When we think that corruption is Nigeria’s biggest problem,our focus has always been on those in government.
But the same corruption and even state impunity is breathing everywhere. Not only the abuse by security forces.
What about our judiciary.You can see the beautiful role of the judiciary during the last election in the United States of America. The support they gave to institutions to support democracy.
The people who feed from political crimes are worse than armed robbers they are condemning.
When those in authority surround themselves with people who tell them what they want to hear.
And those formerly decent citizens become phsycophants because of their current position and pecks of office ,as the citizens mourn and die based on their advice ,they have blood in their hands as well .
When such special advisers twist the word of critics which is the beauty of democracy to please those in power,no matter how carefully such critics chose their words,they end up being twisted to please their masters.
One day they shall vacate such temporary offices .I know that there is a Master in heaven watching.
Occasionally, I also wonder how proprietors and proprietresses can be charging half a million naira for school fees and expect their teachers to survive on less than 40k per month.
How can you pay teachers like peasants and you expect them to give their best to the young minds they are moulding for the nation.You are part of the problem.I don’t even want to talk about what teachers who are civil servants are going through in the hands of government , whether in active service or in retirement.God is watching.
If the banks keep debiting customers wrongly and only apologising for any inconveniences without compensation. Telling customers to fill forms and wait for days before crediting their accounts that is corruption. Can they accept that ,if such customers apply for legitimate loans?. They keep declaring dubious profits.
If those who should talk keep quiet, if the nation boils they shall all be cooked.
My prayer is that one day, I shall wake up and see no reason to be stressed out, heartbroken, tired , frustrated and confused about this nation.
We all have our spaces in the nation. Use your own space and say your peace of mind.
But that you have access to your own space should not mean that you have to burst into another person’s space . Those in authority may label it fakenews.Beware.!!
We have well over 200m spaces in the nation ,stay in your own freedom square and bare your mind before you suffocate.
Even though it looks like we have reached the stage in the nation where we cannot tell between a pain cry from the noise of joy because pain cries are more in number than the tears of joy.
That somebody returned from overseas and cultivated a farmland and employed people.
His farm was plundered by some animal farmers and when he lodged a complaint to the head of those in charge of animal farming in his area,few days after he was kidnapped by animal farmers should not stop you from utilising your God endowed space.
If you die with your mouth closed ,to prove that you are patriotic in a nation that has no word like patriotism in her dictionary, you die for nothing.
Let people hear you before you die, and know why and how you died and who killed you.
If not the living who are “in power” may lie against you and bury you in a shallow grave , and label you an armed robber , that will shock those who know how decent you were before your untimely death.
If you have been attacked by animal farmers scream.
If you have been attacked by angry youths cry out.
If you have been kidnapped shout if you can.
If you have been robbed by armed robbers raise your voice if you can.
If you have been robbed by armed men while withdrawing your little savings from ATM,shout if you can.
If you have been shot at midnight with your wife and children and your house and cars set on fire,who ever is alive should scream.
If your village is subjected to brutal act by armed soldiers escorting some foreigners from one village to another in a bid to intimidate you into allowing them to feed their flock on your farm,raise your voice to high heavens , that is your space.
To end corruption, and to stop the looting spree bedeviling the nation, blow the whistle and queue for compensation. That is a space well utilised.
We cannot fix the nation with dishonest gains .
We got to where we are through dishonesty in all areas of life as a nation. Be it economic or political.
If you decide to cover the truth within the space you have, generations within your space shall mourn ,so SHOUT NOW !!!.
I saw this write up on the Twitter page of Oduduwa sessionist, Sunday Igboho which prompted my writing,Listen to him.
” I saw different expensive vehicles,such as Range Rover Sport,Toyota Venza,Camry and more in the compound of the Seriki.I asked him ,if it was with the proceeds from the cattle that he sold that he was able to buy the expensive vehicles,some of which cost as much as N38m.?”
OTHER SILENT NIGERIANS.
Well, I am sure that many hungry Nigerians are silently asking the same question,as they see such clusters of luxury, while they are begging for bread in virtually all the six geo-political zones.
Unfortunately, the immediate reaction by the government to Igboho’s and Kanu’s agitation for succession ,is like we seem not to understand that we have dangerous”kegs and bowls” in our hands as a nation.
Listen to this:
“IGP orders arrest of Sunday Igboho over eviction notice to herdsmen”
Now listen to IPOB:
“We are behind your cause”
Hear the Ondo state Government on Twitter:
“Showdown looms as Ondo State Government talks tough: no going back on eviction notice to herdsmen”
I am shocked that the IGP is applying the same method or approach in Kanu’s case , which has not solved the problem by ordering for the arrest of Sunday Igboho. This is my thinking as “a political animal”
MUSHROOMING ETHNIC CHAMPIONS.
