“An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought” – Simon Cameron, c1860, VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 190

Cameron, who was a politician, must be pulling everybody’s legs.

An honest politician is almost an oxymoron – a contradiction in terms. As far as I am concerned, Louis M Howe, 1871-1936, was right on the mark when he declared: “You cannot adopt politics as a profession and remain honest.”

Politics and honesty are like two parallel lines which never meet.

That was why, since my return to Nigeria from the US in 1974, I made a solemn vow never to get involved in politics.

No New Year resolutions have ever been required to keep to that pledge. Don’t get me wrong.

There are issues important to me; and politicians are judged by how they conduct their affairs in relation to those ideals. That is, irrespective of nation, time and the personalities involved.

 POWER AND POLITICIANS  

“There is no equality in the world of power…” – Albert Camus.

All politicians are obsessed with only one thing – POWER – and as much of it as they can acquire and wield without restraint.

Any restraint in the exercise of power is seldom voluntary because power respects only power.

That is why admonitions by religious leaders – Popes, Archbishops, Grand Khadi or Chief Imam etc – don’t work.

When forced to, political power-wielders listen politely to the men of God; but, step out to do just as they please.

That is, unless they feel that the religious leader can hurt them politically.

Then they take steps to manage them as best as they can.  

“Power and money, of course, do drive men crazy. So, why shouldn’t people gain power and wealth by being crazy?” – Saul Bellow.

The now open divorce between President Trump and Elon Musk is a conflict that was destined to occur – sooner or later.

In some ways, the two are obsessed with money and power; and they never hide their intention to dominate any group in which they find themselves.

There was a conversion of interests during the last US presidential campaigns.

Trump needed more money to win the election; Musk wanted more access to the White House. Modern day trade by barter took place. Musk forked out the money; Trump made him the second most powerful person in Washington.

That was the beginning of the problems.

Musk thought he had bought the presidency and was entitled to, at least equal rank. Trump, in all fairness, tried to placate his financier by allowing him unprecedented latitude about dressing when coming to White House briefings.

Everybody else came fully dressed in suits with appropriate ties and shoes.

Musk could stroll in late in jump suits; wearing sneakers and dragging one of his dozens of kids with him.

That sort of insult has never been known in the presidency since George Washington – the Father of the nation.

Trump endured the humiliation and still allowed Musk to operate as he bloody well pleased.

That was the beginning of the second problem.

Musk, as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, unleashed a series of demonic policies which quickly made the two unpopular in a short while; and Trump introduced tariffs – primarily aimed at China – which mostly helped to demolish Tesla in global markets and reduce Musk’s wealth by N100 billion. Suddenly, the handshake has become an arm wrestle.

Trump took dead aim at China with several policies without consulting his election bank-roller, who, along with other top tech US companies, had, for years, established supply chains originating in China, with goods delivered by ships made in China. No modern capitalist endures sudden disruptions to trade gladly.

Unintended consequences of Trump’s independent measures threaten the Musk organisation.

It was like being kicked in the prostate by the guy you paid to get elected.

Most people would have accepted their fate and perhaps plead for mercy from Trump. Not Musk; a man driven crazy by too much money.

Just in case you think that I am making up the charge about Musk being crazy, a recent report had this to say: “Elon Musk’s abnormal behaviour linked to hypomania, says Dr Drew Pinsky.”

To save you the trouble of looking up what hypomania is, let me summarise to the best of my ability.

Somebody afflicted goes to extremes in everything – including personal relationships.

They can hug you adoringly one minute; and stick a stiletto into your back the next without remorse.

To them everybody is a tool to be used to achieve their ambitions; and discarded, even crushed, when they no longer serve that purpose.

Loyalty, to them is one way. They demand it and give nothing in return.

Trump also suffers from hypomania.

So, when the two teamed up, bitter divorce was inevitable.

Since neither one of them forgives or forgets any perceived insult, the safest thing to assume is that life-long enmity has started – which would impact US politics in unpredictable but negative ways.

When Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900, said, “A man cannot be too careful in his choice of enemies”, he must have had a situation such as this in mind.

I feel sorry for America; God’s Own Country in the hands of men like these.

P.S. Just as this article was being finished, it was announced that riots involving self-driving taxis in Los Angeles have resulted in Musk taking a step back to protect his investment in that sector. Trump is not fooled. He knows Musk will never forgive him; and he will never forgive Musk. One might die before 2028…

ANOTHER MAJOR WAR IS INEVITABLE

“I am tired of war. Its glory is all moonshine…War is hell” – General Sherman, 1820-1891

I read more about wars than any other subject when compiling the VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, and, if the past is a guide to human behaviour, my instincts indicate that a major war is imminent involving China, Iran, North Korea, Russia and the USA.

Unfortunately, it might not be pre-meditated by any of the nations involved.

Technology, and the total reliance on them for communication systems, has taken a lot of decisions out of the hands of Presidents. Hackers, on all sides, are becoming more sophisticated and capable; to the extent that, one day, a rogue AI manipulator might gain access to a nuclear weapon delivery system and let loose a missile.

The target will be struck within minutes; and automatic response mechanisms will trigger counter-attack – before anybody knows what happened.  

To some extent, the five nations listed are already at war through the preparations being made and investments in arms of all sorts.

Only the shooting war remains. Non-state actors, hackers and AI manipulators might decide for mankind when the real conflict will start.

REMEMBER HOW WORLD WAR I STARTED

 “What experience and history teach us is that people and governments never learn anything from history or acted on the principles deduced from it” – George Hegel, 1770-1831.

World War I did not start with the strongest nations at the time declaring war on themselves.

It started with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo by a Serbian nationalist.

From that single act, a chain reaction developed which engulfed the entire world in the Great War, which incidentally got so many millions killed it was declared “the war to end all wars”.

Less than twenty years after, the world was involved in a more horrible war – World War II.

After, that war, Albert Einstein, 1879-1955, the genius whose work led to the development and dropping of nuclear weapons on Japan declared: “I know not the weapons with which World War III will be fought; but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones” (VBQ p266). Einstein known only as a mathematical genius was also astute enough to know that politicians will sooner or later resort to the use of nuclear weapons in conflict. But, even the great one did not foresee the possibility of deranged individuals unleashing absolute destruction on mankind. That possibility exists now; and World War III can start any time from now…  

THE NIGERIAN SCENE

“A politician is an ass on which everyone has sat, but a man” – E.E. Cummings: 1894-1962.

Politicians, to me, are generally terrible people.

There is nothing they cannot do.

I keep my distance from them as much as possible – for the sake of my own sanity.

In Nigeria, they have destroyed more than they have developed – irrespective of the political party to which they belong.

Consequently, only six politicians – three military and three civilians – have received passing marks from me in the 1974-2025 period.

My honourable list includes the following: General Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Audu Bako (Kano), Brigadier Sam Ogbemudia (Bendel), Chief Sam Mbakwe (Imo/Abia), Alhaji Lateef Jakande (Lagos) and Obong Victor Attah (Akwa Ibom).

For those six, I am prepared to argue with anyone till hell freezes over about their unique accomplishments.

They made mistakes, like all human beings, but their errors pale by comparison with their accomplishments.

The current frenzy of political activities, with everybody decamping to APC, reminds me of the remark by Horace Walpole.