A Dog Eating Governor And The Politics Of Dog Eating In Nigeria

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A Dog Eating Governor And The Politics Of Dog Eating In Nigeria
Prince Charles Dickson
Pcdbooks@yahoo.com
Jos, Plateau Nigeria

“I am from Mushere and we eat Dogs, my brothers from Pankshin eat Dogs, likewise Anaguta and Berom. If those Dogs come from Abuja again, we will eat them�.

Those were the words of Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State, a man who prides himself as the Joshua of his time certainly not my time… Well I do not really know if I should be writing this essay for so many reasons among which are that I reside in Jos, Plateau State, also I just had an interview with the man not long ago. The only thing I know for sure is that I will and can be objective to bring out some salient issues that the interview was about and also how it affects the leadership plague in this nation.

Although many beasts have served humanity throughout time, only one serves by choice. Only one animal is willing to forsake its own kind and follow us. Sinologists and archeologists have found evidence of the canine/human relationship existing almost as early as the species of Homo sapiens. Dogs served the hunter, the shepherd and the warrior. They were guardians of the home, beasts of burden and companions on the journey of life.

How did this relationship come to exist between people and dogs? What caused the development of so many diverse breeds is no t what I want to discuss but, if one looked at it, it could relate perfectly as to how we and our leaders develop our own relationships as breeds of political dogs, docile masses and thieving leaders.

Each breed, each individual dog is valued by someone or by a group of people. It serves a purpose, even if its destination is "only" to stave off loneliness. In our modern world, as communications expand and walls between countries come down, we learn more and more about other nations, the people and their canine companions. It is this wonderful animal called Dog that is a delicacy not only in Plateau but many other parts of the nation and this same animal that I have chosen to underscore the leadership crises of Nigeria.

Before going far I must say I drew this analysis to be able to push the theory that, apart from just being dog-eaters, our politicians have also become dogs themselves in their various breeds. We have seen the fight of dogs in various States, In some it is the German Shepherd and the Doberman, others the Rottweiller and the Bullmastif, others the Toy Poodle and Beagle or the Dalmatian and Bulldog. Dariye and Mantu, Uba and Ngige, Adedibu and Ladoja, Tinubu and Ogunlewe, the President and his Vice. The PDP and the collection of disgruntled in ACD, MRD. The whole political arena is a dog eats and dogs fights field. At a point I had reason to believ e that this fights was good for our ever budding democracy but at the rate we are going it is getting out of hand.

For example we never would have known that ecological funds were shared out in a bazaar like manner by Dog-eating State Governors if another German shepherd dog was not doing the chasing for whatever the motives were. We never would have known of this new system of party donation of developmental funds. Only God Knows how many more methods exists until the dog of EFCC barks again.

Dariye apart from the interview has always postured God-God-God on all his comments like how he was still governor by God’s grace and in response Senator Mantu said he pra ys daily that God will remove Dariye in order for him (Mantu) to know that God has forgiven him for assisting (rigging) Dariye into Rayfield Government House. Dariye claims he put Mantu there in the Senate, Mantu says he put Dariye there as Governor. Almighty Allah is patient, which is why our leaders take Him for a jolly ride.

The Plateau and Nigerian Dog fight is a typical case of the burden of bad leadership because the real crux of all these dog eating arrangements is that we abuse the companionship, the security, the beauty that the dog (leadership) is all about. What we get in return is underdevelopment. Dariye said “Mantu was a bad product that was repackaged and sold to the public� an ill tempered dog I guess. Mantu then responds “Everyday I wake up; I wake up crying for the people and asking God to forgive me, and the people. I went to Jos and asked the people of Plateau State to forgive me for the role I played in installing this man…� The people must be sober Mongrels by now.

The politics of dog eating dog, the EFCC has called Dariye’s allegation “diversionary�. However is it not true that several Dogs especially the PDP breed were given beef for the benefit of their constituencies and this same beef went back to the pack’s purse while they (Governors) kept the loose (bone) change.

When Ribadu, the attacking Doberman pinscher was asked to chase his owner the President by an overzealous bulldog (Orji Kalu) I called it pouring water on a fowls feather, and that is exactly what happened. When dogs eat dogs, rabbits run for safety. Dariye has abused, cheated and insulted the sensibilities of the Plateau man. Sadly for Senator Mantu, one of the third term coordinator has also insulted the collective senses of all Nigerians. In our dog eat politics, there are no morals, no rules, everything goes.

Asked why he wanted to be Governor a candidate replied ‘I will have immunity to do as I choose�. In the Governor’s utterances he has admitted guilt but has also quickly emphasized he is above the law for now, besides we are all in this kennel together. If a governor thinks jumping bail is no crime, stealing government funds must be a hobby and one can begin to imagine all the bites of crime these leaders administer without thinking or feeling the effects of their rabies infested actions.

In all the crossfire in our political field it is obvious that nine o ut of ten they are all dogs that feast on themselves. It is only in the case of a clear winner that we hear the saints bark, but before then it is the dirty canine that we see, barking without bite. It is because of our dog eating antics that the Police Dog like we use to call them have lost both bark and bite, the replacement called EFCC is a loose Terrier that runs amok without leech. The EFCC chase people that break the law by breaking the same law, like its master it chooses which law to obey when to obey and how to obey it.

The Nigerian society has three breeds of dogs, the people, or the masses, the politicians and others…we are the German shepherd…A breed that has a distinct personality marked by direct and fearless attitude, we can do and undo, but not hostile, expressive, self-confident and a certain aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. It is poised, but when the occasion demands, eager and alert; both fit and willing to serve in its capacity as companion, watchdog, blind leader, herding dog, or guardian, whichever the circumstances may demand. And this is if we are well treated by our leaders and they do not resort to eating us.

We have the Rottweiler amongst us that are basically calm, confident and courageous people with a self-assured aloofness. A Rottweiler is self-confident and responds quietly and with a wait-and-see attitude to influence his environment. He has an inherent desire to protect home and family, and is an intelligent dog of extreme hardness and adaptability with a strong willingness to work, making him especially suited as a companion, guardian and general all-purpose dog. The typical all weather Nigerian politician, from PDP to ANPP to AD to ACD, yet with a PDP membership card… Some of our leaders really have the heart to be companions, guardians to the people but their all-pur pose attitude spoils it all.


The Toy Fox Terrier is intelligent, alert and friendly, and loyal to its owners. He learns new tasks quickly, is eager to please, and adapts to almost any situation. These are qualities you find in a Nigerian depending on the circumstances. The Toy Fox Terrier, like other terriers, is self-possessed, spirited, determined and not easily intimidated. He is a highly animated toy dog that is comical, entertaining and playful all of his life.

I hav e not gone out of my way to refer to us as dogs or animals but have tried to use these lovely animals that some of our leaders eat to once more give a wake up call to Nigeria…The Plateau episode is just like every other crises in this nation, whoever chases, barks or bites, the masses will always suffer the lack of anti-rabies vaccine. Once more without being alarmist, there is problem, let us sit and look for a long term solution than all these ad hoc arrange things we are doing… Allah help us!

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