The Lonely “Londona”
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The Lonely “Londona”
By Allen Sowore, Esq
Politics is fascinating—depending on how one perceives or engages with it. For me, politics is enjoyable because, even in the midst of serious challenges, it often provides comic relief. Now, you may ask, what is Allen Sowore’s logomachy this time? Well, let me tell you!
On February 11, 2025, we were seated at the Federal High Court in Akure, awaiting the ruling on a motion filed by counsel for the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). The motion sought to remove the party’s name from an originating suit filed by its candidate, Mr. Olugbenga Edema, who was challenging the nomination of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Dr. Olaiyide Adelami, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates for the November 16, 2024, Ondo State gubernatorial election.
At exactly 12:02 PM, the presiding judge, Justice Toyin Bolaji Adegoke, walked in with a commanding presence to deliver her ruling. She granted the NNPP’s request, allowing the party and its lawyer, Mr. Adelanke Akinrata, to withdraw from the suit filed by Mr. Edema.
Edema had initially sought a court order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to revoke the nomination and publication of Governor Aiyedatiwa and his deputy as APC candidates.
The suit listed Edema and the NNPP as plaintiffs, while INEC, APC, Aiyedatiwa, and Adelami were defendants. All parties were represented by competent and distinguished lawyers, including Charles Edosomwan, SAN, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa, SAN, Dr. Remi Olatubora, SAN, Abayomi Ojo Esq, Adelanke Akinrata Esq, and Ayo Shadrack Esq, among others.
Interestingly, in his deposition before the court, Akinrata stated that the NNPP had not been consulted before the suit was filed and had never authorised it. He further explained that the party had accepted the election outcome and had even congratulated Aiyedatiwa as the winner.
In a nutshell, the court struck out the NNPP’s name from the case.
However, the essence of this piece is not to analyze the merits or demerits of the court’s decision. After all, in the courtroom, both counsel and litigants must ultimately echo: “As the Court Pleases.”
My real interest lies in the striking similarity between the circumstances surrounding Edema’s case and the narrative of Sam Selvon’s award-winning novel The Lonely Londoners—a classic tale of immigrant life in 1950s London. The novel explores the illusion of belonging, the illusion of being English, and the deeper illusion of who the English truly are.
Just like a scene from a Shakespearean play, I observed what unfolded outside the courtroom. The NNPP chairman and Edema walked in opposite directions, their alliance seemingly dissolved. I noticed that Edema stood alone—lonely. This instantly reminded me of The Lonely Londoners, a book I read during my secondary school days.
In The Lonely Londoners, why are the characters called Londoners, and why are they lonely?
The title itself encapsulates the novel’s central theme. The protagonist, Moses Aloetta, migrates from his native Trinidad to post-World War II London, only to experience deep isolation and alienation. The story captures the struggles of West Indian immigrants, who, despite living in London, remain outsiders, grappling with the harsh realities of their new environment.
This is precisely what happened to our dear brother, Edema. Following the APC primaries, he was the only candidate who defected from the party. He joined the NNPP and secured the ticket of the party but yet he was on his own. However, it was not until the NNPP disowned him in court that he truly realized the extent of his solitude.
Now, if he wishes to continue the case, he must proceed under his personal name. Unfortunately, Nigeria’s electoral laws do not provide a legal framework for independent candidacy.
His predicament mirrors the sentiments expressed in the first stanza of Kofi Awoonor’s poem, Songs of Sorrow:
” Ambition has led our brother among the sharps of the forest
Returning is not possible
And going forward is a great difficulty
The affairs of this world are like the chameleon’s feces.”
And so, the lonely Londona walks his path, uncertain of what lies ahead. The next time we are in court, I will seek my Lordship’s permission to christen the case “The Lonely Londona” Vs Aiyedatiwa—because, truly, the candidate now stands alone.
Allen Sowore, Esq.
SSA to the Governor on Strategic Communication
12th February, 2025
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