The Rise and Fall of Kings: Wike, Fubara, and the Curse of Godfatherism

The Rise and Fall of Kings: Wike, Fubara, and the Curse of Godfatherism

The drums of power never stop beating. The echoes of past warnings, once ignored, now roar like an unstoppable storm.

It was 2018. Nyesom Wike, bold and defiant, took a stand against political puppetry. His voice, sharp as steel, rang across the nation:

"Godfatherism isn’t good. It kills development. Lagos may bow, but Rivers will never kneel."

His words were aimed at Akinwunmi Ambode, a governor caught in the web of Bola Tinubu’s political dynasty. Wike had urged him to fight, to resist, to reclaim his power. But Ambode’s reign crumbled, swept away by the tide of a stronger force.

Fast forward to the present, and fate has played its cruelest trick. The man who once rejected godfatherism is now entangled in its grip.

Rivers State burns—not with fire, but with betrayal. Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Wike’s own chosen heir, dared to stand on his own feet. The master became the challenger, the godfather became the villain.

It began as whispers, then turned into war. The battle lines were drawn in blood and ambition. Impeachment threats, a demolished assembly complex, and a state teetering on the edge of chaos.

By March 2025, the crisis had reached its boiling point. The Supreme Court’s decision to reinstate Wike’s loyal lawmakers shattered Fubara’s defenses. The governor fought back, but the walls were closing in.

Then came the final blow.

On March 18, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State. Fubara, his deputy, and the entire assembly were stripped of power. The city stood frozen as a retired naval officer, Ibok-Ete Ibas, was named the sole administrator.

Two days later, the Senate and House of Representatives sealed the fate of Rivers with a voice vote that echoed through history.

And so, the cycle is complete. The man who once condemned godfatherism now watches as his own political empire crumbles beneath its weight.

Was this destiny, or a lesson written in the stars?

The people are watching. The nation is holding its breath. And the gods of power are laughing.

Drop your thoughts below—history is being written before our eyes.