Perhaps, the truest definitive of the Nigerian type of politics was summed up by Mj Demarco in his book titled “Unscripted” who stated that the many political parties in our nation are merely symbolic gatherings geared towards determining where power shifts and consolidates amongst special interests and oligarchs. You wonder why our politicians are quick to tell us our own challenges with a promise of help every four years? Common! It is the tact, a way of letting the people think that they have the antidotes to the ailments created by their own writings.
Historically, it appears that the many collections of political actors amongst us are good at one thing “detailing the problems but never truly tackling them” Instead, they prefer to act like a con artist or a roadside motor mechanic whose pattern of remaining relevant is tied to finding a way to make his customers come back at intervals- this he does by providing a short term solution instead of a permanent one. Politicians of the Nigerian extract understand the act of temporary satisfaction. And so, once in a while, bagged rice, wheelbarrows and other few cushioning items are handed over to the citizens with mammoth media publicity. Sadly, it has become a norm to overly praise politicians for tossing out crumbs to the led.
It was Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who at one time described the Nigerian populace as those with short memory. We are too ready to forget and adjust to whatever crude scorn offered to us. It is therefore not uncommon to find millions of Nigerians surviving instead of living. No wonder Late Fela Kuti dedicated unto us all the lyrics “Suffering and smiling”. We are fond of smiling pretentiously at our oppressors regardless of prevailing realities. And so, we have become a satisfying definition of an unserious nation. A place where every other unconstitutional methodologies supercedes legitimacy.
Indeed the answers to our challenges are not far fetched. It goes beyond name calling and ceaseless blame games. I agree with Dr Okonjo Nweala submission on the need to reform societal structures. What this entails is that as a nation we must make effort to put in place automated structures/ bottle necks that checkmates political excesses. For example, the establishment of bio-verification for civil the service sector has helped to dwindle cases of unscrupulous tendencies. Since this is the case, it is therefore important to exact more effort towards establishing many more frameworks that answers to unique cases of constitutional abuse such that no one is allowed to circumvent the system.
Nevertheless, ours is seen as a growing state. The effort our heroes past must never be in vain.
– Olayinka Kayode writes from Mowe, Ogun State.
