Uduaghan: A Former Governor, Without Friends? ~ By Daniel Ilu

19th Century German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer, once noted that “at the height it must be lonely”. 

In other words, it’s lonely at the top. 

Loneliness or not it must be beyond cruel to get to the apex of one’s career, dreams, aspirations, name it, then look around and discover one literally has…no friends. 

It was sad learning recently this is the fate that has befallen the immediate past Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. The revelation came from a source one must consider most impeccable in such matters, Uduaghan’s own daughter, Orode. The young lady made the off-hand (but cataclysmic, in my estimation) revelation in an interview she recently granted PUNCH Newspapers. 

I don’t know if the young lady (who I understand has had to endure some sadness in her relatively young life, precisely a divorce at age 27, after she had married at the relatively young age of 22) was misquoted. I hope she was, since I am trying to convince myself it cannot be true that a man of many achievements, a distinguished medical doctor prior to jumping into the (storied murky) world of Nigerian politics, and who variously served as Commissioner, Secretary to the Delta State government and subsequently governor of the state for two terms of eight years, has been and is certainly still surrounded by many persons, but can identify none as a friend. 

None.

But it is entirely possible. Loneliness, especially at heights most unexpected, is not a uniquely Uduaghan, or Nigerian, phenomenon. It is often said—as a sad metaphor for the lack of enduring political loyalties in the world’s foremost democracy—that you’re better off getting a dog rather than seeking an enduring friend or political ally in Washington, DC.  Too bad for Uduaghan and his Nigerian counterparts that keeping (animal) pets is not a particularly popular pastime, even among those in the rarefied echelons of Nigerian society.

Maybe he’ll just have to make do with that human variety of “pets” every hot-blooded (and completely heterosexual!) Nigerian man also considers a “pet”, of sorts: a mistress (or, in the rare case, an actual spouse, male or female). 

On a more serious note (and to keep up the illusion that only the higher-ups in the Nigerian society are “without friends”), what is this thing that informs human relationships, such that the higher you go or get in any life endeavour (Governor, CEO of a big firm, etc.) the more alienated you are from those you surround yourself with (or better still, those who surround you with their presence)? The answer, ironically lies in the poser: most of those who get to keep the company of men and women of means, especially in Nigeria where such associations can make the difference between a lifetime of opulence, or otherwise, often bear intentions that preclude seeking the best interests of the person they are more than eager to be associated with. 

The same Uduaghan that is (supposedly, hopefully) without friends today must have had an endless retinue of Personal Assistants, Special Assistants, Special Advisers, Commissioners, etc. falling over themselves to serve him while he was in power for many years as Governor.  Many would have offered their services to him unsolicited, inundating him with their resumes at every turn. Yet, at the end of whatever number of years of such interractions, none of such persons “qualified” to become what is vital in every man’s life: a true friend.

Or, maybe, just a friend. 

In other words, Uduaghan was better off getting a dog (literally and figuratively!) 

There is certainly an argument that the nature of politics, or a political life, lends it to much duplicity. To paraphrase the popular quote, politics, afterall, is the endless pursuit of permanent interests—permanent “friends”, or foes, be damned.  To buttress this particular point, the Nigerian political landscape is littered with the ashes of erstwhile alliances between political “godfathers” and their former minions (Tinubu v. Fashola, Orji Kalu v. Theodore Orji,  Kwankwaso v. Ganduje, etc.), with Shakespearean “stabbings-in-the-back” being the norm rather than the exception. 

It is trite to pretend, of course, that the curse of being friendless while being surrounded by masses of people is one that afflicts only the high and mighty in out midst, or men of power (in and out of it) and means. Sadly, it can be quite the norm of humdrum, everyday lives.

Many at this time are surrounded by those they naively assume are friends.  But the latter are really vipers-in-waiting, ready to bare their fangs of demonic tastes or other objectionable desires or preferences in a “take-it-or-leave-it” manner at the unfortunate individual who had considered them “friends” that would run to his / her rescue when the waves of life buffet. 

Ex-Governor Udughan could be the smart one here: have no friends, so you actually won’t be disappointed in times of personal crisis, great or small.