Nigeria has hundreds of ethnic groups , how many of these frustrated ethnic champions,can you possibly silence in the future, as they keep springing up?
STEREOTYPE AND ETHNIC BLINDNESS.
Our leaders should be approaching every national issue as patriots for peace to reign, and avoid all ethnic stereotyping and blind ethnic loyalty.
We can only achieve “ONE NIGERIA” when every single tribe is treated equally, irrespective of who the leader is.
Any leader who encourages favouritism and nepotism can never make one Nigeria a reality. He cannot make Nigeria great.
SOCIAL INEQUALITY.
We must treat every single tribe equally. Even within the states and the 774 local governments areas that made up the nation, “it is the turn of our zone” continues. All because of inequality.
AGE AND LEADERSHIP.
The problem is not necessarily the age of the leader,as we look at the age of President Joe Biden,from the moment he was sworn in recently as he is calming nerves all over America by his speeches, that is leadership.
It is difficult to argue that there is a correlation between age and leadership. I don’t think so.You can be young and be a good leader or bad leader.
CULTURE OF WICKED LEADERSHIP.
We have had dozens of bad leaders in that mix since independence, men and women. Nothing has changed, rather it is getting worse.
It is unfortunate that we are sitting on a keg of gunpowder with a JERRYCAN and bowl of fuel on our head ,if that continues.
There is a culture of wickedness among leadership at all levels in the nation, who do vicious things .
NO EXCEPTION.
They are found in all the ethnic groups in Nigeria without exception.
How can you be in government , and within a year, you have built ten petrol stations in prime places and other properties all over the nation and fat bank accounts ?
Our leaders condone and abuse those they are leading,even local government chairmen are not exempted.A visit to their headquarters will convince you.
There is oppressive officialdom everywhere. A deliberate frustration of the dreams of young people.That is the reason these agitators are having strong followership online.
With the wanton appropriation of our collective heritage by the leaders, making progress shall remain an illusion.
There is need for administrative reforms in the ministries , political reforms , structural reforms , that are not based on ethnicity or zonal representation–The “zonal turn by turn”.as we approach 2023.
Seeing the number of Nigerians appointed by the President Joe Biden into his government,our leaders should think again.
SOWING UNPATRIOTIC SEEDS.
Our failings in education ,is baffling , where some of our leaders, members of the house of representatives in particular want the universities to be under lock and key for another 3 months ,after spending almost a whole year at home ,this sows the seed of lack of patriotism in the heart of these youths.
MALNOURISHED LEADERSHIP.
Insecurity and other general development challenges are products of our pretence to our present structure, with malnourished thinkers in leadership.
They may have fat cheeks and swollen bellies but they are totally brainless in the art of leadership and how can move forward.?
STOP WISHING SERIOUS ISSUES AWAY.
But ,even with restructuring,if our leadership emphasis all over the nation,even in smaller units, continues on the basis of our smaller ethnic compositions ,the agitation would continue.We cannot keep wishing this obvious reality away.
CHOOSING THEMSELVES.
Since independence we have been trying all sorts of leaders,both military and civillian without success.Some, we seemingly chose through electoral process ,while majority chose themselves through the same process by rigging themselves into power.
MILLION PERCENTERS.
Some took laws into their hands in 1966 through coup plotting ,to put an end to bribery, corruption and nepotism.
Unfortunately,the original plotters of the failed coup were replaced by those who turned out to worsen the situation.They became richer than the “TEN PERCENTERS” they removed during the first coup .We now have “MILLION PERCENTERS”.
As a political animal ,my observation for now ,is that all present leaders are the same , don’t be deceived by party affiliations.
BUNCH OF KEYS
Have you ever had a bunch of keys,and did not know which one could open the door because they all seem similar,then you kept trying them all,and fortunately ,it is the last one that opens the door.
May be that is exactly what we are doing in choosing those that should lead us to the promise land since independence.Whether we chose them or they chose themselves.
PRAYER POINT.
My prayer is that God should help us recognize, and choose the last key in 2023,young or old.It is now taking too long and dangerous.
You can join me in prayer.The time to begin is NOW!!.
When I watched President Joe Biden taking the oath of office using his family Bible that had been with them for 127 years,I then understood his speech.
But my heart was bleeding for my nation Nigeria and the entire leadership make-up.
If his family kept such a treasure with hope that someday one of his desendants will use it similarly, then ,are we still in doubt of God’s faithfulness.
GREAT SPEECH WITH EMOTIONS.
Joe Biden made the greatest speech of his life and one of the most important political speeches that I have ever heard as I was watching him yesterday.
Not the regular boring speeches we hear from our leaders over the years.
For those who were watching like me, if you didn’t find it emotional, you were not listening hard enough, or fully comprehending the significance of what he was saying.
RESPECTFUL SILENCE FOR DEAD CITIZENS.
