Riots in Brazil

• Published date: 12 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

An adage among the Yoruba literally translates: an ailment that chronically afflicts Aboyade would be readily found among all Oya worshippers. Oya in ancient Yoruba mythology was a water goddess, and Aboyade is a figurative representation of her devotees. The import of the saying is that a common cause typically produces a common effect, hence a disease that hobbles Aboyade would be generic to all Oya devotees because they must all have contracted it from the same source.

There's an uncanny sense in which this saying holds true for former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and former United States President Donald Trump. Riots staged in Brazil early this week by Bolsonaro's supporters closely replicated the 6th January 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters following his loss of the 2019 presidential poll. Thousands of Bolsonaro militants on Sunday, 8th January, stormed the Three Powers Plaza in Brasília, the heart of Brazilian politics in the capital housing the presidential palace, the supreme court and congress, vandalising those citadels of the three government arms. More than 3,000 also camped out in front of the army headquarters, calling for military coup to overthrow the country's left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva who took office only on 1st January. Bolsonaro lost the presidential election of last October to Silva after repeatedly questioning the efficacy of Brazil's institutions: he accused the supreme court of bias and plied unsubstantiated claims of poll fraud - same things...