By Efagha Oben
According to Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, who in his attempt to clarify the types of friendships that exist, identified three types of friendships. To this great and erudite thinker, the first type of friendship has it’s bearing on utility of pleasure, while another type haa it’s bearing on mutual appreciation of each other’s values.
Aristotle further categorized the first two types of friendships to include ‘accidental friendships,’ which he claimed were limited in depth with very short life span.
He further stated that any form of friendship that takes it’s bearings from virtues is the only one with the strongest connection that may have probably been built over the years. To him, “this kind of friendship remain the only friendship that would be very difficult to crumble.”
While many of Aristotle’s theories have been disproved, the idea that good friendship is crucial to a well-lived life has somehow remained relevant in today’s world.
To this Greek thinker, the best friendships should be the one that is based on mutual understanding, a kind of give and take relationship; appreciation of character rather than a friendship that would only be based on transactional value.
The connection in the third type of friendship is the only one that helps to shape peoples’ lives for good of parties involved.
Why then is the camaraderie between the industrialist, Chief Barrister Chris Agara, who has given his all to ensure that he co-exist in all ramifications with his friend, the digital governor of Cross River State. Why has relationship of the duo suddenly become soured?
Friendship, like they say, is good will. And if you find one do not discard him nor trade him for any personal aggrandizement. A loyal friend is worth more than a thousand relatives.
To borrow from an Igbo adage, a true friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. Just as another Igbo adage also says that a true friend is better than a bad brother.
Unless the erudite professor of Microbiology is ready to jettison the third type of friendship prescribed by Aristotle where symbiotic relationship is highly involved.
Agara has been one man among the loyalists of the digital governor of the state it comes to placing his goodwill on the front burner to ensure that the digital governor’s industrialization agenda comes to fruition.
Those close to the duo can attest to the fact that Agara can give all, provided the effort is not wasted to ensure that his friend and political ally succeeds, so that the administration doesn’t come to a ridicule.
Critics of the digital governor who even, when he does good, are of the opinion that Agara’s friendship with the governor is transactional and not symbiotic. To critics, despite Agara’s down-to-earth loyalty and support for the administration of Governor Ben Ayade, Agara hardly gets support from the governor when it comes to his pursuit for political offices
According one of Agara’s staunch supporters, from the Central senatorial district of the state, Madam Magaret Ekpong, “the relationship has been exploitative, despite Agara sticking his neck for the governor. Worthy of note is Agara’s defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC, when he heard that the governor had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the APC.
“Agara, who was far away from the shores of Nigeria quickly returned without even consulting some of us his supporters that he is moving with the governor to the APC, he quickly joined the band wagon in the APC to pacify his friend and political ally.
Among what Agara’s followers asked the governor to emulate is that he should borrow a leaf from what former governor of the state, Liyel Imoke stood for through thick and skin, offering his shoulder for his political ally and bossom friend, the senator representing Cross River South senatorial district at the National Assembly, Senator Gershom Bassey, who had declared his intention to also pursue his governorship ambition, to lean on whenever he is weary.
Bassey’s ambition has received unwaivering support from Senator Imoke, who is so determined to ensure that his friend secures the ticket and become governor on the platform of the PDP.
Again, those in sympathy with Agara are of the opinion that Imoke’s drumming support for power rotation to the South is as a result of his quest to ensure that the formula favour his friend, Gershom, an indigene of the South, who by that pronouncement stands the chance to grab the party’s ticket and if fate favours him he can subsequently ascend to power.
To Agara’s supporters, why can’t the governor jettison whatever pronouncement made and put his weight solidly behind his loyal and trusted ally, like Imoke is doing?
A case study was in the build up to tge 2015 general election, where Imoke did all he could to join forces with Gershom’s supporters, stepped on toes, ousted Senator Prince Otu, who was even the most cherished of the aspirants, and installed Gershom in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
“Why can the governor do same to secure the ticket for Agara?” Ekpong asked.
In another development, Senator Prof. Sandy Onor is said to be enjoying the goodwill of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, who is like a godfather as far as Sandy’s governorship ambition is concerned, notwithstanding the fact that he isn’t even a Crossriverians. Like Sandy once said in one of the public fora, “No man goes into an election at the level of governorship without having external support and as such his case can never be different.”
Unfortunately, Agara isn’t getting any iota of support from his political ally. Agara has been so unfortunate as far as support in vieing oolitical office is concerned.
Part of the accusation level against the governor is that on no account has he offered his shoulder for Agara to lean on as far as electioneering matters were concerned, even when Agara had been there for him at all times.
A case study was Agara’s senatorial ambition that was crippled at the primary level, and failed to scale through; and the governor could not lobby his former PDP men to secure a senatorial ticket for him to go to the Senate or at worst, lock horns with the APC opponent at that time.
Agara never bothered at the event, he swallowed the bitter pills, licked his wounds. To him life goes on, with or without senatorial ticket. Like a gentleman and one who isn’t over-ambitious, his ties with the governor remained intact. In fact the bonding became stronger, with the hope that one day, the pendulum might swing towards his direction.
Unfortunately the bell for general elections is about to be tolled. All Agara and his supporters could hear is power would rotate to South, a decision, which if it holds water, would not augur well for Agara’s political ambition, as he is likely going to be scheme out from the contest, despite him being an ardent and staunch supporter of the governor, whose relationship with each other spanned over 30 years, with nothing to show for aligning politically with the governor.
According to another Agara supporter, Mr. Mbeh Bissong, “Our man, Chris Agara, has not been given a fair treatment, despite the fact that huge chunk of his money has been ploughed alongside state government money to execute most projects.”
Bissong’s claim is that denying Agara opportunity to vie for governorship position is a decision which has brought pain to thier nerves. Agara had been a firm supporter of almost every of the decisions made by the governor, which he claimed is due to the love Agara had for the governor that he resorted to use even his personal resources and construction company’s equipment to execute rice and cocoa processing projects in Ogoja and Ikom, so that his friend could succeed.
Besides that, the man has done several things behind the scene that stabilizes the administration of the governor.
The question now is how would Agara recoup his fortunes, which he sank in these capital projects, Bissong wondered.
He suggested that Agara’s economic independence might be responsible for his many travails regarding his been always scheme out from participating in the polity.
Bissong added, “In as much as I do not support any form of imposition of Agara or any of the cabals to succeed the governor, but provision of a level playing ground for all the gladiators jostling to occupy the seat of governor, is all that the governor could do to consider the interest of his friend, who had stood by him at all times, before championing ‘back to South’ mantra, which has been a clog in the political wheel of his friend and ally.
