In a haunting tableau that many would rather overlook, a gathering of vultures hovers ominously around the lifeless body of a man—a sight emblematic of deeper societal issues lying at the heart of our culture. This stark imagery serves as a metaphor for the voracious entities that exploit the vulnerability of individuals and political parties, much like vultures feasting on carrion.
As the vultures circle, poised and patient, waiting for the clinically dead man to pass on, they epitomize the predatory nature of societal structures that thrive on the misfortunes of the weak. In this case, the man, though clinically dead, represents not just an individual lost to despair, but a wider cultural decay. The Bible rightly stated that 'where the dead are, there the Vultures gather together.' The vultures symbolize the opportunists—be it political figures, corporations, or cultural critics—who capitalize on suffering for their gain, with little regard for the dignity of the deceased or the community he once cherished.
In the heart of a nation was placed the statue of political figure representing a political freedom fighter, dubbed the best president Nigeria never had, depicting a propagator of socialist and progressive movement, his statue overshadowing surrounding skyscrapers, a figure you cannot easily ignore. Politicians made him god, a name they always referred to as their leader, teacher and mentor to deceive in elections seasons but forgot thereafter. As I observed the great statue from a distance, I saw what many do not consider as a looming danger, vultures swarmed around it but not overshadowing it made people not to see what I am seeing, hawks were perching on its lifeless body, I can see hawks entering it through its wide opened mouth enough to give passage to the hawks and the Vultures, the hawks go on hunting expedition bringing it inside a sculpture depicting our political culture or better said party, the Vultures feast on it grabbing it from the hawks. Insects and reptiles using it as an abode takes the remnants. Can you conjure these pictures together and see the bigger pictures and what it portrayed. Yet the average audience see a man of dignity demonstrating democratic victory over tranny and transactional democracy.
This gathering of vultures is not a mere observation; it’s a call for reflection. Our culture, rich in history and tradition, is marred by those who choose to profit from its fragility. Instead of nurturing the vulnerable, we often find ourselves surrounded by entities ready to exploit these moments, turning them into spectacles for personal or political gain. Just like _agberocracy_ will plant every man mentored to believe in her system of governance and empowerment at every bus stops and streets to take charge of the corridor, so is our referred political party being hijacked by political jobbers and jabbers, trying to dominate every political space in our nation, planting their men in every available sustainable political party and lying in wait for directions and actions at the right time when _'Oga'_ as he is fondly called will shoot the gun. They have a three-pronged mission; Dominate, Amalgamate, Capitulate and Stimulate for Atikulation or Batification.
The sculpture—the embodiment of our cultural and political heritage—stands as a reminder of what was once vibrant and full of life. Yet, as vultures continue to perch, we must question: What happens to the essence of our culture when it is overshadowed by opportunism? How many more 'clinically dead' souls will we allow to be consumed before we stand up against this predation?
It is time we acknowledge these vultures for what they are and challenge their presence in our society. We must cultivate a culture that fosters life rather than feeds on death. This begins with honouring the vulnerable among us, not just in their suffering but in their potential for renewal. Just like the man led to his early grave by reason of the picture he took, resonating deeply in his mind later when he was observed and questioned at his happiest moment what he did to the dying child encircled by vultures in the desert as he simply replied 'I just left, I have a plane to catch's was his answer leaving the vulnerable child in danger. Moments later, he died. He couldn't live to bear the gory imagination of how the child left uncared for might have died.
In this critical moment, let us not be passive observers of our political culture's decline. Instead, let us take action to create a collective environment that safeguards the dignity of all individuals—one that repels the vultures and celebrates the resilience of humanity. Only then can we hope to restore our cultural sculpture and reclaim the narrative that has long been overshadowed by those waiting to swoop in at the first sign of weakness.
The vultures are indeed perching, but it is up to us to either allow them to feast or to rise together and defend the heart of our culture, nurturing it back to life with compassion, integrity, and unwavering resolve. Despite the fact that the political gladiators of our time are maneuvering and navigating their way deep inside the Labour Party, trying to hijack the new structure they once fractured, the rejected stone by the builders now the cornerstone that is legally on ground, waiting impatiently for her to breathe her last, ( bo ba d'ola, a ku ola) the news that will be the bitter spill to swallow for those who undermined and underestimated our political sagacity and activism, who wanted to gain where they do not pained, was that they knew those that help to water the Iroko tree when it sprouted during the dry season rather than those who are promising waterbed in the rainy season after it has overgrown. The shadow of our tree is wide enough to accommodate all, why try to decapitate when you can help dress it up and be more attractive to those who are anticipating to have a date with the future not too far.
Apagun Olaolu Samuel Babatunde
Chairman
Labour Party, Ogun State
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