The challenge President Jo Biden must have been faced with, in deciding whether to keep to his word of not granting state pardon to his son, Hunter, over crimes he pleaded guilty to and was convicted of, or extending state pardon to his only surviving son to save him from the clutches of hawks and vultures only waiting for his departure from office to feast on what remains of the son is one no-one should ever have to face.
A father should never have to be faced with a dilemma of choosing between what is right for the son and might not be for the country, and what is right for the country, but might not be the right thing a father should do to the son.
The case of Baba Biden reminds me of Ebenezer Obey’s all-time great (Baba Oniketekete), a song about a man, his son and his son. It was a dilemma over which way he should go. Ride alone on the horse and have the son follow on foot, which some would find as strange, or have father and son on the back of the horse, which some would grumble about and accuse them of overburdening the Ketekete (horse), or have the horse go on its own with father and son following on foot, which some would adjudge as odd.
Baba Joe Biden was faced with a dilemma, with none of the choices available to him free from possible reprimand by family, onlookers, agbejoros, agboranduns, friends and foes. Yet he must take a decision. He didn’t go by popular vote and then ask for water to wash his hands. He didn’t go by the verdict of the electoral college and retire home to a life of regret that he didn’t do what he could have done.
He took off the garb of the office and put on that of a Father. He placed a special request for the song by Ebenezer Obey. With the melodious voice of Chief Commander playing at the background, Baba Biden took to his seat in the Oval Office, picked his favourite pen and signed the chain off the neck of Hunter.
That he promised not to do so is in no doubt. But that he has a right to a change of mind can also not be faulted. He did what he has to do. He has the backing of the law. The morality of the act will be debated for ages.
President Biden did what a father has to do, given the sum total of the circumstances before now and possibly in the future that might jeopardise the fate of his son.
It was a case of pardon him and be damned, elect to not do so, and be damned.
Ko s’ogbon to le da, Ko s’iwa to le wu. Ko s’ona to le gba to le fi t’aiye lorun o.
Ile aye…
Baba Biden has done his bit.