When Biden asked for a few moments of respectful silence and prayer for the 400,000 Americans who have lost their lives to coronavirus,
my heart was bleeding for Nigeria that doesn’t even know how many of her citizens that are dying daily.
He was showing those victims and their grieving families a shred of real empathy, unlike what has been going on in Nigeria,the uncountable daily killings and deaths.
THE HEART OF A MAN WHO KNOWS WHAT TRAGEDY MEANS.
This came from a man who knows so much about the tragedy of losing a loved one like me.
A man whose first wife and baby daughter were killed in a car crash as he was about to become a Senator.
A man who suffered another devastating, crushing blow when his beloved son Beau died from brain cancer in 2015.
A man who has had to bury two of his own children.
Joe Biden understands what death means, and the appalling toll it takes on families. He has been there, mourned there and stood by the gravesides.
IT DIDN’T START TODAY.NOT POLITICS NOR PRETENSE.
Many years ago,
he comforted the parents whose kids were slain in the Sandy Hook massacre.
His words, his hugs, and his tears were all so very real because he was coming from a place of deep agonising personal experience.
THE DIFFERENCE.
So, when he called for that silence and bowed his head in prayer, he stepped up to repair the appalling damage done by his predecessor who never gave a stuff about what the virus was doing to Americans ,
but only cared about what it was doing to his chances of re-election.
WHO WILL PUT HIS ARMS AROUND US?
Who will put his arms around grieving Nigerians.
Biden was putting his arms around grief-stricken America and saying: ‘I hear you, I’m here for you and I know what you’re going through.’
It was spell-blindingly authentic and convincing because we all know he does.
Crucially, his arms also extended to those who hate his guts; the kind of people who feel so enraged by his election victory that they stormed the US Capitol two weeks ago in a violen behest of their spiritual leader .
COURAGE BEYOND CRISES.
Vice President Kamala Harris on her part said that the historic turmoil that took place two weeks ago should not stop Americans trying to improve their country.She implored the nation to have courage to see beyond crisis.
The question is where is leadership in Nigeria?
I am not one of those on social media platforms to be loved or liked.
I have enough love from God.
I enjoy my ministry and sickle-cell advocacy.
I am not a political brand promoter,I can only speak on national issues if I am led to.
THERE IS ALSO POVERTY IN AMERICA.
America has almost 20 million people living in extreme poverty,it is like the whole of Lagos scrounging from dustbin to dustbin for food.But they have hope as long as they have good leaders.
Nigeria has much more than that figure ,the difference is that they have no hope except in God.
THE FEAR OF GOD AND LEADERSHIP.
The fear of God is supposed to be a check upon those that are in power to restrain them from abusing their power to oppression and tyranny.
Those that have no one else to stand in awe of, ought to stand in awe of their own consciences.
THE TRENDING NEWS.
As I wake up every day by the mercy of God for the past 10 years,
I don’t really have to search much to find out what news is trending in Nigeria.
There are permanent news items trending every day like:
…Recent attacks have at least killed…..
… terrorists carrying out attacks in almost all the local government areas.
….some kidnappers carried out attacks and kidnappings.
…ransoms were paid in millions by family members.
….no ransom paid according to the police.
…the most recent attacks have claimed and have killed at least…..
…. people kidnapped in dozens,and destroyed several properties during an ambush on the highway.
… details remain unclear and fatality figures may rise to …
….most attacks took place in northern part…..
….there has been an increase in insurgent attacks and killings.
…be vigilant, remain alert and pay attention to your surroundings at all times avoid regular patterns of travel or movement and aim to travel during daylight hours.
WE NEED LOVING AND CARING LEADERSHIP ARMS.
When shall we have leaders who will see our bleeding hearts?
When shall we have leaders who will put their arms arround grief-stricken Nigerians?
This is a billion dollar question?
Since we cannot in all honesty say “WHEN AND WHO”,
WHAT TO DO!!
Let us begin to build communities of positive and happy people . Nobody can make us happy unless we make ourselves.
That being the case, enough of us having islands of “negative sense” here and there, all over the six geopolitical zones, in pockets and a sea of careless leadership with blood in their hands.
We shall not drown with them and should not allow them to force us down the sea bed of depression.
LET THE HONEST UNITE.
People who stop at red lights, airports,buses, and so on and so forth and return money that doesn’t belong to them must come together and separate themselves from those who think that stealing is just the way of service.
THE YOUTHS AND HARDWORK.
MKO ABIOLA said: ” Hard work is prayer in action….”
Let us re-echo this to the younger generation .
Let us drum this up in the ears of our children on this principle ,that hard work is the best and surest way to success,and not Yahoo-yahoo ,in order to compete with the children of those who are in power or authority.
We must tell them that they also need hardwork to retain success.
May God bless and secure us in Nigeria,if no one else does.
The Political Animal 