Prebendalism is a political terminology originally used by Professor Richard Joseph, soon after the demise of the Second Republic in his seminal work, Democracy and Prebendal Politics in Nigeria: The Rise and Fall of the Second Republic.The scholar used this term to analyse the political trend and pattern of resource distribution of the Second Republic administration, espousing a Lordservant (clientele) relationship, between political jobbers and position occupants, vis--vis the distribution of state resources and portfolios in a manner that suggests rentage of machinery, pacification of powerful insiders and ethnic groups to the detriment of the broader majority. Since then, prebendalism has remained an integral part of politicking in Nigeria despite its abhorrent operational disposition. In this experience, the lord calls the shots and the client is expected to say nothing but carry out the dictates and do the biddings of his lord perfunctorily. This phenomenon is gradually assuming ubiquitous profile, though with varying degrees of application. In the developed world, the lord stands in only as an adviser, usually a senior and more experienced, charismatic politician, dishing out profound and intelligent advice for the exploit of his neophyte client. He is not a dictator and does not impose his will particularly financial and appointments on any body; he is a man of pragmatism and excellent spirit. The lord is focused on developmental projects and programmes for the benefit of his party in particular and the populace in general. Here, the overall motivational impetus is on policy implementation and delivery of democracy dividends: Good life to the people. The civilised lord is aware that the chances of his party in the next election depend largely on their brilliant performance, therefore every opportunity is utilised to ensure the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Such things like allotment of welfare packages, or the development of infrastructure are never toyed with; provision of life supporting amenities and maintenance of existing ones are always a desired responsibility. Conversely, in other settings of which Nigeria is a part, prebendalism is a conduit through which states resources are drained. The political lord here is a highly influential personality, usually a former political office holder who has amassed intimidating wealth and influence with his erstwhile office as a spring board. Sometimes, it is a business mogul with little or no formal education, almost if not, "stronger than the state". Within the party, he is deified, his own caucus decides who contests any post or position even at the national level, all that is required is a relationship to strike an accord with him. Even for a reelection, it does not matter to him if the position occupant/aspirant performed abysmally low, or is incompetent in so far as the terms of agreement are held sacred ab initio. His atrocities are well-known to all including his clients and associates who engage in surreptitious lamentation, but nobody can confront him courageously to dislodge him. In state appointments, he controls over 60 per cent of government appointees who pay allegiance to him, some of whom are used as informants and watchdogs on the activities of the Chief Executive, to the extent that reports of executive decisions made at government chambers get to him even before the end of meetings. This is the exact scenario that played out in some states between 2003 and 2007, where some supercilious godfathers held sway; exhibiting brazen boldness; using state security apparatus to subjugate their surrogates. A certain sitting governor was "mannapped" for daring to resist some powerful godfather, the state burnt in the full glare of the police who posed as though they were assigned to give protection to the marauding urchins; while the destruction persisted, they were seen watching in groups. Ordinary Nigerians were disappointed that the so-called friends and protectors of the masses failed when they were mostly needed. The state witnessed a near descent to the Hobbesian state of nature. The nation was insulted; Nigeria was once again marketed to the outside world in broad day light. At the end, no one was arrested, states resources went up just like that. The same situation is still playing out even with greater intensity in a more advanced form. This accounts for the mindless return of some persons unopposed, to re-contest positions which they had occupied without any meaningful achievement, against the cries and refusal of a preponderant majority of the populace. Apart from the massive control of his clients particularly the governor (because of the strategic position in terms of decision making and allocation of resources), the state legislature is under his firm grip. The choice of contracts and contractors lies in his domain, some of the lords lay claim to the socalled security vote. The client who had been surreptitiously lured to some diabolical acquiescence is at the receiving end. At the national level, the lord is well connected, even within the military circle; the lord is untouchable, likened to a garrison commander, the state is in his pocket. Failure to comply with the heinous and insalubrious agreement attracts the wrath and rout of the lord. He is capable of causing major upsets such as engineering the impeachment or removal of "erring" client(s). His major interest is WIFM (whats in it for me), not what he can do to better the lots of his constituency. But the truth remains that he is fooled by the crowd of persons that always swarm around him. He is only idolised by his followers because of his stupendous wealth, without any iota of emotional reverence for his person ordinarily. This endemic social ill has contagiously ravaged the nooks and crannies of Nigerias political terrain with the rapacious and perilous force of feral locusts, in an unprotected agricultural farm land. Even barren seers could attest to the degeneration of social intercourse occasioned by this endogamous parlous cankerworm. From the East to the West and from the North to the South; from state to state and from local government to local government, the story is the samepaucity of funds: From the federal to the state down to the local government, huge budgetary allocations are made annually, apparently for the provision and maintenance of basic infrastructure, but alas what the indigent masses have to show for their votes is threat to their assets left at the mercy of nature, sometimes, of arrests and beating should they question the authority of the lord who has commandeered their common wealth for self-adulation. Some people can not conveniently come out of their squalours without collapsing into waiting floods when the sky spits, not to talk of when it empties its bowel. Juxtaposing the triumph of this heinous system at the lower and higher levels, one would marvel at the height of impunity that goes on in the polity. The grievous implication is that laudable projects are no longer executed, infrastructure are not maintained because funds allocated for socioeconomic services are diverted to service the interest and protection of the lord. This is our own version of democratic governance; this is our heritage of democracy dividend. Power is built around personalities rather than institutions. While the West endeavours to exhibit good will and vision towards leadership, the reverse is the case in Africa, nay Nigeria. Characters who are bereft of ideas lurk around the corridors of power with the support of power brokers, taking far-reaching decisions that impact negatively on the entire nation. Is it not rather preposterous that an individual wades gargantuan socio-political powers, albeit illegally to the detriment of the populace' The law enforcement agents should rise to the occasion and save us from this naughty clientilism.Nwagbara wrote in from 25, Agodogba Avenue, Park View Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, via mosag_20004@yahoo.com. Tel: 08098201936
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