Its that time of the year again, the run up to the 2015 elections and the efforts of our leaders to ensure they are victors in the rat race to share the national cake have redoubled. The liars, thieves and pot bellied politicians are hell bent on winning a bigger slice. Some of the attempts include Jonathan's firing of some ministers, Ajimobi's sacking of his entire cabinet and don't forget the contesting billboard campaigns that they so fervently deny any knowledge of. Yes, the race is definitely on!
The most interesting thing however, is the attempts of our politicians to connect with the masses and young electorate. Its laughable really. They start early, 3 years to the election all sorts of 'paddy' tweets start springing up trying to give the impression that we are all 'one'. Who can remember Obasanjo's remark at the site of the Ikeja cantonment blast when he went to visit some days after and said, and I quote, 'am I supposed to be here' or Aviation minister Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi remark that 'plane crashes are an act of God' even when the supposed planes are cargo planes undergoing test flights. These comments show we sure as heck are not one! Take for instance former President Atiku's attempts to use twitter and facebook as a medium to reach out to the masses on suggested ways to improve education. Totally misguided, especially when he was quoted as saying he founded a school for the masses where the school fees is N 840, 000, mind you, most Nigerians live on less than a dollar a day. My personal best is the story of the man that had no shoes and his meteoric ride to the Presidency...6 years down the line most people still don't have shoes and education is at its worst level, case in point ASUU strike day 102.
In nation building terms the current flavour of the day is good governance and unlike the other fads of the day I think good governance ,along with the strong institutions and policies it promotes, will have a lasting flavour. Past Nigerian administrations have had no flavour, the few that have managed some semblance have quickly lost their taste. The Environmental Sanitation Policy which took off in 2005 is still being enforced today, but for what reason? Our roads are still as dirty as before, our gutters overflow during the rainy season, most places in Nigeria are dirty. The adage that nothing lasts forever is especially true of the Nigerian government. None of their policies ever last and yet our people are so quick to embrace these same politicians when elections come around. Adedibu's amala politics lives in enduring form, you give the people a little money or in the case of celebrities, a little attention and they lap it up like dogs. Don Jazzy's recent banter with Atiku was as humorous as it was sad. Why the jokes, why couldn't Don Jazzy challenge Atiku on his achievements during his brief time in government? Obasanjo is now a born again Christian, may be Atiku's is now reformed and deserves another chance at running this country? I very much doubt it.
Its nothing new in politics for politicians seeking support and votes to re -engage with the electorate and celebrities through varying, novel means like social media. Jay Z and Beyonce are a power couple that make no pretence of their support for Obama, so also Oprah Winfrey. They campaign for him, host dinners to raise funds for his campaign and speak out for him tirelessly. All because they believe in him and he aligns with their ideals for a better nation and a better America. Most of all because he delivers. At a time when America is experiencing home grown and outward terrorist threats, a collapsing global economy as well as numerous political upheavals in most parts of the world, he has provided strong and decisive leadership.
Where is our strong and decisive leadership in Nigeria? Whenever Boko Haram strikes it takes days for an official reaction, sometimes none at all and usually so second hand as to be worthless. Our roads are bad, our hospitals death traps, electricity non-existent, no water, educational sector in shambles, food prices rising, police rotten and government officials corrupt to the core all the way down to local government officials. The problems are much more than this, our inefficient legal system, or sub standard, adulterated products flooding the market, outdated laws, vandalism of pipelines and stealing of crude oil. I almost forgot the oga at the top- kidnapping. Nigeria's problems are many and although there are a few success stories here and there Aregbesola, Fashola, Amosun and Imoke. However, Nigeria is a federation, and a federation is only strong as a whole, not just component units.
The National Assembly will be organising a day of prayer to seek God's face on the problems plaguing the country. I laugh in Yoruba, Hausa, Ibo, Efik, Tiv and all the other Nigerian languages. Our leaders are arrogant fools and sometimes I wish the Holy Spirit would strike them down as Ananaias and Sapphira for mocking him. All, and I mean all our problems are due to bad leadership, bad governance, inefficient, corrupt and ineffective leadership. We don't need God to tell us that! So I laugh when I see the banter on facebook and twitter, the camaraderie between our leaders and the people. Hope is hope and I guess its irrelevant where its coming from, even when its coming from the same people that time and time have lied to us repeatedly.
Nigerians are a truly amnesic people, how we so easily forget.
No comments:
Post a Comment