Tinubu’s moment of madness and extreme self-indulgence in Ogun State in June 2022, led to his open declaration of “Emi” (lokan), which captures the very philosophical foundation of the greed, avarice, egoism and egotism of the average Nigerian politician. It was the moment of the revelation of the true underlying motivation and drive of the average Nigerian politician. With the sagacity of a peacock, he declared Emi-Lokan as he cut a self-indulgent posture.
Tinubu’s iniquitous outburst of Emi (lokan) exposed the underlying philosophy of selfishness that guide the greed of the average Nigerian politician. This means that the philosophical basis of political corruption in Nigeria is “Emi” Lokan, which reflects the extreme psychological egotism of Nigerian politicians. Their behaviour is entrenched in Emi, Me, I, My, Self or selfishness, rather than Ours, Us, We, or Selflessness. The average Nigerian politician from councillor to president is motivated by greed and selfishness.
So, Tinubu is not alone. He was merely representing his Nigerian political class by declaring Emi (lokan). They all share an attitude of collective greed. Their adopted Emi (lokan) principle or philosophy is the source of all political corruption and the drive of all their political actions. Emi is the fuel for their bullion vans and Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs).
Emi (lokan) is the philosophy that makes one man arrogate to himself the office of president, petroleum minister, and commander in chief, but inefficient in all. It is also the philosophy of selfishness that makes one family produce a governor, senator, Iyalo-oja and Alpha Beta at the same time, at the expense of the people. “Emi” (lokan) thoughts are the fertilizer for greed and the mindless accumulation of public properties and resources.
The concept of egoism is derived from ego, the Latin word for “I” in English, and represented in Yoruba etymology as “Emi”. Though egoism could be differentiated from psychological evaluation of one’s importance -egotism, the average Nigerian politician is egoism and egotism rolled into one.
Corruption in Nigeria is largely personified in its politicians and senior civil servants. There is an attitude of collective greed among them and selfishness motivates their ambition to be president, motivates their ambition to be governor, senator or even councillor. They are all adherents of Emi (lokan) philosophy.
Tinubu infamously declared Emi (lokan) “it is my turn”. Atiku disgracefully pronounced, “I have paid my dues”. According to Laborius Oshimoro, “Turn by Turn mentality is an avenue for enrichment”. They are greedy egotists who see themselves as self-enriching mini gods in society. They are everything but altruistic or patriotic. They act for themselves and in their best interests and their interests in the presidential seat are devoid of any altruism or sense of community. Their political acts are self-regarding acts. They have proved this repeatedly. Go and check this out in Lagos where one of them illegally acquired properties and money from the masses’ treasury. Their political life is grounded in psychological egoism, built on self-centeredness. They are devoid of psychological altruism, which is community centred, other-centred, and portray selflessness.
Nigerian politicians subscribe to Thomas Hobbs's argument that “no man giveth but with intention of good to himself”. By agreeing with this mantra, they have reduced the rest of Nigerians to mere atavistic remnants of the anthropoid, ape. Ethical behaviour and altruism are myths to them. They are not benevolent political actors.
“Emi” centred Nigerian politicians have serious vested interests. They are driven by vanity. They are vicious, lack a sense of humanity and operate on a tangent that puts them in parallel lines with moral actions. They have no good reputation or honour to protect, and the religious foundations under which they operate are suspect. They are beneath animals as even some animals tend to act benevolently.
Their political actions are self-serving and self-indulgent. Remember Tinubu’s statement in Aso Rock in 2022 when he said that “It has always been my ambition to be president”; not, it has always been my ambition to serve as president. Ambition is not a bad thing, but ambition that is driven by “Emi” (lokan) is not only bad, but it is also criminal.
Tinubu and other Nigerian politicians want to always try to promote themselves against others. Their promotion of Emi, I, My, Me, is driven by kleptomania. They believe in Ayn Rand’s proposition that there is virtue in selfishness, and it is worth pursuing. Their supposed engagement with voters is therefore consistently hypocritical. They are the sole beneficiaries of their political manoeuvrers and hence adore selfishness and self-interest. Simply put they value and love “Emi”.
Their self-interests govern their political moves and actions. They are just in business and Nigeria is their political and business tuff. Just as Lagos was and continues to be for Agbado. Generally, nothing restricts them; not EFCC, not ICPC, not DSS, not the Police. In fact, some of these agencies are in their pockets and they remain largely compromised. Avoidance of personal interests is never a moral action for them. The modicum of values they have thrives and survives on egomania and conceitedness. They have no sense of Kantian duties, and hence have no reason to pursue any actions that do not benefit themselves. Their self-indulgence has led to an underdeveloped Nigeria. Their Emi-centred attitude and behaviour are very harmful to Nigeria. The people’s needs are secondary to their self-love. Their actions are brutish, selfish, egotist, Emi-centred, I-centred, My-centred, arrogant, immorally ambitious, uncritical and unthinking. “Emi” (lokan) is the philosophy of greed that underly political intentions and actions.
But Nigerians have a choice, now. A third force worthy of following and subscribing to.
It is Nigerians' duty to stop this insatiable taste for kleptomania and narcissism grounded in “EMI” (lokan), because they are at their detriment. These gangsters do not and have never acted in the public interest, rather they act in their own best interests. They act not in your interest, not in my interest, not for your ethnic group, not for Nigeria, not for your religion, not for any state; rather they act for themselves and themselves only. The gap and conflict between their values and the people’s values are insolvable so needs massive people’s political will to stop them, in form of voting for the third force.
There must be a collective approach to end their satanic vanity. The people must respond with serious collectivist purpose in form of not voting them into power or voting them out of power.
Stopping Emi (lokan) is a task that must be accomplished.