His Excellency Dr Patrick Dele Cole is our subject of study this morning. A seasoned career public servant, a former ambassador, a one time CEO of the Daily Times Conglomerate, a former university don, Dr Patrick Dele was also a prominent aspirer to the most exalted seat of Nigerian president.
At a particular point in time, he was rumoured to be named our country’s foreign Affairs Minister…but that was never to be. What came instead was a bombshell: Erudite Dele Cole was booted out of the presidency. But unlike several other individuals before him, Dr Cole did not bemoan his fate. He did not begrudge Mr. President’s right to choose his preference. And he did not harbour bitterness, nor go about bad mouthing Chief Obasanjo, who had always been known as his Godfather and Mentor. Nor did he do what all the jekuredu politicians in Nigeria, especially the most shameless ones do: roam from one minister to another, pitch tents at the corridors of state governors, and go about every imaginable political office holder begging for money or petty contracts.
It is in this light that Dr Cole earned our spotlight today, and we thought we should sell his admirable example to all men and women in faded apparels who believe politics is cash-and-carry business. It is so unfortunate that a lot of men who are in self delusion are the visible examples of politicians around today. And they are, by their showings, a bunch of poor copies of what politicians should be.
Dr Cole lost out at Aso Rock, and in the respectable tradition of an intellectual, he went back to the job he knows how to do best, that is, ADMINISTRATION. He went back to the Guardian Group of companies and found respectable job for his talents. That exactly is the path of honour. That is the best route for a man of self pride and dignity.
Dr Cole is telling whoever cares to hear that politics is not a jeun-jeun business. It is not something you print on your business card. By his example, Dr Cole is inviting those who have careers to go back to, to go back to their jobs whenever political position is unavailable. Professors, Teachers, engineers, Lawyers, and sundry other professionals roaming the streets of Abuja and those harassing state governors for crumbs should go back to their jobs.
And this brings us back to those who hold to the erroneous belief that the defunct NADECO owes them a living. Amongst these claimants were men who became NADECO ‘chieftains’ [whatever that word means!] after Abacha had rejected their plea and lobbying to be made Minister or ambassador plenipotentiary. Thank God, the hypocrisy and the long-hidden designs of such self serving fakes are coming to light by the day.
While we salute the inimitable courage of Pa Rewane, Pa Ajasin, Pa Enahoro, Pa Adesanya, Pa Adebanjo and the selflessness of the likes of Dan Suleiman, Ebitu Ukiwe, Dr Arthur Nwankwo, Chief Odigie Oyegun, Ayo Opadokun, Prince Adeniji Adele, Senator Hameed Tinubu, Ndubuisi Kanu, Colonel Kangiwa Umar, Chief Olusegun Osoba amongst a few others, and the heroic suicide squad of TELL, the NEWS, and other newspapers, we can not but reminisce over those who were parading themselves all over the world to gain cheap publicity. And as the renowned Professor Sanya Dojo Onabamiro used to say, ‘There are three categories of the Alaafin’s sympathizers and search-parties: those who want his missing horse recovered, those who want the horse not to be recovered, and those who want to find the horse but hide it so that it would never be recovered’. And so be it with political do-gooders!
In writing this piece, I hasten to add that I do not know what is going on in Dr Cole’s mind, nor have I seen him nor spoken to him in a long while. The last time I saw Dr Cole was at a private dinner we shared with Mr. President at Aso Rock on December 2, 1999.
Be that as it may, Dr Cole’s fine example is worth copying, and worth recommending. He has chosen to follow the path of respectable politicians like Dr Tunji Otegbeye. In all the years that I have known the fiery nationalist and statesman, including the time he was on the Executive of the Unity Party of Nigeria, Dr Otegbeye never, for one day, abandoned his thriving medical practice. And when Chief Ebenezer Babatope left the Abacha government he went back to his three loves: journalism, publishing and law.By his dignifying example, self respecting and respectable Dr Cole is telling political rascals “Don’t hang around like a street prostitute. Let the world know what job you are doing aside from the showy world of politics. Stop calling yourself a political leader when you can not even boast of a family to lead! And cannot win an election in your street or ward!”
Patrick Dele Cole has said the last word. If you have a job, go back to it. Politics is not a pot of soup.
– Chief Adetola Adeniyi, in a tribute to Dr Patrick Dele Cole 24 years ago.
