The narrative following the very offensive Yahaya Bello clip where he was seen ‘advising’ alleged Members of the Kogi State House of Assembly played to the gallery and leveraged our eagerness to accept such a narrative as we continue to ‘sorrowrise’ about the situation in this Country.
Following our inability to fight and push back, we have majorly turned ourselves to a nation of cowards who collectively fold our hands and stand with chewing sticks in our mouth and like Chinua Achebe’s Unoka just lament and wear our badges of shame with pride and with heads still bowed
This is why we were quick to accept the wrong narrative of that clip and quickly share it with additional captions illustrating just how Nigeria is ‘finished’
But as I looked through the clip, I remained excited and engaged
I am currently working on a Book – Maddtimes power list Coffee table – where We are mapping Power and Influence in our country
The theoretical structure of the book is built around the fact that structural power has failed us as a nation and by structural power, we mean power gotten by Ballot and appointment or any power secured thru structural means including traditional title holders
So for us, real power is charismatic power. Vision driven power and power that emanates from sheer guts, drive, courage and boldness.
We have gone further to say that this power may not always be seen in a positive light by the generality of the people
In this regard, people not well regarded by society but continue to show charisma and vision driven drive would make the book
Bare it in mind that the building blocks of politics and governance are ambigous and do not let themselves to structured and boxed in definitions
So concepts like ‘good, just, fair, interest’ amongst others avail themselves floating definitions all guided and pushed by self interest
So for example Trump can be a very ‘good’ Leader to those who his policies are benefitting and a ‘bad’ leader to those who are receiving a beating by his policies
Same with Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu – millions are standing on his mandate just as millions are hating him for his policies
It is in this wise, that some people who would make our list and book may not be there by popular choice but will make the book by their sheer understanding of the concept of charismatic power and influence and with the way they deploy it
So, back to the Yahaya Bello clip.
Now, what I saw there was a positive use of power and influence
What I saw there was a powerful man with all the charisma in the world speaking to a people who have been beholden by his sheer guts, courage, boldness and carriage
I didnt see any compulsion on his part when he asked the people to sit down
They all obeyed him very voluntarily and looked up to him with fervour
Now the clip didnt show if there were enforcers outside waiting to break the knees of those who didn’t obey or if there were any threat muted or otherwise that ensured compliance
What I saw there was qauint obedience, almost spiritual fervour in compliance and general love for a leader no matter how he got there .
This is power at its best. Now its up to the observer to define and box it by labelling it either positive or negatibe
But as a scholar of power, what I saw there was naked raw charismatic power the type we are documenting.
This is exactly the kind of power Nnamdi Kanu of Ipob is wielding.
His words from prison stoping economic activities in a whole region, keeping the biafran hope alive by sheer charisma and using his oratorial skills to push a narrative desite his lack of freedom
Chief Obasanjo wields that kind of power and influence making his home a shrine for people seeking structured power
Remember the incident where Obasanjo asked traditional rulers to all stand up and they immediately did
Now let’s go back to the Yahaya clip.
Look again and you would see one man standing in total submission with his hands clasped to his crotch and head in continous bowing motion and standing as Yahaya spoke
That is a classic case of a man zombified by power snd influence.
He is a breathren and can be likened to members of cults or huge churches
In this case logic and rationality has been beaten out of his brains and he has become a slave to his master and must follow all instructions no matter what
You find these types in Nigeria’s mega churches, North Korea and Mormon communities of Salt Lake Utah in America
So unlike most of you, what I saw in that Yahaya clip was a man who has parlayed structured power as a former Governor into a charismatic hold on power where despite the absence of constitional power, he still controls the one who has constituional power and his minions
Remember how the sitting Governor Ododo ran to his rescue during his travails with the EFCC and the rest
Now what is remaining for Yahaya Bello is how to deploy this his immence power whether for the good of the people or in continuation of the pursuit of his self interest
But remember very quickly that I have said in this write up that what is good or what is best really and truly can only be defined from the prisms of self interest
So the only sure thing here is that Yahaya Bello has won my nomination into the Maddtimes 100 most powerful and influential Nigerians 2025 for his sheer grasp of Charismatic Power snd Influence no matter how he deploys it.
Come and beat me
Duke of Shomolu