Prince Abubakar Audu’s Death: A Wake Up Call to All. Femi Ojo

Picture Courtesy of Reporters365.com

It was something different I wanted to write on the recent gubernatorial election in Kogi. I thought the election would have been a \concluded issue by now and so I would be able to share comparative thoughts on elections under PDP and the new government of APC. I was believing Kogi State election’s outcomes would inspire my thoughts. I was waiting to know who among the two leading candidates of PDP and APC, Kogi people would elect. But the pathetic occurrence last Sunday of the death of Prince Audu is too difficult for me to ignore thus my change of mind on my initial article.  Of course, the election started with many diverse reports, it went on but it was one election that ended inconclusively with a sad story. The demise of Prince Audu, the APC flag bearer remains pathetic. Sad  because while the election remains inconclusive, the leading candidate, Prince Audu Abubakar of APC has concluded his journey here!  It was this pathetic occurrence that took away my initial thoughts and made me write on the subject matter above.

The demise of late Prince Abubakar Audu, the former governor of Kogi State was a pathetic one. It was sad because, here is a man who had been governor of the state twice and had contested many times for the same seat and who INEC results have shown to be maintaining a clear lead, coasting home to victory in the inconclusive election and  Audu was actually on his way to make an ace history in the politics of Kogi State. To his supporters, he was already their governor- in-waiting but the divine Being who created us all was watching and knew that this man would not be what his supporters and party wanted. Like the maxim “man proposes but God disposes” that actually was what played out.

 The sad news was at first considered a rumour but it soon became glare that the supposed rumor was not any political gimmick but stack reality. But what are the lessons for us all in this sad event. There are many lessons to learn. We plan a thing and God laughs at us from above and plays the 'divine card' and humanity marvels at the power of God! In our clime here, we do not speak evil of the dead but one thing is for sure, not everyone forgets the deeds of the dead either good or bad. One great lesson is that it is high time our politicians lived a life of public probity and perpendicular integrity and must start thinking of how to invest in the already bastardized health system in the country. The death of late Prince Audu should be a lesson and clarion call to our politicians who embezzle public funds meant for infrastructural development such as the health sector and change their ways now. Had it been there was a good and well equipped hospital around at the time when Prince Audu suddenly had heart attack maybe, the story would have been different today and there wouldn’t be any need for his family to contemplate flying him abroad before death came calling. But our politicians will not use public funds for good cause, hence the reason why our country is in this pitiable state today.

Besides the above lesson, the life and times of Prince Audu in a way poses a great challenge to our youths. The man died while pursuing his dreams, he was first a successful banker and later became a professional politician in his own right. No matter the different stories from diverse quarters about this man, there is one story that he pursued his dreams though sadly died very close to attaining what could have been an historic come back! May we never die at the point of victory and may our enemies never write the final chapter of our lives because if they do, they may falsify, neglect the good works and fill the pages with all the mistakes one made. As youths we must pursue our dreams and see to it that we achieve it but may we never die while we are about to be pronounced victorious!

As we mourn the soul of the departed late governor and as Nigerians await how the constitutional crisis Audu's demise has created will be solved,  we hope that the political handlers of our country will provide constitutionally established solution to this lacuna now for the sake similar occurrence in the future. It's high time our politicians change and develop our country especially the health sector and stop flying abroad to treat common cold! Sad that late Prince Audu Abubakar has finally ended his odssey while his supporters were waiting to see him win the last gubernatorial election in Kogi State. Adieu Prince Audu Abubakar!