Aare Amerijoye DOT.B.

There are conversations that leave an indelible imprint on the mind,dialogues so profound that they awaken dormant intellectual faculties, rekindle suppressed passions, and reaffirm one’s faith in the pursuit of knowledge and truth. Last Wednesday night, I had such an experience when I engaged in an intellectually electrifying 58-minute discourse with Dr. Pedro Obaseki, a towering intellectual, a master of historical excavation, and a repository of rare insights into the ideological, philosophical, and political fabric of Nigeria.

The moment my phone rang and his name flashed on the screen, I instinctively knew that this was not going to be a routine conversation. Dr. Obaseki does not engage in frivolities; his words carry weight, his mind is a battleground of rigorous dialectics, and his perspectives are woven from the finest threads of historical analysis and philosophical profundity.

As expected, he took me on a journey,one that traversed literature, history, political strategy, and the ideological underpinnings of power dynamics in Nigeria. But what struck me most was his reference to Atiku Abubakar as the Akara-Ogun of Nigerian politics, likening him to the fearless warrior-hunter in D.O. Fagunwa’s timeless classic, Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Eledumare, later translated by Professor Wole Soyinka as Forest of a Thousand Daemons.

This analogy was not just a literary device; it was an intellectually compelling portrait of Atiku,a man who, like Akara-Ogun, has braved the perilous terrain of Nigerian politics, confronted betrayals, adversities, conspiracies, and shifting alliances, yet remains undaunted and resolute in his quest for a transformed Nigeria.

In Yoruba cosmology, the hero’s journey is one of endurance, wisdom, and divine orchestration. Akara-Ogun is not just a character; he is an archetype, a representation of resilience, audacity, and intellectual dexterity. He ventures into the mythical Igbo Irunmale (Forest of the Immortals), facing supernatural adversaries, overcoming insurmountable challenges, and proving that those who persevere with wisdom shall triumph over the forces of destruction.

This is the story of Atiku Abubakar. For decades, he has been navigating the treacherous labyrinth of Nigerian politics, where betrayal is currency, loyalty is fluid, and power is a game of survival. He has faced the fiercest storms,vilification, propaganda, persecution, and political subterfuge,yet, like the legendary hunter, he remains unbroken, undaunted, and unwavering in his vision for a prosperous Nigeria.

The hunter’s weapons are not brute force alone; they include strategy, patience, and the ability to anticipate dangers. Atiku’s political resilience mirrors this wisdom. He understands that in a forest of daemons, where shifting shadows deceive the unguarded, only a man armed with vision, strategy, and the ability to adapt can emerge victorious.

There was no way I could have had the privilege of human rights activism and political engagement with formidable figures such as Dr. Tunji Abayomi, a fearless advocate of constitutional democracy, Barrister Femi Falana (SAN), the indefatigable legal luminary, Late Chief S.K. Babalola, an intellectual powerhouse, Late Prof. Babalola Borisade, a policy architect and masterful political tactician, Engr. Olusegun Adebayo Oni, a masterful political administrator, and many others and not have my mind broadened, my perspectives refined, and my mental horizons expanded.

These men represent a school of thought where ideas are tested in the crucible of logic, where politics is not a game of deception but a rigorous contest of ideologies, and where leadership is measured by the depth of one’s intellectual fortitude.

In intellectual circles, conversations do not always serve as mere praise hymns. They are often battlefields where ideas collide, narratives are tested, and convictions are refined. It is in this context that I must also bring in the ever-insightful Dr. Solomon Ekundayo, a man whose political engagements are not for the intellectually timid. A skilled medical practitioner by profession, Dr. Ekundayo’s mind is, however, one that is also steeped in political analysis, governance critique, and philosophical inquiry.

It is impossible to engage him in a political discussion without encountering his sharp, unflinching dissection of Atiku Abubakar’s perceived weaknesses. He has often interrogated the strategic missteps that have marked Atiku’s political trajectory, from internal party dynamics to external opposition tactics. His arguments are often unrelenting, methodically laying out concerns that challenge even the most ardent Atiku supporters.

Yet, in polemical circles, dissent is not an enemy; it is the refining fire of ideological strength. My counter-narratives to Dr. Ekundayo’s critiques have always been welcome, because Atiku’s journey is not a tale of perfection but of perseverance. His political battles have been lessons, his setbacks have been the whetstones sharpening his vision, and his ability to withstand adversity has been proof of his enduring leadership qualities.

Where some see failures, I see a man who refuses to bow to political oblivion. Where some see past miscalculations, I see the evolving wisdom of a statesman who understands that destiny is often forged in the furnace of repeated trials.

Unfortunately, this era of robust intellectual debates is fast fading, giving way to an era where faceless trolls, uninformed propagandists, and intellectually lazy partisans dominate the discourse.

I recall the days of Comrade Bunmi Ojo, a formidable debater and a man of great intellectual discipline. Whenever we engaged in discussions, he had a signature approach,he would never argue without first ensuring that both parties had the necessary intellectual grounding.

“Oh Ameri, have you read so-and-so book? If not, I can’t debate this issue with you. Read the book first.”

That was the standard. It was a time when political engagement was an intellectual sport, not a marketplace of cheap insults and mindless attacks.

Atiku Abubakar is not just a candidate; he is a statesman, a strategist, and a leader whose resilience is legendary. Like Jean-Jacques Rousseau once said:

“Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.”

For decades, Atiku has remained patient,not out of desperation, but out of conviction. His unwavering pursuit of the presidency is not driven by personal ambition but by a deep-seated belief in his vision for Nigeria. He is not seeking power for self-aggrandizement; he is on a mission to restore Nigeria’s dignity, lift millions out of poverty, and create a nation that works for all.

As Mahatma Gandhi profoundly stated:
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

Atiku has given his all to the service of Nigeria, and despite the challenges, he remains undaunted, undeterred, and unwavering in his commitment.

Let the cynics mock him. Let the naysayers deride his aspirations. But history, the ultimate judge, will tell its own tale.

Atiku Abubakar is not merely a politician seeking office; he is a warrior, an Akara-Ogun, on a historic mission to rescue a nation in distress.

Like the mythical hunter, he has ventured into the wilderness, faced the beasts of betrayal, opposition, and adversity. And yet, he stands undaunted, unbroken, and unyielding.

And in 2027, when Nigeria finds herself at another crossroads, the people will remember:

That in Atiku, they have not just a leader, but a visionary hunter, an Akara-Ogun, destined to lead them out of darkness into the dawn of a new era.