask yourself what has come over this man? Another commentator wrote, "The crudity, brutality and despotism of the military have often been reflected or demonstrated by retired General Obasanjo and his party? It is a big ‘mis-message’ that Babatope who once suffered military brutality in the hands of Obasanjo chose to ignore the truth by clinging to the People’s Democratic Party by all means just for whatever crumbs can fall off the table". Sumarising, he noted, Ebino is not doing what he used to do for the right group with credibility but is now working for the wrong group with no credibility; adding, he served in the inglorious regime of Abacha and rightly or wrongly refused to get out of the junta even when Yoruba leaders of thought directed him to? Icheoku says, greed may as well be this man's middle name? Not to be outdone in performing "autopsy" on this man, another commentator quipped, "Ebino Topsy has assumed the role of a laundry master, strenuously struggling to whitewash and then decorate certified vermin with a veneer of credibility. He has become an unrelenting mouthpiece for those who have long demonstrated their immutable commitment to exploitative rule" .

Icheoku summarizes, a man who has descended to such a lowly ridicule by his kiths and kins, former comrades, friends and admirers would in a civilzed society, where honor is valued, put a bullet to his temple or take a hike in an evil forest never to look back! No, Ebenezer Babatope is a Yoruba-Nigerian and as far as he is concerned, candour and dignity can take a back-burner as the sucre is one heck of a sweet thing to forgo? Ebenezer Babatope is an unrepetantant sycophant who should be really ashamed of descrating Obafemi Awolowo's long established principled stance by genuflecting to those vermins who Awolowo spent his entire life trying to educate? Ebenezer Babatope is not a good ambassador of the late sage and the sage's effort at educating him on political sagacity and dexterity was merely wasted!