WE MUST keep engaging politicians. It will help them improve in their craft. Every field of human endeavour has the good, the bad, and the ugly. It is checks and balances that bring sanity. Politicians cannot be ignored. They are powerful enough to destroy the nation if allowed to operate as they like.
If you think big political leaders are bad because of selfish ambition, wait until you see their followers who don’t even know what they want.
The past few weeks were full of political drama as contestants battled for party tickets. The intrigue was endless.
Our leadership recruitment process does grave damage to society. It radicalizes our youths and often turns the country into a war zone, just to push the wrong people to the top. The process exalts criminality and chaos above order and fair play. It crushes the weak and proves the saying: “might is right.” It normalizes lies and reckless actions until they look ordinary. In the end, we get unqualified leaders and a broken society
What’s more revealing is that politicians no longer hide the dirty things they do. During many primaries, we saw a new “courting formula” — where the person counting votes would jump from 10 to 100 to 200 in a single row.
ALSO READ: An Apolitical Elite And Community Development: The Trouble With Edumoga; By Adagbo Onoja
Subversive Chronicles In The Age Of Treason; By Owei Lakemfa
We also saw videos of people sharing money while collecting PVC cards that are supposed to be the personal property of voters. There were even unconfirmed reports of a presidential aspirant who raised $400,000 for the presidential primaries of his party.
My worry is the impact of these dirty political tactics on our youths.
Last week, a young man told me that, from his limited experience, it’s no longer possible for an honest person to be comfortable in Nigeria. According to him, the system has been configured to favour criminals.
What’s worse is the silence. In all these anomalies displayed openly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the electoral umpire, has neither cautioned anyone nor any political party, or made a categorical statement condemning these practices. No security agency has moved to stop or condemn them. No arrests. The whole thing now looks normal.
ALSO READ: ‘To Keep It Coming’: Reflections On Framework Building, Idea Formation And Scholarly Reception; By Max Amuchie
How I Returned From The Gate Of The Other World (Parts 1, 2, 3 & 4): Readers’ Comments (I)
I’m not sure if Nigeria will survive democracy. Our politics is so destructive that our progress is moving in reverse order.
Nigeria may survive insecurity and corruption, but it will not survive dirty politics. Dirty politics is what actually gave birth to corruption, insecurity, hatred, and many other vices.
On Monday, June 1st, a young man complained in a video that increased kidnapping along the Benin-Asaba Road may be happening because “Yahoo boys” who are no longer making money have resorted to kidnapping for ransom.
The get-rich-quick message from politicians has now permeated our youths.
Character defines a people. What you do daily becomes your culture. A nation without youth role models cannot be great. If our youths reject insecurity, corruption, and nepotism, which Nigerian leader will they copy? Almost none — except the few tested ones like Peter Obi.
We’re at a point where parties are raging in a state while school children, including a two-year-old, have spent over two weeks in captivity.
ALSO READ: United Elites, Divided Masses: Nigeria’s Crisis Of Self-Interest And Political Survival; By Lawan Musa Danlami
The Abacha In Tinubu; By Iduh Onah
When wrong becomes normal, right loses its value. Governing isn’t hard. The hard part is putting good people in power.
Our leadership recruitment process does grave damage to society. It radicalizes our youths and often turns the country into a war zone, just to push the wrong people to the top. The process exalts criminality and chaos above order and fair play. It crushes the weak and proves the saying: “might is right.” It normalizes lies and reckless actions until they look ordinary. In the end, we get unqualified leaders and a broken society
If you’re excited by this kind of politicking, it’s because you’re naive. You’re like a child playing with fire, oblivious to the harm it can cause. This era is dragging our society down in every aspect — our values, norms, and ethos. It disfigures and reconfigures our culture. It creates a new way of seeing each other. It reminds us that we’re going downhill, even when we don’t care.
Those who keep mute in a time of national emergency are hurting themselves. If the nation goes down, it will take all of us with it.
We must make sure the voices of dissent against chaos, tyranny, unfair play, and bad officiating keep rising louder, despite all odds. INEC and all government agencies that should ensure good conduct must be alive to their responsibilities.
The working masses must refuse to be used by politicians who forget them after every election. Our struggle must become our life. Resistance against evil and maladministration must become our culture.
Those without our experience cannot lead us well.
We have a collective responsibility to bequeath to future generations a legacy founded on justice, equity, peace, and accountability. These enduring values must serve as the building blocks of a new Nigeria where every citizen can live with dignity, freedom, and equal opportunity.
