SPEAK, GEJ, SPEAK!

It is almost becoming a norm around developed and developing countries especially those that have a relatively stable democracy to have contestants appear on TV programmes to articulate their manifestos and also convince the electorate on the need to vote in a particular direction.
I am not so versed with democracies around the world; I may begin to consider taking a second degree in International Relations and History to balance that aspect of my life; I am however comfortable with my knowledge of the Nigerian brand of democracy and have a fair idea of its slips. A particular trend I have observed in our own kind of democracy is that political parties don’t necessarily make people; individuals stand out to prove whether or not to they are fit to hold any given office save rigging and other induced electoral anomalies.

Let me in passing cite the gubernatorial debate held at the Muson centre yesterday March 2nd, 2011 as an instance, beyond the respective party each individual represented, most comment and reactions that have trailed the debate have mentioned more of individual names that parties. It is therefore not enough to be a member of PDP, ACN, ANPP, CPC or whatever it is the party is called but being a clearheaded person. The ability to demonstrate administrative acumen, leadership skills and the understanding of the servant leader concept of governance would to a large extent speak more volume than the colours of your party.
Even at the level of students’ union elections in Nigerian universities, that of OAU, I am so sure of, debates are specially held for contestants well before the elections. The essence of this is to allow for the electorate to have a first hand idea of how grounded their aspiring leaders are. You, as an aspirant, would not be expected to know everything you are asked; that confirms the human aspect of you, but certain questions should be considered a piece of cake for any man who under whatever guise is being slated for elective posts.
I would not expect to see a contestant dumbfounded when asked how he intends to combat poverty or job creation; it has nothing to do with the number of books one has read but so much more with how aligned is has been with issues bothering on people’s welfare. That way, a man can represent his own ideas and opinions, merge same with the overall party agenda if any truly exists and then put forth a pragmatic road map we can fairly call manifesto.
As usual, so many organisations would come up with time table for debates at different level but trust Nigerians; we know which of these different debates to watch out for. By chance, NN24 seem to have won the heart of many Nigerians and we can’t but wait to see our four major presidential candidates slug it out on issues of national and international interest.
May I quickly add that, the outcome of the debates may not necessarily determine the eventual winner of the elections but it guides people’s decisions. This in my own idea of a people oriented democracy.
What then could be so mischievous in the eyes of the Jonathan-Sambo campaign organisation that they are threatening not to participate in the debates slated for March 8 and 18? Such stance would only further confirm the mediocrity that pervades the camp.
The representative of PDP, Dr. Doyin Okupe, made two very interesting demands; that the advance copy of questions be made available to candidates. It also requested an outright stoppage of the studio audience from posing questions to the candidates.
Do I have to say anything more on these? Really I should not and I want to guess you understand why.

Whatever the suspicion is, one thing that comes to my mind is that the hardest question to field is that to which its answer is obvious.
There is nothing democratic about demanding that people are not allowed to talk or ask questions. Where is the place of accessibility and accountability?
To demand an advance copy of the questions is in itself a reflection of how shallow our leaders are. Within the context of grammar, I have always asked if it would be right to refer to our own David Mark or Iyiola Omisore as a Senator if the like of John McCain is also referred to as a Senator in the United States. The gap is wide and almost irredeemable.
We have built our leadership structure of sheer show of masculinity and material strength way ahead of intelligence, selflessness, ideology clear-headedness, nobility, and local content. The person who in my opinion stands the greatest chance to hold the floor and spend so much time talking is President Jonathan being the incumbent; sadly, their fears are far from academic but performance related.
The whats, whys and hows that would trail the very many inflated and bogus contracts, judicial recklessness, abuse of office, insecurity, unemployment and wasteful spending is what stands between Mr. President and attending the debate without a fore knowledge of the questions.
Mr. President would rather hide behind his still profile picture on facebook than meet with us and debate with other contestants.
I am not so very disappointed; I have known this long before now what problems we have with our current President. My shame lies solely in the fact that while we are battling the menace of examination malpractice and favouritism in job interviews, our own Jonathan-Sambo camp are openly aligning with this decay. The same way they celebrated Bode George.
In conclusion, this is my verdict, it is better to keep silent and let people guess whether you are a fool or not than speak and clear their doubts. Mr. President and his boys are taking a clinically deft decision to conceal something that would in the final analysis embarrass the country and the good people therein.
On page 1 of the Tribune of June 14, 1958, the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo said, ‘Democracy demands that the truth be told always. Charlatans and Saints should be called by the proper names.
God Bless Nigeria...

A CLEAR TOMORROW

A short while after the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt plus the ripple effects across the Arab world, so many people have mouthed the possibility of same happening in Nigeria. Some I have heard and ignored, some I have debated the possibilities.

