In the 69AD, there was a roman emperor named Servius Sulpicious Galba, who ruled the empire for a period of seven months. Galba was the first emperor among the four emperors that ruled in succession during a chaotic period of civil war of the Roman Empire. Born into a wealthy aristocratic family, Galba rose through the ranks in Roman politics. He rose from a magistrate to become the governor of provinces that included Africa.
Galba was a traditional roman emperor known for his strict discipline and rigidity, he was also reputed to be miserly and harsh, traits that shaped his seven months reign that was marked by instability. He alienated the military by refusing to pay their promised bonuses and imposing harsh discipline on them. His frugality, while fiscally prudent, angered soldiers and citizens expecting lavish rewards. His brief reign was a turbulent period of discontent by the citizens and disloyalty from the military.
A roman historian named Tacitus, in his histories, presents a critical and nuanced view of Galba. He portrayed him as a well-intentioned man but weak and indecisive, thereby leading to a chaotic reign with rising discontent among citizens. Tacitus views Galba as a man of good intentions and honorable character whose rigidity, inability to adapt to the dynamism of roman’s political landscape made his reign brief and disastrous.
Tacitus wrote in his conclusion that “when a ruler once becomes unpopular, all his acts, be they good or bad, tell against him”. A Chinese scholar, Professor Pan Zhichang used the remark to coin the “Tacitus trap”, to explain the fall of Chinese dynasties, describing a situation where an unpopular government loses credibility, and its actions -well-intended or not- are perceived negatively.
There is growing level of distrust between the governed and the political class in Nigeria. Despite embarking on sweeping reforms to revive the economy from near collapse, citizens still do not trust this government to see the reforms through, therefore are reluctant to tolerate the trade-offs. This apathy and discontent stem from the fact that the effort of the federal government does not translate to results that trickle down to the grass-root.
This begets the question, are we caught in the Tacitus trap? Of course Not. We have not reached that point, but the problems that exist are indeed serious. But before we fall into that trap, an effective local government administration armed with competent leadership maybe a saving grace. The next local government elections in Lagos State should be the litmus test.
Okeo Godwin Olaoluwa (OGO) writes from Ikorodu
