The Fall of Tinubu as a Metaphor -By Abdulkadir Salaudeen

While cattle can graze freely (my focus is still not about whether that should be or not), many Nigerians cannot farm freely. Because many cannot farm freely, food has become gold which can only be mined by those who have licence to mine. In other words, difficult access to food by Nigerian masses is now the nastiest experience of their lives.

Nigerians got some comic relief on "Democracy Day" from the overwhelming hardship which has now deteriorated to soul snatching hunger. It was the misstep of our President Tinubu that landed him-yakata-on the ground. Though our President is an old man, his misstep is just a common mishap that can occur to anyone-irrespective of age. However, Nigerians have turned it into a meme on social media. Nigerians, I hail thee!

One should not wonder why the President's slip of the foot attracts so much attention. That is what democracy does to the entire life of leaders who pledge-honestly or dishonestly-to uphold its tenets. In most cases, leaders in democratic system of government do not have private existence. Everything about them is subject to the critical scrutiny of public prying eyes and people's nosy noses.

This is exactly what happened to President Tinubu; and I think he understands that his life is a public life. I like the way the President took a jab at his mockers when he quipped: "I am a traditional Yoruba boy, I did my 'dobale.'" Dobale is a Yoruba traditional way of prostrating to greet elders. This could also be Tinubu's way of saying "Nigeria, I hail thee." Whether President Tinubu fell or did dobale, he should be reminded that nothing in Nigeria stands erect under him as president. Everything has either fallen or doing dobale.