Humble Pie: As Odunmbaku Teaches Faleke Political Lessons

The fight for supremacy between two prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) members, Honourable James Abiodun Faleke and Cardinal Prophet James Omolaja Odunmbaku, has reached a spectacular crescendo. As followers of both chieftains return home to lick their wounds and prepare for the next chairmanship elections for Ojodu/Ogba LCDA, it is evident that Odunmbaku has become James the Major and Faleke has become James the Less.

The contention for who will be the next Chairman of Ojodu/Ogba LCDA took Lagos by storm at the start. The battle line was drawn between politician and cleric James Odunmbaku and his erstwhile apostle James Faleke. Odunmbaku set forth his son, David Oluwasegun Odunmbaku, as the best option for the Chairmanship seat, while Faleke set forth his friend, Alhaja Funmi Layeni. Most folks thought that Faleke’s side would take the trophy home at the just-concluded APC primary election. Nothing of the sort happened. David Odunmbaku won by a landslide, leaving Faleke’s candidate in the dust. Of course, the victory also left Faleke’s prestige in the dust, considering that Faleke supposedly held all the cards.

As a two-term former chairman of the same Ojodu/Ogba LCDA, foreman of the current chairman (who used to be his vice-chairman), representative of Ikeja Federal Constituency, and all-round influential figure, Faleke was expected to have won the ticket for his candidate without even trying. But Cardinal Odunmbaku has proved himself the superior statesman.

Folks have begun to praise Cardinal Odunmbaku as the irreplaceable party leader, giving Faleke the side-eye for evidently gulping more than he can bear. The gist on social media space now is that the former has taught the latter a good lesson, but that is to be expected: Odunmbaku used to be Faleke’s boss, so the latter is yet to catch up to the likes of Odunmbaku. In any case, both the Odunmbaku and Faleke camp might have to consolidate strength to win the Ojodu/Ogba Chairmanship seat for David Odunmbaku. But of course, Faleke’s camp will be the one reaching above its station in this regard.