Any society where most youths depend on politics, partisan loyalty and political patronage for their survival can never record advancement in human capital development.
Kogi youths have now totally surrendered to politics of prebendalism.
I keep seeing young, agile and energetic men and women celebrating the fact that sycophancy has been rewarded.
Members of the ruling APC in my State have a misguided belief that the resources of Kogi State belongs to them and that those who “stay loyal” to the party will benefit from the party at one point or the other.
It is common to see my contemporaries assert that they have been loyal to the Party. The question is: what does this loyalty entail? All that I see on social media and outside social media is sycophantic and blind support for politicians. That is what they call loyalty.
I am particularly worried about the fact that the young people; people of my generation, have been relegated to praise singers. Every Tom, Dick and Harry in Kogi State is now a blogger, “journalist” or a potential personal aide to a politician.
I critically reflected on why agile and capable youths should be referred to as Data Boys. I can’t fathom what they meant by that, I can’t figure out why Kogi youths will bootlick one of the most incompetent and insensitive government in the history of Nigeria.
What exactly has the New Direction Government done in the past 3 years that is outside his constitutional obligations which he is heavily paid for? I cannot understand why vehicles should be donated to “loyal party supporters and members”. It does not make iota of sense to me.
Buying cars and sponsoring marriages for “loyal members” of a political party is not my cup of tea. The danger is that Kogi youths now see politics as the only viable means of getting basic needs of life.
If this administration is interested in social intervention schemes, let the government create a credible institutional framework for accessing loans, grants and other social needs.
It is an insult on Kogi people for the this government to continue to behave as if it has any money to give out.It should be on the record that; since the inception of democracy or civilian rule in 1999, political parties, have not generated one kobo for Kogi State. On the contrary, leaders of parties in Kogi State have consistently and shamelessly stolen from the resources of the State.
This idea that the sitting government has money to share to its loyal members is nonsense. The APC has no single investment that can generate money. All those who have become billionaires through politics in Kogi State should come out publicly and tell us how they made the money.
Youths now look up to politicians as role models. I cannot see a great future for a State where distinguished professionals (doctors, scientists, academia, lawyers, engineers, artists, writers and other experts) are never regarded as role models except they join politics and begin to steal from the treasury.
Politics of prebendalism cannot make Kogi State great. It will only destroy it. There is no argument about the fact that what I have written will offend many people. It is better for me to be insulted and attacked today for expressing my views than to be harshly judged by posterity. History will vindicate the just.
– Habib Omachile Rabiu writes from Abuja.
