We are indeed at the last lap of the race that started six years back, May 29 to be precise and as the race approaches conclusion, preparations are already on ground to establish another, not a mere race this time around as my arguments would find expressions of a battle ground to be established; a battle for power, not of any illusion, far from a fictitious war, nor an imaginary tug, but a real tussle, flex of muscles by truculent “Politrickcians” who are ready to muddle anything, anyone at the expense of their un-satisfactions of any decision or action taken and which affects their political career. The writing on the wall is clear, even an ignoramus can read and interpret the dangers; needless to say, this is a fact, a truism.
Back to 1999, when the elections was conducted, many people (including myself) thought that democracy would be transient, many were so pessimistic about its existence, the idea then was to give time a chance and that the military would surface again within months, not knowing specifically and this gave reasons why many where nonchalant as regards their franchise in respect of who to vote for. They never or did little scrutiny, investigation or interview on “ their candidates” who promised resurrecting the good old days when exchange rate was 75k to $1, when cocoa earned the more as a foreign exchange commodity, when civil servants earned reasonable income and cost of living was minimal, but when they came into office, they turned so perverse and felt good in their bigotry. We took the risk and voted in people who were thieves, rogues, good for nothing souls whose only belief was embezzlement of public funds meant for human, societal and physical development, we unanimously voted in people who were quacks in the political field, novices of human capital, resources and development; people who are politically incompetent.
We took the risk then and without much surprise to me, the outcome of our nonchalant-ness was a great pain in the heart for many average Nigerians. Though I take it as our fate rather than a mistake because there were many factors and conditions then that surrounded the possible outcome, existence or occurrence of democracy in Nigeria, the contingences were high then, but thank God two tenures is almost out and there is no going back. The risk we took then by jeopardizing our franchise paid badly, but there is a way out, the risks are negligible so we must remind ourselves that democracy was what we fought for one way or the other and we’ve got to get it. No soul must be allowed to squander our money, be it councilor, governor or senator. It’s high time we stopped them of doing whatever they like with our wealth for its got to be managed properly and effectively by competent hands. For those who don’t know, this country is rich, but it is poor because some group of people spend lavishly on our money, on the wealth of the nation; our sweat and it will continue to be poor and probably live abjectly in as much as incompetent and untruthful hands remain in power. The present and past events in the senate, reps, state and local levels are a justification of my words.
They have used
their time in office with all mediocrity, they have indeed transmuted democracy
and also contorted it, they are ever after their selfish megalomania and not
after our interest. Some had no challenging mission or vision; they saw nothing
and did nothing while in office other than fight over allocations meant for
physical and human development of the populace, needless to say, the senate
house, rep became a rendezvous for touts, looters, liars, thieves and rogues who
contentment is out of their reach.
We all have seen how
everything went, how the treasury was siphoned, the fun fair the senators,
governors, reps, local government chairmen and councilors had in their sinecure
and other self-protective laws made while in office and to my greatest
bewilderment, without any sign of remorse have the full effrontery to bid for a
second chance, term or whatever they call it, in spite of all their atrocities
committed, the wise ones amongst them are even trying to cover up their tracks.
These people are despicable.
We have seen
the good, bad and the ugly. Let us for the sake of our future and that of our
children elect good leaders into office. We need to check in them the qualities
a good leader most posses, their mission, vision and what they have for us.
Democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. We
elected them in so we have power over them, they should not be allowed to become
authoritarians or dictators. We have absolute control over them, which is our
vote. We must give our vote a meaning, it is our right, our conscience, our
position and say in any democratic society; our power. Most of them while in
office, having fun day in day out forget the fact that whatever starts must end
one day, no matter how long. The gluttonous ones find recourse to us, asking for
our vote again and this finds expressions in the power we have over them.
In the
langsyne, the evil men do live after them, but now the evil men do live with
them and after them for their children to share from their catastrophe(ies).
There is no gainsaying their dishonesty. We cannot deny that they are dishonest.
Many people have be come politicians overnight as a result of the “free time”
their predecessors had while looting the nations treasury, they also wanted to
have a fun-filled tenure at our own expense, but should we allow them? Many of
them claimed being an AWOite, ZIKite or a fellow of Tafawa Balewa. Times have
changed and that is history anyway or what does their claims have to do with the
situation on ground or have they done anything symmetry to what these people
have done? They are camouflages who want to take the glory of others, but be
wise and open your eyes wide. They are desperate to be in power by all means and
are ready to give in all what it takes to be in position, power, by every avenue
and at all cost. We have been hearing about the printing of fake ballot papers
and stockpiling of arms by politicians.
I tell you sincerely, this coming election would leave traces, memories of pain and anguish. It would inevitably make history in the life of Nigerians. As of now, the election is unpredictable anyway, just like a pregnancy, a boy or a girl nobody knows until it is delivered, but before birth, its sex can be known through scanning. So is the situation. I am neither a clairvoyant nor a sightseer but I have begun to feel the premonitions of how things would be then come April 2007. The year 2007 is two solid years away from now, 730 days way, but most of them are out on the streets now campaigning their lives out. What ensued of recent in Ogun State betweent Gov. Gbenga Daniel (OGD) and Dipo Dina (DD Direct) is a clear _expression of my feelings. Most of them now operate with labels; OGD, DD, SIA e.t.c.Like bakery labels defining their brands.
Without quibbling,
the context remains “the struggle for power, our fate, our future”. Our future
and that of our children is ours to decide, but if we decide to take risk again
and give power to those who contentment is out of their reach, then the unborn
child would bite his fingers, course us and lament on an unpromising life that
awaits him.
Oladapo Augustine,