Godfatherism is not a new word in the Nigerian’s diary of political terminology. It can be traced to Nnamdi Azikwe, Obafemi Awolowo, and Tafawa Balewa, the earliest political pillars of the country. They were seen as political godfathers in the First Republic.
Politicians, who wanted to be elected, invoked their names and rode on their influence to occupy the political office and this is still visible in the present political atmosphere as many politicians are still associating themselves with the principles of Chief Obafemi Awolowo just to get elected.
A godfather is a political juggler whose virtue of goodwill or immense wealth determines and guarantees the successful enthronement of his godson either legitimately or illegitimately. The illegitimate ascension of the throne can be in the form of vote-buying, connivance with INEC officials to manipulate results but hardly does he deliver his puppet legitimately.
As described by Damilola (the nation online news, June 27, 2013), “a political godfather is a term used to describe a merchant who acquires the state as a client to further his personal economic and political empire, which will be maintained by a godson, through an unbroken pact of remitting the state resources before and after ascending the throne of power”.
However, this write-up is not intended to x-ray the organogram of political godfatherism but to explain how the virus has been transmuted into an economical godfatherism.
Distinctively, the political godfatherism primary objective is to extend his wings of mercantilism across the state through the inauguration of his godson for private fortification of his political dynasty. On the other hand, economical godfatherism has its self-contain quarters in the labour market, and it’s built on the affluence motive of anti-poverty strategy.
The godfather’s installment of his mentee serves as an uninterrupted flow of opulence in his castle. Although, the induction of the godson might attract a fee for the ceremonial rite when the godfather is machinery recruited for such a dubious act.
Economical godfatherism is a newly invented institutionalised word in the Nigeria labour market. Ubiquitously visible among applicants to the extent of no job vacancy goes not meddled with, without a warped reservation of a godfather slot.
An erosion of an acceptable ethical procedure of recruitment exercise for a hanky-panky installment of their godson. Merited or unmerited, the seat has been clandestinely proclaimed his before the public advert.
Sons and daughters of plebeians fought for the already distributed cheese that has an artifice mask of fair play, giving them a knock-out in the playing card game that has no king to upturn their losing position. Going to the market without a shenanigan influence lies on God to watered your planted seed.
Brilliancy illuminated like the famous Psychology graduate of Lagos varsity, Dada Ayodele, who leaves no digit unattained and no numeric uncrossed, thereby romancing an unreserved 5.O CGPA academic feat. Such an academic breakthrough doesn’t avail you the golden ticket of automatic employment offer in the Nigeria labour market that has legal tender of nobility as its requirement. Conjointly, physically and mentally balanced ditto to that of Nigerian-British award-winning heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, is not a surety for an appointment letter. Who your brilliance or physique help?! What really counts is the robustness of your godfather’s coast. Simply stated, your level of connection.
The political godfatherism syndrome, primarily domiciled in the Nigeria’s guileful political chess game, is leading to an unexpected rise in the polity ocean tide. Uncontrollable is the volume of the contaminated solvent, which overflows and concomitantly discharged the nocuous pollutant into the job market.
Therefore, eroding the tenets of meritocracy, dethroning the cornerstone of excellence, and is encroaching the golden rule of preeminence, leaving behind with remnants of worthiness that can only be gotten from the fractionally plagued private sector after the disastrous torrent.
Retrogressively, achievements; capability; dexterity; and intelligence are parted away with a doldrums’ of influence under the umbrella of economical godfatherism. Being selected as the heir prince depends on the godfather’s economic and political arsenal.
Pitiable is the hour as stiff competition among job seekers to secure a position in the roseate organization as a shadowy background duel among their demigods. Securing a post for their protégés depend on the strength of their patronization, the fatness of their vault, and thereby consummating their cronyism malady by beaming the brightness of their connection light to the high lords for his unmerited conferment of the title, “chief beneficiary surrogate.” The highest bidders among the godfathers secure the pot of riches for his godson. Thence, the hope of the common man offspring, who has no redeemer to run to for appeal, disperses into the air as wind scattered pollinated flowers.
Many job applicants are sentenced to irreversible serfdom treatment while their blue blood counterparts who have aristocrats supporting force got a kingship reception. Oblivious are many that a tete-a-tete discussion has been previously arranged between the kingpin and the godfather for his godchild enthronement. Sun-drying and languishing of unconnected job seekers in the unhealthy ambience of kleptomaniac influence is the currency of the day.
From worse to chronic is the condition of economic godfatherism virus that has eaten deep into the fabric system of Nigeria’s labour market. It needs to be placed on an intensive care system for a quick recovery and extensive monitoring from the deadly disease of counter-productivity call for a nationwide emergency.
A good repositioning of the public institutions is urgently needed because it is rather unusual to see any of the public establishment that is free from the infirmity of economic godfatherism. Even the anti-graft agencies that have virtuous preaching as its watchword are not immunized from the syndrome, and the symptom is widespread among them.
Making public advertisement by the federal or state government ministry, extra-ministerial department, bureaus, agency, paramilitary institutions about job openings should be temporarily shut down and not make public until that compassionate conscience is re-infused or encapsulate the already encroached black heart of the usurper.
Doing this will save the common man’s offspring of the physical and mental stress of job hunting that has its weaponry in the armory of an economic godfather.
Consequently, to preserve our precious lives that we risk in the most pressing time of insecurity and saving us the meagre monetary resources that would have been spent on beneficiary and productive things. We stand not to be deceived by the federal character principle’s clock that doesn’t tick!
This self-inflicted problem has resulted into an unproductive, ineffective, and inefficient running of these institutions as incapable hands manned the organizations. Many companies, government institutions run at a loss to the extent of some winding up as a result of unqualified hands that find their tortuous way into the company through their godfathers’ influence.
Growth, development is distanced from the country as west is far from east because where we ought to face, we back it due to our self-infatuated mirror. Lesson should be learnt from India and America staffing administration. India that once had the same cankerworm in their system, locally known as “caste system” – where members of the same family are recruited into their company and institution.
This unprogressive orientation slowed pace the growth rate of India because workers employed base on family bond lack initiative to expand the niche of the company. America, the world-leading economy country, conversely employs applicants because they’re best-qualified persons. Family connections, friendship, and sponsorship of an influential person are never considered in selection.
If the closed cotton maneuvering of the selection exercise of these institutions did not quench their egocentric thirsty, then, they should thread the opened crookedness track of NPA, FAAN and other similar birds of same feather that flock in this travesty nest. Concealing of vacant positions and burying the advertisement of job openings that all Nigerians are equally entitled to. Thus, reaching and incorporating the zenith of patronage as her ethics.
However, getting this paraphrased word of Chief Obafemi Awolowo across to you is important as he said that; “the children of the poor you failed to give source of livelihood will never let your children have peace.” Extensionally, an abode that is built on infidelity will eventually fall a victim of mist.
Taoheed writes in from Lagos via Dawood.taoheed94@gmail.com

By Dauda Taoheed