The Gbewudani Metaphor and Nigerian Politics

Two things about Nigerian politicians really annoy me. First, they can easily change their minds. They can support something one minute and oppose it the next. Second, they act like Nigerians cannot see through their tricks. I could give many examples of these attempts to fool Nigerians in our politics, but I will focus on last week’s argument on live television about the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The details of the interview on the "Arise Morning Show" with Mr Lere Olayinka on Friday, 4 September, are public knowledge. So, I will not repeat them. On that Friday, Olayinka, who is the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, on Public Communication and Social Media, clashed with Mr Rufai Oseni, one of the show’s anchors, and refused to answer his question.

Olayinka responded to Oseni’s question by saying, "Well, I’m very sorry to say this, Oseni Rufai, I don’t want to answer any question from you. I want this conversation to be among reasonable human being (sic). People who will not come and describe other people as 'gbewudani...'." His co-anchor, Ayo Mairo-Ese, interrupted him and ended the interview. While the main focus here is the gbewudani metaphor, I will also address Olayinka’s choice of words later.

Let’s start by breaking down the term. "Gbewudani" is a Yoruba word that carries a deeper meaning than any English translation. The word comes from three parts: gba (to take), ewu (clothes), and dani (to hold for a while). So, it paints a picture of someone temporarily holding another person’s clothes. It is used as an insult for a man who is too submissive, particularly a husband who seems overly controlled by his wife, turning the usual family roles upside down.

However, the word has moved beyond the home and is now used in politics. In a 2020 study called "Communicative Functions of Code-switching among Yoruba English Bilinguals on WhatsApp," Rotimi Gbenga Akinyede and Adedamola Adetokunbo Ogunmola showed how gbewudani is used today.

On page 4176 of the essay published in the International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT), the authors included a WhatsApp chat where one person said, "Nobody will ever vote for this gbẹ̀wùdání," which means, "Nobody will ever vote for this stooge." Later, the same person described a deputy governor as "Mr Governor’s gbẹ̀wùdání, true-true," meaning, "He is truly Mr Governor’s stooge."

In that chat, gbewudani was used to describe someone seen as overly obedient to his boss. So, today, gbewudani suggests a lackey or someone who has little independence, even if they hold an important title.

This was how Oseni described presidential candidate Senator Sandy Onor when he analyzed Mr Wike’s restatement of support for President Bola Tinubu’s second term, despite the PDP having its own candidate.

Olayinka also revealed something interesting while defending Wike last Friday. He said that Wike told Onor he could run for president, but the current situation in the PDP might make it hard for the party to have much impact.

We should also remember that Onor is representing what many call the “Wike-backed faction of the PDP.” Wike has been a powerful figure in the PDP. He has won legal battles and shown he is a major player in the party. In February, two PDP candidates in Abuja withdrew from the local council elections to support All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates after “fatherly advice” from Wike.

There’s more to this story. Although Wike wasn’t at the event where Onor was chosen as the PDP consensus candidate in March, the committee that announced the decision was led by former Governor Samuel Ortom, who is a close ally of Wike. The event took place at the party’s national secretariat under the watch of National Chairman Abdullahi Mohammed and National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, both connected to Wike’s faction. Wike cannot distance himself from Onor’s candidacy.

To be fair, he does not seem to suggest that he wants to. In the interview that sparked Oseni’s comments, Wike described Onor’s candidacy as a collective decision he was part of. He rejected claims that Onor might just be a placeholder, saying, "I have said it… and whether anybody likes it or not (note the absoluteness), yes we fielded a presidential candidate, that does not mean that we have decided to win…"

So, what should Nigerians think about this? A party fields a presidential candidate but does not plan to win? If this is the mindset of the political group supporting Onor, what does it mean for the candidate himself? Why would a smart man, a professor and former senator, enter a race where important supporters do not expect to win?

Olayinka’s defense added more to the gbewudani narrative. He said Wike told Onor he was free to run for president, even if the PDP’s situation made it tough to succeed.

Let’s pause for a moment. Onor did not come from a faction that opposes Wike. He was the only candidate from the Wike-supported PDP faction. Yet, Olayinka recounts a conversation where Wike seems to give Onor permission to run. Free? Who gives permission?

The situation gets more curious when you consider that Wike openly supported Tinubu, the very person Onor must beat to win. This suggests that even if the PDP candidate may not go far in the 2027 election, it is still important for the party to show it can put forward a candidate. Onor fits that requirement.

Whether Oseni’s choice of words was right for television is another matter. Political commentary often uses metaphor and satire to challenge power. The best response to a painful description from a spokesperson should not be anger but understanding of the situation that makes the description seem valid, followed by efforts to correct it.

Olayinka then suggested something even more interesting. He said not every candidate expects to win. Some just want to “register their presence.”

He claimed he was speaking generally and even mentioned candidates from other parties who he thinks will not win in the upcoming election. But in the context of his defense of Wike, this raises a big question: Does Wike see his own candidate as just someone making a presence?

And what does Candidate Onor think about all this? He said Wike’s support for Tinubu was a personal choice when he picked up his nomination form in May. That makes sense. But politics is not just about personal choices. Political parties exist mainly to gain power, and the presidential candidate should lead the charge for that goal. Yet, one key figure in the group that produced Onor openly supports his main opponent.

This is what makes gbewudani such a powerful political metaphor. It implies weakness and shows a loss of power and will to another person or group for any reason.

Whether Oseni’s words were suitable for television is a different topic. Political commentary has always used metaphor and sometimes harsh language to question power. The right response to an uncomfortable label from a spokesperson should not be outrage but an understanding of the situation that makes the label seem valid, along with efforts to clarify things.

This brings us to how government spokespersons in Nigeria often attack journalists and citizens who disagree with them. Public officials serve the people, and their spokespersons have an even greater duty to communicate instead of turning interviews into fights. This is true even when they feel biased. Oseni may get emotional and engage directly, but a spokesperson’s main job should be to communicate effectively and build understanding between the government and the people. It should not be a fight.

In the end, the issue is not whether Olayinka or anyone else finds Oseni’s words wrong, but whether the political situation makes the metaphor believable. The irony is that while trying to criticize Oseni for calling Onor gbewudani, Olayinka provided reasons that actually made the impression stronger. If gbẹ̀wùdání is an unfair label for a presidential candidate from a political group whose most powerful member supports his main opponent, has told him he is “free to contest,” and does not expect his party to win, then what would be a better description?