Osun killing: Bamidele Salam and hypocrisy of political elite — by Ismail Omipidan

For some time now, I have deliberately refrained from commenting on Osun politics. However, the attempt to politicise the death of the late Ezekiel and, by extension, drag President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into the matter has compelled me to make this brief intervention.

My aim is to expose the hypocrisy of a lawmaker who presents himself as a man of God, yet reportedly abandoned a church because he perceived that its leadership was favourably disposed towards a former lawmaker from the state. This is particularly curious given that Hon. Bamidele Salam and the said former lawmaker do not even come from the same federal constituency and, therefore, were not direct political rivals. The only thing is that the said former lawmaker of the APC.

It is difficult to reconcile such conduct with the principles of tolerance, humility, and fairness that one would ordinarily expect from someone who publicly projects himself as a religious man. Before attempting to draw political capital from a tragic death or cast aspersions on others, it may be necessary to reflect on one’s own actions and the message they convey.

I will never support political violence or killing under any guise. But, having listened to the account given by the father of the late teenager, I find aspects of his narrative difficult to reconcile. His account is not only inconsistent and inchoate but stands logic on its head. The man claimed he saw those who carried out the shooting, and that it happened in his presence. Yet, he said they were looking for the boy before they found him in the bush. How did a boy who supposedly came to rescue the mother suddenly found his way to the bush? The sequence of events, as narrated, appears unclear.

Secondly, the interviewer appeared to be putting words into the father’s mouth rather than allowing him to tell his story without prompting. This inevitably raises concerns about the objectivity of the interview. Thirdly, who exactly were the individuals attempting to break into the secretariat, as claimed by the father? And finally, who were the people he repeatedly hailed as “honourable”? Were they members of the Accord Party or the APC? These are some of the gaps in the narrative presented by the man.

For these reasons, I believe it is premature for anyone to draw definitive conclusions. We should all await the outcome of a thorough and impartial investigation before assigning blame. I say so because I am aware that the lawmaker representing the area in the State Assembly has been trying to forment trouble the moment he sensed the electorate may reject him because of his lackluster performance. So, we must look in his direction as well.

That said, where was Hon. Salam when Remi Abbas was murdered by persons suspected to be PDP loyalists? What public position did he take at the time, and what efforts did he make to ensure justice was served? I know that our federal lawmaker is aware that one of his party members who is facing a murder trial and who has since been declared wanted is taking refuge in the Government House. What attempt has he made to assist the authorities in ensuring that justice is not obstructed?

Hon. Bamidele Salam, you cannot come to equity with a filthy hand, certainly not in this matter. If we genuinely oppose political violence, then our outrage must be consistent, regardless of the political affiliation of the victim or the accused. Justice cannot be partisan, and accountability must apply to everyone equally.