Have you seen the video? I'm talking about the viral five-minute video showing the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Chairman, Danladi Umar, physically assaulting an unknown security guard at a Banex Plaza in Abuja, the nation's capital. It was an unbelievable sight and a big turn-off for any conscious citizen.
The disturbing thing from Danladi's show of shame isn't just that he showcased the oppressive nature of the ruling class but the complicity of the system that actively encourages that nasty attitude. Because as the viral video showed, Danladi unleashed violence on the helpless security guard in the full glare of policemen, who, unfortunately, did nothing to protect the weak.
This is despicable but unfortunately, it is becoming a norm. Don't believe it, just pay attention to events around you to realize the bitter truth. In the viral video, Danladi could be seen slapping and kicking the security guard.
In his thinking, he's a powerful man, and shouldn't matter if he descends on someone he believed is on the lower ladder in society. Even though the security guard was on his knee, and apparently, not in the mood for a physical exchange, Danladi wouldn't be dissuaded in his violence pandering.
No matter how you look at it, what Danladi did was wrong and he should be ashamed of himself. Public figures, which Danladi is privileged to be among due to his headship of CCT, have an acceptable standard for conduct in public, and turning to a street fighter is not one.
And to make matter worse, Danladi chose to introduce ethnic sentiment into the picture to excuse his shameful conduct. In a statement signed by Ibrahim Al-Hassan, the spokesman of CCT, Danladi attempted to claim victim and worse, accused those he called 'Biafran boys' of targeting him for assault.
"At a point, he attempted to leave the scene, the same miscreants, BIAFRAN boy ordered for the closure of the gate thereby assaulting him before the arrival of Police the from Maitama police station," CCT spokesman mischievously promoted. While the ethnicity of the assaulted security guard is unclear, what is however certain is that Nigerians, and not BIAFRAN as the CCT tried to paint, came to the rescue of the helpless guy from Danladi's abuse.
In fact, a Yoruba man could be heard clearly in the background of the video, defeating the wicked ethnic narrative Danladi's people try to import into the incident to take off attention from his bad conduct. But they are mistaken because Nigerians, more than ever, realizes that divisive rhetorics is just a convenient trick to beat justice.
Danladi should stop twisting what is clear to everyone to be a crude abuse of power, and it is bad. Just like every other Nigerian, Danladi isn't above board and he should be made to answer for his wrong. This would go to show that irresponsible use of power will no longer be condoned.
This will guard against future abuse from those who think being powerful is to oppress others when in fact, Margaret Thatcher said "Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't." And importantly, the helpless security guard can get justice, which is what every citizen deserves.
By Oke Umurhohwo, a Political Analyst and Strategist. He tweets via @OkeStalyf and can be reached on oke.umu@gmail.com
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