Nigerians will return to the polls this weekend for the general elections – that quadrennial ritual that ought to bring joy to the people, especially those voting for the first time, but has sadly become a nightmare to many. The elections have become so important to all Nigerians that almost everything else halts for it; not for its important role in their social welfare but for the nuisance that often surrounds it to pass. We will be voting for a new president on the 16thand governors at the following weekend of this month of February, as the present administration rounds off its rancorous first term of four year in offices.
This column has, for the past five years, consistently advocated, in the most apolitical style, the good of the SME sector and the important role, which microfinance could play in poverty reduction in particular and economic development in general. However, we realize that our efforts will come to naught if the political leaders continue in their woefully misguided self-seeking approach to governance. Without committed and competent men at the steering, nations surely fail, and our research and ideas for improving the public policy space in our country run aground. Accordingly, we dedicate this week’s work to the elections and urge every Nigerian to put away hate, tribe and self,in order to help elect leaders that will promote our collective good and not those of a few, based on primordial grounds.
Although the past few years have produced some performance realities that are as mixed as they are controversial, many Nigerians are still excited at the prospect of exercising their franchise at the coming elections, more for reasons of civic responsibility than the expectation of concrete national development. Nigerians have become aware, unhappily though, that concrete development because they have been sorely disappointed not just by any particular administration but the quality of leadership we have received.
Development, which is a generic term used to designate progress in every segment of human life, does not simply come from left or right. It is also not something that can be raked in with brooms, even giant brooms; nor is development a thing to be protected against rainwater by large roomy umbrellas. This is why some people strongly believe this election should not be fought on cult or party loyalty basis but on ideas, records and other attributes of the particular individuals flying the flags, despite the absence of independent candidates. The truth is that the almost 100 political parties in the country run on a common ideology – grab the treasury; however you can and sooner than later every other party will cross over to us. This is the so called Stomach Infrastructure Ideology.
Development, particularly of the sustainable variety, happens when men of sound character and great intellect pool their thinking capital together to deliver advances in the lives of their people. For starters, thinking men of great intellect are not usually afflicted by the disease of clan, tribe and primitive acquisition, which have sadly tended to characterise almost every member of the Nigerian ruling class. Thinking and committed men dedicate their lives, not to the advancement of their private estates and clans but to the national good. They see a picture bigger than the small river of extreme discretion, wealth and lack of accountability that has come to define leadership and public office in Nigeria.
In terms of accountability for election promises, Nigerians, once again, have the chance to punish politicians that have taken them for ride, over the past four years. Unfortunately most Nigerians are too illiterate to understand what the issues at stake are. They are also so poor and hungry that five hundred naira could mark,for them, the dividing line between life and death. And the politicians know this and have cashed in on it. Accordingly, politicians seeking public office tend to appear every four years with wads of notes to buy the conscience of the weak and poor people of the land.
Some people actually saw some of the change that was promised during the election that brought in the current administration. Such people feel included while others that have not seen any change feel excluded. That is the nature of politics and its many complications. Naturally, it is expected that there will be winners and losers, when elections hold. However, for a young country like ours, politics need not produce winners and losers. We all ought to win. A country of winners and losers cannot be a united country. Victory at the comingpolls should be victory for all Nigerians and not just a few. That way, the current and growing feeling of “we and them” will be doused.
Whoever wins this election to the highest office must listen to Nigerians. They are saying that he should veer off the current track that is widening the gap between Nigerians through divisive policies. Today, we are dealing with a new vocabulary in our lexicon known as hate speech. Hate speech in Nigeria, in my assessment, while it remains intolerable among civilized people, is the product of hate policies. Why do we suddenly hate ourselves; not on individual basis but along tribal lines? Government is busy warning those who might indulge in hate speeches as though it is a natural phenomenon that has come upon us like global warming. It is not. I believe it is poor government thinking and inequity that is pitching Nigerian tribes against one another. A family devoid of justice and equity is bound to raise the tempo of sibling rivalry. man who favours some of his children while disregarding others opens the favoured ones to jealousy and hate. Impunity and selective application of the federal character principle is also tonic for mutual hatred.
Poverty is rife in Nigeria but everybody knows that we have no business with poverty if we run our country well. Why do we say that poverty is scourge? It scorches the farm of every victim in the same manner, be they in Zamfara, Imo, Bayelsa or Ondo. Nigerians want an end to poverty and the fraudulent educational system that ensures that the larger part of our population remains illiterate. One politician onTV last week was so glad that most Nigerians cannot read and write, and as such cannot validly participate in an opinion poll. He therefore insisted that opinion polls in Nigeria are useless because only the urban dwellers that are a minuscule of the population take part. He showed no regret for the fact that many of our people have no telephones and internet as he gladly asserted. Shame on the leader who advances the ignorance of his followers to perpetuate himself.
This election is sadly between two parties and two people – Buhari and Atiku – two Fulani men. So the idea that one tribe hates the other and did not vote for their person does not arise. It therefore follows that all votes in this election should be cast on grounds other than tribe. That is good. The SME constituency is voting for end to unwarranted mass poverty. Between Buhari and Atiku is massive poverty claiming Nigerian lives. Nigerian will judge the winner and his party in four years’ time on how they handle the fact that Nigeria is the now the poverty capital of humanity. We must vote to end poverty at its current level in Nigeria. It is inhuman.
Emeka Osuji
