Trials of Brother Augustine ~ Truth Reporters

By Bonadventure Adjogbe

The Trials of Brother Jero is the title of a play written by Nobel laureate, celebrated playwright, poet, author and fearless critic, Professor Woke Soyinka. According to Wikipedia, it is a satirical play that "explores themes of religious hypocrisy and social exploitation. The play, which was one of Soyinka's earliest works, premiered in 1960 in Ibadan, Nigeria, when Soyinka was 26 years old. 

"Set against the backdrop of Lagos, it follows the exploits of Brother Jeroboam (Jero), an unscrupulous self proclaimed prophet who manipulates his followers for personal gain.

According to Wikipedia, "The play opens with Jero addressing the audience, revealing his opportunistic nature and his mastery of exploiting the desires and weaknesses of those around him. Despite his outward piety, Jero struggles with internal conflicts, including his own lust and ambition, while navigating challenges such as competition from other preachers and evading creditors.

"Central to the story are his interactions with Chume, his devoted but disillusioned follower, and Amope, Chume's strong willed wife, who seeks to settle a debt with Jero. Through a sequence of comedic and ironic events, the play critiques the exploitation of religion for social and economic gain. 

"It also highlights the gullibility of individuals who, driven by their aspirations and insecurities, fall prey to such exploitation. The Trials of Brother Jero, structured as a one act play with five scenes, masterfully blends humor with social commentary, cementing Soyinka's reputation as a keen observer of human behavior and societal dynamics".

Definitely, students of literature and avid readers of Soyinka's works would remember the story of Brother Jero, who, of course was a fictional character created by the Nobel laureate as a satire on social political developments in Lagos, Nigeria, at the dawn of independence in 1960.

But, this article is not about a fictional character like Brother Jero. It is about one of us, a brother and one time political sojourner, who has opted to engage in a subterfuge and self delusional bid to regain political redemption in Delta State and Nigeria at large.

Our focus is on the travails of Brother Augustine Ovie Omo-Agege, who is the immediate past Deputy Senate President (DSP) and one time so called leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State. Indeed, it is shocking that the man has opted to clinch at straws in a vain bid to challenge a moving train.

Omo-Agege's meteoric rise to power started with his appointment as Executive Assistant by former Governor James Ibori, who later made him Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG). He would later become Senator through a controversial judgement of the Court of Appeal.

From then on, his Machiavellian vicious grip on power unfolded. DSP swiftly pulled down the leadership of Chiefs O''tega Emehror and Great Ovedje Ogboru who were leaders of the APC in Delta State at the time, with the puerile argument that as the highest political office holder, he must be allowed to superintend over the affairs of the party.

Brother Augustine's rise to becoming the number six man in the country was no less controversial. It is believed that he became DSP as compensation for alleged theft of the mace of the Senate at a time the National Assembly was intent at impeaching late President Muhammadu Buhari from office.

Insiders have also revealed that Omo-Agege became the governorship candidate of the APC in 2023 through alleged dubious means. They claimed that the DSP hijacked ballot papers meant for the conduct of primaries in the state, which were then allocated to him at a sham event. This was at a time when other contestants, delegates and party leaders were gathered at a designated spot, for the same primary election to take place.

Indeed, pundits have attributes Omo-Agege's poor outing in the 2023 elections in Delta to the duplicity that characterised his emergence as candidate of the APC in the gubernatorial contest. It is believed that members of the APC joined forces with the then candidate of the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to ensure his swift downfall.

It is a known fact that Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, the PDP candidate roundly defeated Omo-Agege in the governorship race of 2023. Oborevwori won 21 out of the 25 LGAs in the state with a wide margin of more than 100,000 votes, thereby relegating him to an ignominious reality.

And so much has happened since Oborevwori defeated Omo-Agege and became Governor on May 29, 2023. Apart from a superlative performance in office, the Governor has joined the APC and has become the leader of the party, with the right to contest as the sole candidate in 2027.

Leaders of the APC in Delta Central Senatorial District, where Omo-Agege hails from, have also denounced him and enthroned a collegiate leadership led by the Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN). The leaders  have also objected to Omo-Agege returning to the Senate as a sole candidate.

It is therefore laughable that the same DSP who was outrightly rejected at the polls in 2023 and regarded unfit to run as sole candidate for the Senate in 2027, now wants to challenge Governor Oborevwori as the flag bearer of the party in the same 2027 contest. What a buffoonery! 

In a so called rebuttal, Chuks Erhire, a key aide to former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, categorically dismissed reports suggesting that Senator Peter Nwaoboshi had persuaded Omo-Agege to shelve his ambition for the 2027 governorship race.

Labeling the claims as “fake, malicious, too petty and erroneous,” Erhire accused mischief makers within the Delta chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating a deceptive campaign to sway public opinion toward incumbent Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.

Erhire’s statement, issued as an urgent “update” to Deltans, pulled no punches in dismantling the narrative. "Dear Deltans, the so-called information from Senator Peter Nwaoboshi is fake, malicious, too petty and erroneous in nature,” he declared.

Perhaps, Senator Nwaoboshi, a seasoned politician and disciplined party leader, had sought a soft landing for Omo-Agege, whose recalcitrant behavior had become a cog in the wheel of progress of the APC in recent times. He may have acted in good faith, seeking to save a former ally.

But the reaction from Omo-Agege's camp suggested that they would rather dance naked and be publicly humiliated than be persuaded to accept Oborevwori as leader and sole candidate for the Governorship primary ahead of the 2027 election.

This is where the Brother Jero in the man has finally surfaced. Apart from telling himself a lie, he is daily fooling his supporters into believing that nobody can remove him as leader of the party. Neither can anyone stop him from running for Governor in 2027. What an audacious claim by a sinking deluded egoist!

Because Brother Augustine has built a cult followership in a limited circle of supporters, it is not difficult to manipulate them. Together, they engage in self delusion that would take them to nowhere.

Well, my kind advice to Brother Augustine and his ragtag followers is very simple. They should face up to the reality that a worse doom awaits them in 2027. Oborevwori was not Governor in 2023 when he trounced the DSP to a stupor. The worst disgrace awaits them if the DSP's inordinate ambition is not checked.

But, he may continue in the self delusion as this is within his right. He may also continue to succumb to the lullaby from his supporters that he is the best man ever created by God for public office and political power. Nobody can help a man who has opted to follow flies into a cesspit full of shit.

*Adjogbe writes from Abraka