Political Odyssey of Chief Madu Ndigba- (a belief in totems by an african leader)

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

The central theme of the book is to demonstrate that belief in totems is hollow and misplaced. Incidentally African Leaders and politicians have been known to have acquired political power through devotion to various deities. A totem could be represented by tiger, lion, tortoise, snake, crocodile or any plant, or the tattoo of any of these objects. Among the Mijikenda tribe of Kenya, coastal homestead, 1.2m wooden statues are believed to incarnate the spirits of the dead elders. In Mali, an ancient cave with carvings, is revered, as any disfiguring of any of these drawings is believed to mean change in weather and cosmic influence. When the custodian of this cave, an old sage was reportedly informed that someone had landed on the moon he fumed ‘impossible’. Similarly, the Jackal in Mali is believed to predict events in the community, in accordance with the interpretation of local diviners. Another unique local in Mali is the tortoise, of which the chief priest advises that adherents must be as patient as the tortoise, in allusion to the creatures’ slow movement.

The book attempted to demonstrate totems with classical examples in African Politics. The tragedy of those who abandoned their Christian faith was highlighted. The situation in Nigeria cannot be different as shown in the Allegory of the Odysseus of Chief Madu Ndigba’s bid to possess political power. In the end, he did not realize that neither totems nor any other diabolic or fetish belief, guarantees good leadership or good governance, nor would the bizarre concept of political god fatherism guarantee good government or political stability and success.

Each Episode in this book which narrates, inter alia, the story of Chief Ndigba’s meeting with Madiba, brief historical account of the life of Felix Houphet Boigny and Joseph Desire Mobutu Sesseseko embody an Allegory. Former president of Liberia, Charles Taylor is said to have had two amulets, as testified by his gorilla fighters. It is believed that he was never hurt during the operation despite the fact that about 250,000 died during his rule. While hiding his amulet in his pocket, at the same time, he clutched a bible in his hand and preached as a Baptist. During his exile, after being released by the Nigerian Government at the request of his home government, he ended in a miserable manner, by standing for trial in the International Court at the Hague, where he was convicted of 11 criminal charges including rape, murder, child soldiering etc. Mr. P.W. Botha was nicknamed “Crocodile”. He was a South African ruler who refused to admit that apartheid was dead. However, the reference to crocodile was not connected with totems. Thus resultant effect of his use of amulet was nullified. The total effect of all lessons in these episodes has a bearing and overall effects on the lesson of politics in Africa be it Nigeria 2007 or thereafter.