NANS ZONE D: From Gun Battles to Friendly Hugs | Akinteye Babatunde Afeez ‘BABTEE’

“A life without reflection is a journey without direction, and in quiet reflection, we discover our loudest truths.”

BABTEE writes…

As I en route back to my base after the just-concluded NANS Zone D election, an overwhelming joy flooded my soul. I said to myself, “We have finally defeated gun violence in Zone D.” This torrent of happiness spurred me into deeper reflection.

For many decades, turmoil plagued NANS Zone D. Unity and peace were treated as abominations, while chaos and violence were embraced. The adopted modus operandi aligned with the gospel of Matthew: “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” Election victories were often achieved through gunfire, intimidation by the most powerful bloc, or by the camp with the most weapons. In most cases, a factional government would emerge after a gory convention.

Fast forward to today, NANS Zone D stands united and at peace, choosing peace over violence and brotherly hugs over gunfire. Years ago, this would have seemed impossible. However, today, we have finally broken the shackles and positioned the zone as the most ideological.

Now, let me take us back in time, to the very moment that pierced my heart, stirred my soul, and ignited a wave of emotion in me; this was during my contest for NANS Vice President, External Affairs. During my consultations in Abuja, as I moved from Zone A through to Zone F, my encounter with the leaders of Zone E captured my attention. I marveled at the level of unity among them; they were all together in one hotel room, speaking with one voice. Lo, my heart was struck to its depths, for I was keenly aware of the divisions that have long plagued the Southwest, where I come from. At that moment, I realized the damage that the G7 and Progressive caucuses had wrought upon us.

Right there in that room, I vowed that as long as I won my election, this would be the last convention we attended as a zone with factionalised zonal executives. As fate would have it, I won my election and returned to the Southwest. For me, it marked the beginning of a new path, a time to shoulder responsibilities and fulfill my firm resolve to build a united Zone D. Now, the journey begins.

Having returned to the West, I began taking deliberate steps, mapping out plans to resolve this decades-long crisis. To start, I acknowledged that we had two Coordinators, and if we were to achieve unity, the duo would need to sheath their swords and find common ground. Before long, I reached out to them, helped them see the necessity of a united zone, and prepared their minds for what lay ahead. Fortunately, they aligned with my vision, embraced the unification agenda, and made achieving the envisioned goal far easier.

As events unfolded, the Progressive Caucus was rocked by a crisis over the choice of candidate to field. Some blocs supported Alao, while others backed a different candidate. Of course, I supported Alao as well, and that was because of Decimal. There was no hiding my preference, and I stood firmly by it. It was the start of a new era, so I did not expect a smooth ride. The election for Alao was intense, but we were able to neutralise opposing candidates within the Progressive fold and ultimately produced Alao as Coordinator.

What we achieved did not come easily; it was the result of tremendous sacrifices. The catalyst was Leader Safety, whom I had initially consulted and who agreed with my plan to unite the zone. Following our discussion, we convened a meeting with the leaders of the G7 and Progressive caucuses, attended by myself, Leader Safety, Agba, Asefon, Kenko, and Decimal. At this meeting, we carefully examined the root causes of decades-long division and, after extensive deliberations, we resolved to establish a rotational form of government between the two caucuses, with positions shared interchangeably, each caucus taking turns. Lo, this marked the birth of peace in the zone.

Going into the next election cycle, tensions arose between the Progressive Caucus and the Ogun State bloc. Ogun was reluctant to align with the established agreement and the new rotational form of government, so they decided to support Gani for Coordinator. When I realized this, I initiated a dialogue with Egbon Gani. I helped him understand that the election needed to be rancor-free and that we must accept the outcome without reverting to the days of parallel governments.

Deep down, I was somewhat pleased that Egbon Gani was the candidate backed by the Ogun bloc, because I was confident he would not use his integrity to fuel factionalism. As the election approached, those we had expected to disrupt the convention did not show up, and the only disputes recorded were among our own people. Ultimately, we held a peaceful convention in Akure that produced Taiwo as Coordinator.

Fast forward to this election: it was the Progressive Caucus’s turn to produce the Coordinator. However, some of us went beyond the Progressive and G7 rotational arrangement, believing that states should also be allowed to take turns.

After the Akure Convention, we had already promised the Osun Progressive Coordinator, that the next election would honor the rotational arrangement between states without altering the caucus structure. Yet, some individuals who were uncomfortable with the Osun candidate incited two of my loyal boys to contest, hoping to put me at a disadvantage and provoke conflict. As usual, I spoke with the two, made them understand the importance of honoring our agreement with Osun, especially for the sake of Ijaya, and persuaded them to step aside. In the end, only BillionCodes contested.

I honestly couldn’t have been prouder. I feel fulfilled deep within, and I boldly say that the just-concluded election is the most peaceful and enjoyable I have ever attended. We have defeated gun battles and moved from violence to brotherly hugs. Ultimately, we have put an end to the decades-long crisis that created two factions in the zone and plagued our conventions with conflict. We have brought our leaders back onto the same page, sitting together, winning together, and dining together.

Now that we have placed the zone on the desired pedestal, I am confident that it will continue to progress. As for the myopic and shallow individuals who believe that achieving consensus is a one-day or overnight task, you can continue to wallow in ignorance. The labor and sacrifices in the Southwest will not be in vain, and we will continue to wax stronger together.

Onward, in unity and togetherness.

Until I write again,
I am Akinteye Babatunde Afeez (BABTEE)
The Harbinger of the Blessed Era