Description

About the Book Hon. Owonikoko who publicly agrees with fellow-politicians to bring down military rule indicates, soon afterwards, that it is unthinkable to adopt a confrontational stance against a government in power. He curries favour with the ruling junta so that he can have building contracts. Although his friends and political associates regularly discuss with him the various nefarious acts and totalitarian tendencies of the ruling junta, the largesse which he relishes from his association with the government makes him blind to realities. Hon. Owonikoko's friends say they abhor violence. But they request that he should make it possible for them to meet a military officer who is close to him so that they can confirm from him the future plans of the junta. He agrees to the proposal but he fears that his position of influence and affluence will be in jeopardy if the junta is removed from office. He therefore resolves to do everything to ensure the perpetration of military rule. He meets in consequence General Jide Lawal, the head of the junta, and tells him that politicians are trying to topple him from power. General Lawal quickly arranges for the arrest and detention of the conspirators. The arrest takes place as planned, but the inhumane action involved in the process enrages Hon. Owonikoko who, from that time, condemns military rule. Hon. Owonikoko is filled with remorse for his past acts of duplicity. He collaborates thereafter with other politicians to organize an action of civil disobedience for the purpose of ousting the junta from office. But the action is nipped in the bud because the ruling junta quits the political scene when it finds that the cooperation and unanimity of action within the political class are unassailable. The politicians then appreciate that even if party ideologies differ, as they often do, they should always ensure that they eschew greed and acrimony if military intervention in civil rule is to be avoided.