Perhaps due to the negative associations of godfatherism, Oshiomhole has denied any intention of becoming a godfather, a concept he previously denounced when he ran for governor of Edo State in 2016. At that time, Oshiomhole faced significant opposition from figures like Anenih, an influential political leader, who supported Professor Osunbor as the next governor of Edo State.
Just as Governor Osunbor served as a surrogate of Anenih in 2007-2008, Senator Monday Okpebholo, the new governor of Edo State, can likewise be seen as a surrogate of Oshiomhole. This is evident in both words and actions, as the former labour leader and ex-governor frequently appeared on multiple media platforms—including television, radio, print, and social media—to campaign on behalf of Okpebholo, much as he did for Obaseki eight years ago.
One can only hope that Oshiomhole and Okpebholo will resist the temptation to enter a godfather/ godson relationship, which has proven to be ineffective in the long run.
In reality, what is often derogatorily referred to as godfatherism in politics is a form of succession planning critical for leadership continuity. In the private sector, a business leader’s foresight in grooming a successor is typically seen as a commendable virtue.
However, many Nigerians believe that the criteria for selecting successors in public governance are not always altruistic; rather, they are often driven by politicians’ personal agendas rather than patriotic goals or the greater good. Consequently, this practice has acquired a negative reputation. Nigerians have become wary of governors imposing their loyalists as successors rather than basing their choices on objective criteria. As a result, politicians who promote surrogates to succeed them are frequently labelled godfathers.
The strained relationships between former governors and the successors they handpick have become legendary in Nigeria. Although it’s common for godfathers and godsons to turn against each other after a period of initial cooperation, it is curious that the tendency to impose chosen successors has become entrenched in Nigerian politics, suggesting that few lessons have been learned.
This trend dates back to conflicts such as the one in Abia State, where current Senator Orji Uzor Kalu handpicked Theodore Orji, another current senator as his successor as governor of Abia State in 2007, later leading to friction when the godson turned against his godfather. Similarly, in Anambra State, the relationship between Mr. Peter Obi and his chosen successor, Willie Obiano, soured due to undue interference and antagonism. Generally, such situations can be seen as a form of retribution against the questionable practice of installing successors to maintain influence or enjoy a third term by proxy.
A comparable godfather/godson conflict played out in Kano State, where Dr. Musa Kwankwaso, as governor, chose his former Chief of Staff, Prof. Umar Ganduje, as his successor. Not long after, both men found themselves in a prolonged power struggle, with one outcome being the destabilisation of the revered Kano emirate. For the first time in the history of this ancient emirate, there are two emirs, each having been deposed and reinstated, reflecting the political power struggles between former governors and their chosen successors.
In 2007, a similar scenario unfolded when then-President Olusegun Obasanjo, in the aftermath of a bitter political fallout with Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who intended to succeed him, did everything possible to prevent Abubakar’s ambition from materializing. Instead, Obasanjo supported former Katsina Governor Umaru Yar’Adua, the younger brother of Obasanjo’s political ally, the late Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, to become president.
Tragically, due to severe health issues, President Yar’Adua passed away in 2010, barely two years into his first term, leaving the country in a precarious situation, as this was the first time a sitting president had died under democratic rule. The National Assembly ultimately resolved the constitutional crisis created by this unprecedented situation by invoking the “Doctrine of Necessity,” allowing for a smooth transition of power.
Remarkably, before Yar’Adua’s passing, he was not following OBJ’s agenda. He had overturned the sale of NNPC refineries to private sector investors, including Dangote, and even reversed the privatization of the electricity sector—policies that the current administration under President Bola Tinubu appears to be reviving, as seen in recent fuel and gas policies.
What the examples above underscore is that there is no guarantee that engineering surrogates as successors has no long-term benefits as such perfidious acts always backfire.
As I wish Senator Monday Okpebholo, who assumes office as governor of Edo State today, a successful tenure, I would also like to offer him, counsel, as a good friend of many years. He should be guided by the experiences of his predecessors in the godfather/ godson dynamics that has shaped Edo State over the past few decades. This counsel is to help him draw lessons from history and establish guardrails against any such damaging relationships.
To my senior brother, the distinguished Senator Oshiomhole, I believe he has seen the futility of playing the godfather role, having fought against it nearly two decades ago. God has blessed him with enough achievements and empowered him to serve as a distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He has demonstrated that he possesses sufficient political influence to impact who becomes governor of Edo State without relying on the power of incumbency. So, the political prowess, once ascribed only to President Bola Tinubu as the former governor of Lagos State who still influenced the choice of who becomes governor of the state a couple of decades after he exited office, should be put to positive use. I trust that he will not follow the example of the FCT Minister, who, after serving as governor of Rivers State and now as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, still attempts to control governance in Rivers State, thereby causing instability and reflecting poorly on both democracy and politicians.
As for Obaseki and Ighodalo, who have been left holding the wrong end of the stick in the battle for the control of Dennis Osadebey House, Edo State seat of power, as a democracy advocate, I urge them to continue to pursue justice in court to test the law and make democracy sturdier by developing taproots in Nigeria.
That is one we can hand our children, “a banner without stain”, as captured in a stanza of our national anthem.