Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
I could not vividly tell of my age when the “Dog Handlers Theory” was propounded by the Ileogbo born political juggernaut, Prof. Ipadeola Aderibigbe at the growing of the two major political parties in 1991/1992, NRC and SDP.
At the time, the Professor of Forensic Accounting was serving as the NRC state chairman in Anambra. His outstanding performance earned him the Honourary Chieftaincy title of “Ebubedike” of Anambra. Today, Professor Pade is still politically active, based in his hometown, the Headquarters of Ayedire Local Government of Osun State.
Internal democracy is a driving force for winning a fair contest. Operating and lubricating political machineries within require an identifiable political leadership who controls the happenings in form of grievances, agreement and disagreement. The operators of the party machineries must know the quality and strength of individual and effectively manage them to the advantage of the party because winning an election, which is the core goal, is a game of numbers.
In the application of the dog handler theory to the case of Anambra by the referenced Professor, at the time, there was an heated internecine war in the NRC in Anambra. Pade successfully brought out the olive branch by identifying the political power blocs who control the stalwarts. He held several peace meetings. He begged where needed. He pocketed his age to achieve his result. The end they say, justifies the means. At the crown of his efforts, he was able to unite the political leaders which resourcefully led to the unification of his party members, factional politics decimated while individual differences on candidate line effectively managed.
The 2022 governorship poll is approaching. The deaf are not unaware of the unpreparedness of the two major political parties in the state. Poor preparation leads to failure. Such is the characteristics of the two actors. When your house is leaking and your war is cracking while preparing for an august occassion, where will you host your guests? As a student of politics, intra party imbroglio is not a new phenomenon. In fact, it makes politics sweeter and admirable. But when factional intra fighting are heated up beyond inter political parties altercations, it is a pure manifestation of the failure of the political leaders, elders and the handlers.
In both parties, there are executives and elders. The executives are elected. Elders are not elected. They may be appointed or earned for their years of experience in party political participation and sacrifices. When the executive fails, the elders mend. Sometimes, the executive may be divided, the elders are expected, by the virtue of their experience, manage the executive to ensure unificative success at contest with opposition. But when the executives and the elders are disunited, they are unavoidably beating and ready to dance to the drum of failure.
In the case of Osun, I observe the two parties are suffering from identical fever. The intra fighting is getting messier. They are both cursed, crawling to the poll with demonstration of political imbalance, incoherency and imperfections. They disgracefully display their dirty linen in public. But disappointedly, the populace who contributed 90 % of voters will still dance for their money. Few will not only dance but also die for them. What a shame! These actors will recruit graduate to write a running down script to discredit themselves within the party. “ADIE TO SU SI ISASU, O BA RIRUN ARA RE JE”.
More so, it is mostly unwise to plant a guinea corn in the presence of a guinea fowl. But for the interest of the innocent populace who are mostly victims of political crisis. I will challenge the party handlers who I call “THE DOG HANDLERS”. We are not far from the truth if we say the party executives have failed. When elders are in the market, child’s head is not allowed to droop.
Party crisis leads to immunity lock. The wise will not plant guinea corn in the presence of guinea fowl. Using your arsenal to fight your family is an unpopular decision. It is irrational decision dissipating energy in raising your children to attacking your parents.
In addition, when a successor can’t manage his predecessor, ill feeling grows transcending to bigger issue. Factional members will prefer to sleep on the same bed with umbrella family. In their eyes, opposition members are more reliable. The fact remains, they must not meet at night where lights are off. What could have invited the degenerations beyond the control of the dog handlers? There might be wounds but are they beyond the power of the political doctors to invite such monumental schism under the state broom?
Further more, the umbrella are bedeviled with personality crisis. Either to go for a 60 years old graduate or an insurance magnate. The choice is theirs. They keep tearing their shed and make noise when drained with rain. I once met a stakeholders under the umbrella who confided they prefer the magnate leave their party for the new graduate of 60years. The best decision is left for the failing handlers amongst whom are Professors, businessmen, Doctors, journalists, barristers etc to facelift their party by presenting a sellable candidate. If they consider Oye’s replacement, Osun deserves better mind. Money speaks in politics but today, personality speaks along. Fighting within on who fly the party to the poll should be on credibility. It is not only two of them in the party. Only people of intimidating CV can competitively win the gentle virile Oye. The handlers should rejuvenate their shed.
For the interest of the innocent populace, I enjoin the handlers to zoom in. Osun remains the most peaceful state in Nigeria. But when dogs bark continously without the caution of handlers, the community will awake without dozing eyes. The kings: Ibu of Bourdillion, Bisi of Ila, Ebora of Owu, Secondus of Umbrella, Buni of broom and few others in the category are adjure right the wrong in strenthening our democracy. My piece for the wise of them.
