No doubts, a new Nigeria is emerging, and fastly too. Indications to this effect have been undeniably, audibly visible from all ramifications. One of the natural proofs of the timeliness for this expected change is the fact that we have been in our darkest times, and naturally the darkest hours always announce day break. Everything about our country points to the fact that things have fallen apart, and that the centre may not hold any longer. Living in Nigeria have almost become a matter of one having no choice. Many of those who have the means have long taken flight in what has become known as “japa” syndrome. But, honestly how could a nation be brought back to its expected state if everyone cultivates that syndrome. Every nation passes through challenging phases, and it remains the duty of the same people to turn the undesired phase around for the better.
All of the issues that made living unbearable results from leadership challenges. And, though recent narratives points mostly to bad followership, as exemplified by the citizen’s growing misdemeanors and disloyalty, it yet suffices to say that when the head is rotten, no good comes out from the body, and this is where the leaders can never be exonerated from our pitiable state. Nigeria’s leadership conundrum have been the unarguable rationale for the country’s inability to be where it ought to have been. Six decades ago at independence, Nigeria was classified as one of the emerging forces in the comity of nations. Tagged as a developing country alongside others, it was evidently manifest that the country have abundance of resources to make her greatness seamlessly smooth. Interestingly, the resources were in abundance in both human and natural states. However, rather than grow and develop, some anti-forces pitched tent to ensure that the nation remained perpetually stunted. Howbeit, countries like Malaysia, India, Singapore, Brazil, and others were in same category with Nigeria. Today, the gap is so much that one often goes sorrowing when our present state is compared with those ones. It has always been one problem to another and spread in all aspects, especially on the political terrain, which controls all others.
It is often said that a problem identified is half solved. So, having identified leadership as the major crux, there arose an urgent need to consider leadership recalibrations. At a point in time, military intervention became a relief, all in the belief that purposefulness would be enshrined in the country’s governance. Unfortunately, it did not turn out to be so as historical antecedents points to institutionalized corrupt practices as being the making and perfection of the military rulers themselves. Luckily, the discontent with undemocratic rule the world over gave tulip to the exiting of the military, thereby paving way for the current democratic rule. However, to the dismay of Nigerians, the outcomes have not met their expectations at all. The failure of the successive regimes (since 1999) to provide the needed dividends of democracy have made life unbearable to majority of Nigerians. With extremely high and yet increasing unemployment rates, it is clear that the political class have lost the trust of the people.
From the onset of the current political dispensation, our political party affairs have left much to be desired. The actors have not been people-minded, but rather always acting in self-service and self-interest. Politicians shamelessly ran the country down, not necessarily because of cluelessness as we were want to believing, but because of perceived extreme wickedness. The dispositions of the politicians continuously signals bad omen. It became a situation where politicians developed the habit of sending their children abroad for schooling, where hospitals were reduced to mere consultation grounds with no necessary equipment. Same replicable situations made societal ills such that insecurity took over our landscape with armed bandits and kidnappers constantly on rampage.
Nevertheless, we have reached a point in time in our history where the people must take their destinies in their own hands. And, true to expectations, this political dispensation have proven to be the most auspicious time for such decisive actions. It is indeed Nigeria’s turning point. By all intents and purposes, we could point to the fact that political apathy, complacency and docility became a thing of the past. Many seemed to have keyed to the fact that political participations is very important, as politics and leadership choices matters as well as determines what happens in the other areas of life. This was the mindset with which, upon perceiving their choice leader, an organic birthing, growth and unimaginable spread came to be with the Obidient movement, in an unprecedented yearning for a Peter Obi presidential actualization. The Obidients powered and electrified the whole campaign efforts through rallies that took place across the whole states of the federation and the FCT. Indeed, it was a redefining style of campaigns. The hope of Nigerians for a new beginning was very much hinged on Peter Obi ascending to power. His style of politics became the craving of Nigerians. A man that detested the transactional politics that have become our lot surely couldn’t be less fancied. Nigerians were convinced beyond reasonable doubts that a sent one has been discovered.
Why was there so much craving for Peter Obi? Obviously, his leadership antecedents stood him aside. He is a first in so many good things. As a former two-time governor of Anambra state (Southeast Nigeria), his service records revealed a lot of what Nigeria needed at this point in time to take us out of the present economic quagmire we are in. His nature of unbeatable frugality, prudence, and fiscal discipline is amazing and a much needed quality at this point in time. He is also known to be a man of honesty and integrity. As a two time governor of Anambra state, he got impeached due to matters that ended up proving him as non corruptible. So clean is his record that in the course of the electioneering campaigns, he challenged anyone to bring up any report against him in anyway, and that he would end his ambition if any such thing existed. We are still waiting.
Beyond his proven records of honesty, transparency, prudence and all other good qualities, he remains arguably, the only candidate that passed the test of four C’s, namely; competence, capacity, character and compassion. These are qualities that are not easily found in one person, and so, once it is spotted, it should and must be harnessed. Fortunately, it has been harnessed in the overwhelming votes for Peter Obi on the 25th of February, 2023, though the mandate is now a subject of court processes. Nigerians, irrespective of the outcomes of the elections deserve very outstanding commendations. Their determination to retire all politicians who have consistently made life miserable could not have been less than desired.
Though it is undeniable that there were high level manoeuvring and abandonment of the expected course that depicted audacity of electoral travesty, yet peace must be employed in the pursuit of justice over the issue. The courts of the land is now vested with the powers to do or undo, and it is only hoped that everyone involved at that level takes cognisance of the fact that certain things are too visible that even the blind sees them. Besides, it must also be understood that the people cannot be taken for granted. We are certainly in a revolution and it has been achieved through the revolutionary votes for Peter Obi, in an effort to reposition the nation’s leadership for purposeful governance. We must not allow the peaceful disposition of Nigerians that have been occasioned by the charges on them to become a subject to be nullified by them. Revolutions must not be allowed to degenerate to needless protests, destructions and negative outcomes. The path of peace to which the greater number of Nigerians have been made to embrace must be held sacrosanct, and this is by doing the right thing at the right time. There is no alternative to peace.
As we look forward to the Governorship and House of Assembly elections, Nigerians must show that they are consistent in their resolve to enthrone governance that is people oriented. It must not end with the Obidients principal, Peter Obi. It is very needful that those with very poor instincts to good governance be flushed out, especially those operating from the two political parties (APC, PDP) that have held Nigeria and Nigerians to the jugular. For the emerging new Nigeria to be made possible, a crop of people with the mind of service needs to be empowered. The only way to achieve this, is for the consolidation of the revolutionary votes that made it possible for Peter Obi to be the undeclared president in waiting. The projection by the political class that the ‘steam of the Obidients’ would easily run out must be proven wrong. As it is now, the political tsunami that played out, which ensured the retirement of State Governors seeking to consolidate their hold on governance by making the senate their retirement ground, need be replicated at state levels. We cannot afford to have people whose mindset remains to exploit the citizens in power. The essence of seeking political power is to serve, and anything short of that won’t be accepted. This is the time to introduce new people in our polity, and only those that can share Peter Obi’s dreams must be empowered.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Uwayah, a public affairs commentator, writes from Edo State.
Email: csuwayah@gmail.com