I have previously mentioned that there are lessons to learn from these events; one of such lessons which may appear irrelevant is that there is a proof that such movement can be built. A fact that people can actually rise against their leaders and make demands way beyond the imaginations of the leaders has been proven.

This particular piece is informed by a quick succession of events in the last one week and I just have this feeling that some reference be made to them for the benefit of history. I actually have written about one but its relevance has made it yet another issue to be mentioned.

Bode George’s return from prison above all things confirms his status as an ex-convict who in my humble opinion should still be held in close doors to help him properly reintegrate into the system he left two years ago.

His return and the fiesta that greeted it would not have bothered me if I were to consider only the old men and women who were mobilised to dance around with an ex-convict. They, the old folks, are a clear representation of how they spent their youthful days; hence, the provider of the red oil and salt that has been sustaining them sure deserves a welcome. I am less concerned about the rented thugs, that is about what they are alive doing.

If for any reason, I would have to think about revolution, these set of people would not even cross my mind as comrades. I have never mistaken joining issues with them; it would end up leaving a bitter taste in one’s mouth and amount to sheer waste of time and human resources.
My pain is informed by the set of people who have a semblance of what could be readily transformed into future leaders also joining this shameful dance in public glare.

One major prerequisite of revolution is a people bound by a collective aspiration whose energy is fuelled by the government’s irresponsibility and goal is guided by the belief they share. A people not bothered by colour, accent or ethnical divide. A people singing the same chorus even at the point of death, yet marching ahead. Sadly, that is not what we are. As a matter of fact, we are all that is anti-revolution. So, thinking of Egypt, Tunisia or Libya and at the same time thinking Nigeria is scoring low the ideologies and resolution of these great people of history.
I have seen young men of sane mind defend the celebration of Bode George’s return and that to me tilts our future to the rotten end of the lever. Every man has his right to opinions but certain things would just not need extra explanation before it is hastily wrapped and dumped into the trash can of history. This is another challenge for those who have long abandoned participation and allowed shenanigans to take the stage and call the shots.

President Jonathan Goodluck for the record time has shown afterall that he doesn’t stand for anything in particular. This is a man who would argue he wants to combat corruption celebrating corruption. Bode George in his words has attended the University of Life, referring to his experience behind bars and it is only reasonable to expect he gets a certificate from the President in form of a state pardon so that he might again be put in an office.

This cycle is almost as sure as tomorrow’s sunrise, what manner of future then are we looking at, why do we have to fold our arms and make these individuals take us for a ride?
What sensible leader would choose to hold a rally on a working day like Tuesday? Of course, a leader that knows he has enough unemployed youths to mobilise. Both the ACN who held some form of rally at the following centres; Teslim Balogun Stadium, Volkswagen, Gbagada and Agege Stadium and PDP, who chose Tafawa Balewa Square, are culpable. It is a reflection of insensitivity.

They wouldn’t have expected lawyers who had one or two matters in court or doctors who should be checking on patients or even artisans whose workshop are busy to grace those rallies. They had a clear understanding of the character of people attending.

Traffic diversion was enforced and a major part of the road cordoned because Mr. President was going to drive through those roads. While I have great regards for security protocols, I feel they should be observed when appropriate and not when GEJ is coming to celebrate Bode George. I am not sure Mr. President has an idea of how much man hours he wasted today in Lagos as a result of traffic and its attendant implication on the country’s GDP, I can bet he doesn’t.
We have to make a decision as to what kind of future we intend to set for our children. It is quite clear that the gains of doing the right thing may not necessarily be enjoyed by this generation but our names shall be written in the gold ink as people who stood by and for the truth.

We cannot pretend all is well when it’s obviously not. Mr. President should have spent time to visit hospitals to see his people dying as a result of poor facilities. He should have gone to schools to access the rot in the system. That is however not meant to be. All these have nothing to do with good luck but a strict sense of servant leadership and administration.
We also should not close our eyes to the fact that the current elitist civil rule would only pitch common men against one another doing the bids of the warlords. Let’s not be misled into the lies that one party is better off; individuals have to an appreciable extent been able to stand out and not parties.

Until elections and office holding in established based on merit and not material possessions, we can only talk and talk, change won’t come.
On the final note, I hope to once again emphasise that what would solve the Nigeria problem of unemployment, insecurity, lack of infrastructures, lack of qualitative delivery health care services and all others has nothing to do with good luck but pragmatic programs that represent truly the thinking process of our leaders and not the over plagiarised booklet they call manifestoes.

With these crop of people warming up to continue ruling, we should by now have a clear picture of what out tomorrow would be.

For me and those who care to listen, it is NO WAY TO FRAUD AND POWER ABUSE.

God bless Nigeria.

STOP PRESS:

I saw a poster along CMS/Apogbon tagging Bode George the Joseph of our time. Are we now not sure how much trouble we are in?