By Yakubu Dati
“Tyre roll!
Driver chop!!
Tyre roll!!
Driver chop!!!”
These are the usual chants in motor parks between ‘conductors’ and their bosses, the drivers in the bid to add fun and fervour to their work, encourage themselves and maintain the dignity in labour.
Few days ago, this lingo resurfaced in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital when standing before a mammoth crowd that heralded the APC presidential campaign, Director General of Tinubu/Shetima Presidential Campaign Council, Gov Simon Lalong, implored the chant in his address.
In the bid to identify with the masses who enthusiastically trooped to the venue of the rally to show their support to the APC Presidential ticket, Gov Lalong, always sensitive to his environment, borrowed from the popular lingo and penetrated deeply into the minds of the crowd.
AsAs a grassroots mobiliser of no mean repute, DG struck the right chord with this audience when he spoke not as an outsider, but as one of them
The method of communication was quite effective as the people gave a thunderous response.
While the audience responded with excitement however, some nay sayers, who are not happy with the wide acceptance of the APC campaign nationwide decided to twist the narrative purely for mischievous purposes.
Using internet rats, they edited the allegory out of context and projected a false narrative to satisfy their paymasters and to mislead the unsuspecting public who were not at the event.
Hard as they tried, the nebulous agenda of these fifth columnists however came dead on arrival.
The resounding acclamation by the enthusiastic crowd that greeted Lalong’s pronouncements was spontaneous.
Those at the rally testified that the occasion was a recast of Joe the Plumber moment that Barrack Obama encountered during his campaign against John McCain; only that this time, Lalong understood the language of the plumber and responded perfectly to the yearnings of those he was addressing.
It is instructive that as Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shetima campaign vigorously across the length and breadth of the country, the opposition elements have resorted to familiar antics of throwing spanners in the works.
To their chagrin, the “Renewed Hope” action plan has permeated all sectors and sections of Nigeria, penetrating the grassroots and increasing in mass popularity.
Through well-coordinated rallies, wide and high level consultations, monumental town hall meetings and segmented engagements and interactive sessions, the APC presidential candidate has gone far beyond the level of the wobbly campaigns of the other parties.
This explains why the opposition, faced with imminent defeat, are resorting to misinformation and mudslinging to put up an appearance.
Asiwaju’s exceptional track record in Lagos and popularity across the country has made the job of canvassing for votes, easier. As a former Governor and Senator,
his roadmap of creating wealth and prosperity has continued to provide opportunities and hope.
Gov Lalong’s ‘chop I chop’ chant at the Ilorin event is not dissimilar to his sense of always wanting to be on the side of the masses.
Other world leaders who know their people have done the same while talking to their people.
Lalong’s use of a slogan used by the masses is akin to the ‘Viva!!’ chants of former ANC youth leader, Julius Malema at the funeral service for Winnie Mandela.
It is also not different from the labour unions’ chants of ‘aluta continua, victoria ascerta,” made popular by the founding president of the Mozambican Liberation Front (FRELIMO), Eduardo Mondlane, in his speech to the masses.
The APC presidential campaign remains committed to the masses and maintains without equivocation that,
“Tyre roll!
Driver chop!!
Tyre roll!!
Driver chop!!!”
▪︎ Dati, a former Commissioner for Information in Plateau State, can be reached on yakubudati@gmail.com