By Ologun Opeyemi.
I didn’t know what to make of this present administration; from my assessment I had only seen a set of individuals who concerned themselves with blame games for the last three years with no feasible, tangible, reasonable development. Maybe, I have not kept tab enough to see the developments their loyalists consistently pride themselves in, but I am certain no common man has enjoyed the dividends of democracy from this present administration.
If you think this is another rant by what this administration loyalists call wailers, then, you will miss the entire scope of the heart wrenching issues that had bedeviled this country in recent years, and rendered her youths hopeless and frustrated. As I watched the tantrums thrown between the Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore and the Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, I wasn’t only distressed about the future of this country, but it looked more like the hope we may have nursed for 2019 is now farfetched.
I lent my voice in the campaign for youths to get involved in the electoral process by first getting their PVCs. My voice began to get tinier because of the choice of aspirants that had made themselves available so far. My question then is, “if we end up getting our PVCs who is that credible candidate to support?” I keep asking myself this question because of the issue of governance that was disappointing a year to the previous election.
This sadly landed us to where we have found ourselves today. Corruption was on the rise, so was unemployment, no security of lives and properties, haphazard processes in government dealings, award of contracts, and so on. Some specific individuals paraded themselves as being greater than the State. It was the highest impunity a nation could have experienced. The people were tired! I was miserable considering how a young lady could not be proud of her country. It wasn’t something I desired to see continue.
Yeah, I supported a change of government. But then, I was not happy with the two options. To me, it was like choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea. I wasn’t happy about the options available. But I desperately wanted the government to leave the control of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Anyone who wasn’t divided along party, religious, ethnic and national cake lines wanted the same.
I brought myself to believe the ’change’ mantra and I must confess I enjoyed the moment of hope that this nation will once again be great. An expectation that this country will live up to its standard of being the giant of Africa and largest black nation in the world. I anticipated the great days and I must say anyone who thought otherwise was seen as a bigot, bias and unrepentant nepotic to me. With each passing week, month and years, I make bold to say I no longer have such hope, at least not in this administration.
It is pathetic and intellectually absurd for any government in the world to keep on blaming its predecessors for their lack of incompetence for the past three years. And more callous for such government to want to seek a reelection when there is nothing to show as achievements to seek such reelection.
It is more saddening to know that this administration as represented by the Minister of Communication will call a citizen inconsequential. If you think that the masses on which you rode on their backs to get hold of the reins of power are now too insignificant in your quest to continue in governance irrespective of their unbiased assessment of your administration, then, I think a more deliberate effort must be employed to unseat this failed system.
A line of caution must be threaded though. Seeing how we were desperate to change government in the previous election to just any other available option, such caution must not be thrown to the wind this time around. While we have young and vibrant aspirants expressing their desires for the highest office in the country, I also think these people must have an indubitable pedigree not only in integrity this time around, but also in economy, security, education, health, and other sectors that will afford a citizen live a reasonable life free from frustration and disillusion.
As much as I want to believe that things will turn around very soon, if we are not deliberate as a people about the choice of who rules and make key decisions on our behalves, then such hope does not exist anywhere. We must quit acting as though these politicians have the ultimate power to decide our fates, the power in reality resides with the people. We must quit being at their mercies. They shouldn’t even have the sense that they are offering us favour, because it is a privilege for them to serve in any of these positions.
The citizens of this country should stop praising mediocrity and start demanding the highest standard of governance from those elected. We should not be lost because we have being deprived of our entitlements, much so, we don’t know our rights anymore. We now consider mediocrity as acceptable. We deserve better, and that we should seek in this coming election!
The entire had expressed his interest in contesting for a second term, should this create more concerns or our fears are totally unjustified?
– OLOGUN Opeyemi
Public Commentator and Communication Strategist
