There is an old proverb that warns, “When you dance with the devil, don’t expect mercy when the music stops.” Nazar Mohamed and his son, Azruddin, have learned this lesson the hard way. For decades, the elder Mohamed bankrolled the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), financing its operations from the days of opposition in the 1980s to their return to power in 2020. He was not just a donor; he was the backbone of the party’s financial lifeline. Yet today, after years of unwavering loyalty, his family faces public humiliation by PPP Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo who dismissed the Mohameds by a flippant and cruel reference to “Shell” playing marbles with Cheddie Jagan.
This is the PPP’s grand display of Neemak Haramism, an ultimate act of ingratitude, a betrayal so blatant that it should serve as a warning to all those who still serve as water carriers for a corrupt and ruthless political elite.
Throughout history, there have always been those willing to sell their souls to the powerful, believing their loyalty will be rewarded. Enslaved Africans who served as overseers, indentured laborers who turned against their kin for colonial favors, modern-day businessmen who cozy up to corrupt politicians, history is littered with their tragic stories. The PPP’s public and brutal betrayal of the Mohameds, a once loyal ally, is just another reminder that the powerful in the PPP use, discard, and destroy without a second thought.
For years, Shell Mohamed was the PPP’s trusted financier, giving not just money but logistical support, security, and political maneuvering to secure their hold on power. He was the unseen force ensuring the party’s survival through the 2020 elections dispute, legal battles, and economic hardship. But what did that loyalty earn him?
The moment his son, Azruddin, dared to think independently, the PPP turned on them like a rabid dog. Suddenly, allegations surfaced. Suddenly, the very party that thrived on their financial backing now seeks to destroy them.
The PPP’s reaction to Azruddin’s political ambitions is more than a vendetta, it is fear. Fear that a Mohamed-led political movement will further expose the rot at the core of the government and chip away at their traditional East Indian support base. Fear that their grip on power, which they have maintained through ethnic division, intimidation and deceit, could slip through their fingers.
Jagdeo’s dismissive words, “He played marbles with Cheddi Jagan” are an insult to the Mohameds and a warning to every loyalist who ever believed in the PPP’s cause. It is a declaration that loyalty is meaningless in the face of greed and self-preservation. It is a warning that anyone who stands in their way will be crushed.
For those ‘slave catchers’ who betray others, hoping for a favor, a contract, a political appointment, from this cruel and oppressive regime, take note. If a man like Shell Mohamed, who gave everything to the PPP, can be discarded like trash, what do you think will happen to you?
The PPP does not reward loyalty. It exploits it. It does not protect its supporters. It uses them until they are no longer useful. It does not build legacies. It destroys them the moment they pose a threat to its unchecked power.
The betrayal of the Mohameds is a scandal and it is a lesson. A lesson to every businessman, every community leader, every activist, every ‘slave catcher’ who believes that serving the PPP will secure their future.
It won’t.
Because when you serve the corrupt, your fate is sealed the moment you outlive your usefulness.
Note:
The Blackout is a column penned by several independent writers. No opinion in this column is necessarily endorsed by the Village Voice News.
