How Nigerian Politics Rivals Nollywood For Drama

Two major industries in Nigeria share similar traits of melodrama and wildly implausible plots, that the average human mind usually fails to comprehend – film and politics. The following information is according to Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, who wrote for BBC Africa.

Nwaubani stated: “Films produced by Nollywood, have uncomplicated titles and themes that tell all you need to know, such as Love Me or I Die, Festival of Blood and Mother-in-law Attack. But if you want thrill and suspense or intrigue, the place to turn to is the equally lucrative political industry. In January 2012, for example, the Nigerian National Assembly set the stage for a new blockbuster that kept viewers riveted for months. Nigerians had never before heard anything as brazen. Between 2009 and 2011, we were told, a number of local oil and gas companies had obtained government subsidies totalling $6.8bn (£4.3bn) for fuel they never delivered. Daily on live television, the investigating committee headed by MP Farouk Lawan did more than expose the scam. The committee named names. At the conclusion of the proceedings, Mr Lawan received an ovation from his fellow legislators for such excellent and thorough work.” 

She further went on to compare Otedola’s fraud allegations to “Nollywood 2.0” whereby Otedola stated that Mr Farouk Lawan, who accused him, included the names of his companies in the list of fraudulent companies in order to bribe him. Otedola revealed that he had paid $500,000 for the total bribe demanded and he videotaped the transaction secretly. In one of the alleged scenes that was described by Reuters News Agency, Lawan was dressed in a long agbada, seated next to Otedola, sorting through a huge pile of dollar bills. Afterwards, he fills his pockets until they overflow, then stuffs the rest into his cap. It all seems very Nollywood 2.0 right? Lawan was then charged in court with soliciting in 2012 and denied the allegations, further stating: “I believe in the end, that Nigerians will come to believe and see that for the 13 years I have invested in championing good governance, responsibility and probity in this country, that this last trial is a trial from God, and I believe in the end we shall prevail.”

Lawan completed his tenure in the house in June 2015 and his case further vanished into the Bermuda Triangle of Nigeria’s several corruption scandals. Nwaubani further stated: “Mr Otedola is still supplying fuel and the alleged $500,000 paid to Mr Lawan has also not been retrieved. So Nigerians still do not know whether Mr Otedola was guilty of fuel subsidy scamming or if he was the victim of extortion. Perhaps, this shall be revealed in a Part Two. This is just a snippet of corruption in Nigeria.”

While Hillary Clinton was the US Secretary of State, she expressed her bewilderment at the high level of corruption in Nigeria, in a report on global human rights in Nigeria presented to the US Congress. Many concerned and worried Nigerian’s around the world have now placed their hope in President Muhammadu Buhari, who based his presidential campaign primarily on anti-corruption, a severe issue that many believe is the root to all other problems that we face in Nigeria today. Several corruption scandals have been in the media for the past few months, scaring many guilty citizens and satisfying the innocent, who have had to deal with corruption for several years post-independence.

Nwaubani stated: “If indeed President Buhari goes ahead to conduct these investigations, the country may very well be on the verge of cementing its star on the walkway of global entertainment. Nigerians at home and abroad can hardly wait for the cameras to begin to roll.”