By Jerry Ochada.
As political scheming and coordinated romance continue to unfold ahead of the 2023 General Elections, it is pertinent the lead actors return to the confines of their inner room to trigger a reflection of self evaluation before coming to public domain to sell their wares in order to forestall any form of national embarrassments even though the stakes seems to be high in the lens of individualitistic motivation. Ironically, politics in Nigeria has been reduced to a mere theatre of comic dramas with fake comedians featuring on stage while real actors are perpetually at bay aligning with the wilder greed of audience to watch stages of uninteresting scenes in bemusing glare of ignorance.
Nigeria as a country has encountered varying degrade of leaderships in khaki and agbada but the Nationals never learnt any meaningful lessons from these decays. Nigerians have tougher skins and prefer to receive constant lashes of bad governance in celebration of their oppressors. From the labelled draconic regime of Gen Abacha to the magical charisma of President Yar’adua, plethora of unimaginable complaints has lingered yet citizens are quick to repeat same blunders in succession of leadership. Who cursed Nigeria? In reality, Nigeria and Nigerians are not cursed; Nigerians are blessed but the habitual defects of misplacement of priorities inherent in the lifestyle of citizens is a clog in the wheel of the country’s national progress.
There is no gainsaid: self centeredness has become a norm; character deficiency in the most populous black nation and it is not peculiar to politics. This aberrant posture is also thriving amongst the celebrated class of business Moguls amassing wealth for themselves and close allies while the prospects of an average Nigerian continue to choke in the lockers of many loot. Unfortunately, these tyrants are always finding their way to the corridors of power because they are armed with the wherewithal to buy vote in their usual ploys to alternate peoples conscience with a meagre sum of naira. Shame!
The recent declaration by Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) to run for the most exalted seat of President, Federal Republic of Nigeria calls for ponder because this is another wonder for deep thinkers always on standby to compare notes. Tentatively, his decision to run is not a political sin but regrettably, it is a moral blunder even though it is scarce finding a political realist in this clime. It’s midday for Nigeria’s nascent democracy therefore a BAT cannot lead the eagles because Bats can only see at night. To this end, it is complimentary for Jagaban to continue playing the widely attested role of a kingmaker. When a kingmaker wants to become king, so many intricacies are involved and the peace of the kingdom is always threatened because of divided loyalty.
Pa Tinubu should understand this simple logic: Nigeria is not his personal farm where he thinks he has planted crop of leaders to harvest his crops at a later date. In fact, Tinubu has been harvesting his crops without hindrance or public rebuke but gunning for the presidential ticket is an ambition taken too far. If Nigeria must move forward, self interest should be buried on the selfless altar of patriotism. This is not a bid to defranchise BAT because he is qualified to run but his aspiration is practically coordinated to fuel his pocket. Yes! Tinubu is not hungry. The Jagaban is not bankrupt but is the acclaimed Lion of Bourdillon a corrupt man? His idiosyncrasies if he eventually becomes President was unveiled the day he declared his interest to run: Tinubu promised to build on the “foundation” of President Muhammadu Buhari. Which foundation? Higher exchange rates, banditry, kidnapping, untold sufferings, high cost of living, fake importation of premium motor spirit, medical tourism or the skyrocketing international debt profile? Which foundation?
As the National leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Jagaban should concentrate more on mending shaky tents of his party instead of biting Buhari’s cake of governance. Comparably, members of the APC are urgently in need of his leadership discretion at the moment while Nigeria as a country is in need of a selfless Commander in Chief to charter a new course of national progress. Perhaps, APC is presently suffocating because Jagaban has abandoned his task of resolving disputes to pursue his shadows. He is distracted by his ambition to run for president and his empire – APC – is sitting on a keg of gunpowder ready to explode in the aftermath of the National Convention rescheduled for March 2022.
Nigerians should be ready to shop for a purpose driven President in 2023; not a king of cabals wielding an egocentric mindset of coming to rule the country as an emperor. In Africa, longevity connotes blessing and this is indoctrinated in assessment of daily prayers and supplications to live long in prosperity. God the creator of mankind has smiled on Tinubu, he is old and rich but Nigeria is in need of a young vibrant leader poised to deliver on candid electoral promises. This is not a case for Yahaya Bello who is youthful but not useful in terms of leadership dispositions. Nigerians are earnestly seeking the services of a visionary leader that can change ugly narratives.
Tragically, Jagaban’s courage is receiving a boost from some of the youth serving as sycophants. Nigeria is not an animal farm and the leaders of tomorrow are still ignorant of the lines they chanted absent mindedly many years ago. The “tomorrow” sang as nursery rhymes is today yet some of these breed of crumb seekers prefer to champion the ambition of a man who is tired and should be advised to rest. In politics, age is not just a number. The assumption of age is a number should be restricted to dating sites. Senility is a natural disorder that activates at old age. Nigerian youths form the bulk of its population and should not be used as objects of structural decay. Youths should learn how to see beyond their noses because the country is bleeding as a result of cluelessness.
Tinubu’s recent charge to “fight dirty” by crushing any attempt to halt his presidential ambition is a threat on the common sensibilities of Nigerians. His ambition to rule the country should not be a “do or die affair” if at all he is determined to ameliorate plights of the masses because a true politician seeking the support of his people is expected to be lenient in approach. Nigerians have survived the tenures of many oppressors and Tinubu’s threat should not be trashed in the cans of frivolity even though the dogs and the baboons were once threatened to be soaked in blood. He should stop biting Buhari’s cake because Nigeria is too big to be listed as one man’s business enterprise in the next dispensation of leadership deal.
God bless Nigeria!
