I am not a fan of Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun state but the man danced his way into my heart during the week. The ebullient Number 1 citizen of Osun state is a slave to dancing and I wonder if he does not dance in his sleep. The Osun state First Lady should confess to me he does. There is a word for this dyed-in-the-wool dancing enthusiast: Terpsichorean.
Some years back, I thought a terpsichorean had found his way into my family. The boy loved to dance even as a toddler, to the extent that if a metal object hit the floor by accident, the boy would jump down from his mother’s laps and begin to gyrate. Her elder sister became so fascinated by his terpsichore and nicknamed him Miliki, in reference to one of Obey’s popular tunes… “E sa ma miliki o.” The boy was a delight to watch and we used to wonder who he took after. Might be the mother. This is because I am not given to dancing as such. Curiously, as the boy was growing up, his interest in dancing began to wane.
Governor Adeleke was said to be a dancing enthusiast while growing up hence he was slammed with the name Jackson in reference to the (Michael) Jackson family. The only minus for him is that he does not sing. His nephew David Adeleke or Davido has robbed him of the talent. But the singing machine cannot match his uncle on the dance floor. So enslaved to dancing is Governor Adeleke to the extent that when he was elected to replace his elder brother and former Governor of the state, Isiaka Adeleke, in the Senate, following the latter’s demise under a questionable circumstance, the son of Terpsichore, the Greek goddess of dance, could not hang his dancing shoes. Dancing appears to be his second nature. He thrilled his fellow senators with his dance steps that belied his massive frame. After becoming a governor, he was expected to hang his dancing shoes because governance is a more serious business than a stage show.
During the week, I came across a story that touched my heart. Governor Adeleke shifted his gaze from the dance floor and caught the death sentence pronounced on a citizen of the state for stealing a fowl. Yes, you heard me right, a fowl! My immediate reaction to the story was what is the worth of the stolen fowl compared to a human life? What if the fowl thief had carted away a whole poultry farm, housing tens of thousands of birds? What law can be so harsh and inhuman that a theft of fowl would warrant a capital punishment? If the thief had knifed the fowl before being caught, would he have been charged with fowl-slaughter, a la, manslaughter? Even manslaughter cannot attract capital punishment. The worst in life jail. The judge that pronounced a death sentence on the fowl thief should have his name ingrained in the Guinness Book of World Records. It is said that the law is an ass but the judgment is the assiest one I have ever come across in my entire life.
Reacting to the judgement, Senator Ademola Adeleke has promised to pardon the fowl thief. The state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice is mandated to intervene in the matter and ensure the young man is listed for prerogative of mercy before the end of the year.
The terpsichorean was quoted as saying, “I have read about the case. I recognise separation of powers in our democracy.
“In this particular case, I have directed the Commissioner for Justice to initiate processes to grant prerogative of mercy to the young man.
“Osun is a land of justice and equity. We must ensure fairness and protection of the sanctity of lives.
“I assure the public that the matter is receiving my direct attention. A sense of urgency is also attached to our response to the matter as a responsible state government.”
Details of the case are not at my disposal to know the circumstances that propelled the young man to run afoul of the harsh section of law. It could be that he was hungry and suddenly developed an unbridled appetite for fowl meat or he wanted to sell the bird to raise money to feed his family in these austere times.
Please, do not get me wrong here. I am not condoning theft under any excuse. Upon conviction, the fowl thief should have given jail sentence with a fine option to serve as a deterrent. But a death sentence is like going after or killing a fly with an AK47 rifle.
There were instances in other climes that contrast with the Osun judgement. Way back in 2013, I read about a mother of three in Miami, Florida, the United States, who was picked for shoplifting in a supermarket. The shoplifter named Jessica Robles was promptly arrested and handed over to a police officer, named Vicki Thomas. But the arrestor did something uncommon. He instead paid for the items for her and her kids.
“She touched me,” Officer Thomas told the CNN’s ‘New Day.’ I could relate to her; I was a single mom and, without the help of my family, that could have been me.”
Thomas’ act of generosity made national news and brought offers of help to the woman in need and even a possible job opportunity. Robles told the New Day she was desperate and had no money to pay for groceries for her daughter and two young sons. According to Miami-Dade Police, Robles walked out of a Publix supermarket in late September with a cart wheeling away $300 worth of groceries she had not paid for.
When Thomas asked Robles why she did it, the young mother said her children were hungry. She looked at Robles’ criminal history and did not find any major charges. Instead of being taken into custody, Robles was issued a notice to appear in court and charged with a misdemeanor.
When the officer asked if she had food at home, Robles said, “Not at all.”
Thomas decided – in addition to telling Robles about food banks, churches and other places she could get food – she was going to help Robles and her family. Thomas went back inside Publix and purchased more groceries worth $100 for the family, using her debit card.
“I have done similar things before, and the people I work with have also done similar things,” said Thomas, a 23-year police veteran.
The grocery thief said the family ran out of money after her boyfriend lost his job and a paperwork issue stopped the federal assistance they had been receiving.
Thomas said that since the story came out, she had not talked to Robles – though she would like to – but has been “overwhelmed with people thanking me, including some fellow officers. One man even called police offering to buy groceries for the family.”
The officer did not tell many people about her act of generosity at the time. But the media learned of it and spread the word, and Thomas said it is an “amazing” feeling.
“I was so pleased that everything has worked out” for Robles, the officer told New Day.
The Miami episode is a clear demonstration of “police being a friend.”
The fowl episode is an irony in a country where politicians and public/civil servants (some call them evil servants) steal in billions with many of them going scot-free as though this is Scotland. Even in Scotland, criminals do not escape justice with the ease that you take food from hand to mouth… as it is the norm here. The National Assembly is replete with such priests of Hermes, the Greek god of theft.
So, for Jackson Ademola Adeleke, I sing… “Let’s go dancing, uuhhh la la la…”
