FANI-KAYODE- THE CURE FOR MADNESS.

By Thompson Aguranta

 As I listen, read and watch him on Television, the old saying that one cannot completely cure madness rings persistently true in my ears. It is said that however hard one tries to cure a mad man of his insanity, once in a while, traces of the madness pops up to remind us all to be careful and mindful of our relationship with him and how we judge his actions and utterances. Femi Fani-Kayode exemplifies this age-long belief.

Fani-Kayode is a known drug addict who went into a rehab home in Ghana not so long ago. Unknown to the Medics, the damage done to the faculties of their patient through a life-time of smoking and sniffing all kinds of hard substances is, in the age-long reckoning, incurable. Or perhaps, even in his moments of insanity, Fani-Kayode was able to con the Medics that he was back to his senses. It was on this innocuous presumption of full recovery that he was discharged.

Now, Fani-Kayode’s condition is in full and irreversible relapse-and the nation, particularly the Aviation Ministry and Princess Stella Oduah, the Minister are innocent victims. But it didn’t begin here. At several times, his unstable mind had driven him to wage verbal, understandably incoherent wars against respected Statesman and former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, wife of former Biafran Warlord; Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Bianca Onoh, the Igbo nation, etc, etc.

During his stewardship as Cabinet Minister, stories were rife of his truancy caused by the effect of hard drugs. He was said to be hardly on his desk, and when he did appear, the short spells were said to be characterised by busts of tantrums aimed at Senior and Junior staff alike. At meetings, he was decidedly opaque, incoherent and intemperate. During extreme spasms and fits as a result of the ‘influence’, he was said to be very subdued, yet quite erratic and unapproachable. It was therefore a huge relief to the staff, when he literarily abdicated his responsibilities which were then carried out by personal aides. It is common knowledge that while at the aviation Ministry especially, his SA’s and PA’s ran the office-it was that bad, but the staff were spared the dreadful and intermittent moments of insanity by the Boss.

Now, it is very doubtful if a man in such an unstable state of mind, even after permanent residency in rehab centres, can make any sound judgement on any subject-matter, talk less of the very technical and sophisticated field of aviation. How can such an insane man be conversant with Aviation rules and regulations, as well as industry international best practice! Your guess is as good as mine.

His vitriol therefore, against the person and office of Princess Stella Oduah, Hon.Minister of Aviation can best be understood as a product of an unsound mind. It is important that Femi Fani-Kayode’s outburst regarding what he thinks is wrong with the Minister and the sector should be taken with a pinch of salt, knowing as it were, that he speaks largely under the influence.

Yet, we can understand his frustrations during his few moment of sanity with Ministry of Aviation. Impeccable sources indicate that for a long time now, Fani-Kayode who is @very broke’’, had been depending on some of the agency Heads for hand-outs and survival. But as everyone knows, a helping hand can only do so much! When the source of his survival began to dry up, he, being of an unsound mind, thought there was an instruction from the ‘Oga at the top’ to close the tap. The crash of the Associated Airlines aircraft of Oct. 8^th only provided opportunity to vent his anger against the Minister.

Perhaps, it is important to point out that his tenure at the Aviation ministry was decidedly notorious for all the wrong reasons. In the few instances where his mind was stable, he contrived to defraud the federal government of the N17billion Aviation Intervention Fund. He was also said to have designated one of his numerous girlfriends (a Youth Corps member) to be a Signatory to Accounts operated by FAAN, NCAA, NAMA and the parent ministry. Through this ingenious act, several billions of naira were siphoned from the coffers of government. It was therefore not surprising when; a few years ago the EFCC arrested, detained and commenced his prosecution. To date, he is still standing trial for the wanton fraud and corruption committed as Aviation Minister. Luckily, he might eventually get away with this if his Lawyers are smart enough to plead insanity!

How can a man with such corrupt tendencies accuse the current Aviation Minister, or any other Nigerian for that matter, of corruption? Nigerians be the judge.

One final word on Fani-Kayode’s insanity. Those close to Fani-Kayode can ask him to approach the Aviation Minister to bail him financially in order to enable him resume his rehabilitation in Ghana or elsewhere. In spite of the vitriol, those who are close to Oduah say her magnanimity, philanthropy and humane disposition would  not allow her to turn down an opportunity to help another human being who is truly in need-especially when it has to do with a depressing and embarrassing disease as insanity.

 Thompson Aguranta, a Public Affairs Analyst contributed this article from Abuja.