On 29th May, 2019, a change of guard was effected in the leadership of some states in the federation. With this development, many who once traversed the political landscape of the country as some lords of the manor suddenly realized the ephemeral nature of political power. If only men recognize that tomorrow will come, they would be cautious in the way they handle today.
One thing that is quite puzzling is the mind-set of most political office holders while in office. They seem to forget that political office, like political power that births it, is transient. No sooner have some of them assumed office than they begin to act in manners contrary to the expectations of the people whose interest they are supposed to protect.
One remembers, with regret, the utterance of a particular minister, in the dark days of military rule, to the effect that telephones are not meant for the common men. Contrary to his claim, both the common and the uncommon are today proud owners’ of mobile handsets among other forms of communication. Ironically, the same man that demonstrated such disdain towards the common men, once, occupied a very sensitive post in the polity!
If only they would learn from history, public office holders should always view their appointments strictly as an opportunity to leave indelible footprints on the sand of time. They should take their appointments as a privileged opportunity to serve their people and fatherland.
Read Also: Rage of Nigerian youth and the people’s power
Ideally, the ultimate purpose of political power is to shape and control public policy primarily for the betterment of the society. This viewpoint is reinforced by the conviction of American Baptist Minister and Civil-Rights Leader, Martins Luther King that power is a moral instrument needed to uphold justice and fairness in the society. To this end, Martins Luther King once declared: “I am not interested in power for power’s sake, but I’m interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.” By alluding to the moral perspective of power, King was simply emphasizing justice and fairness as the fundamental basis of true political power.
In his famous book, ‘1984’, English novelist, essayist and critic, George Orwell was, perhaps, inadvertently referring to the power perception of the average Nigerian political power actor when he stated that: “the Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power, pure power. Power is not a means; it is an end. The object of power is power.” How awful!
Without doubt, the picture of political power actors painted above by Orwell, to a great extent, perfectly describes the power image of a typical Nigerian political power actor. Orwell’s reference to pure power could be interpreted to mean absolute power. In this clime, pure power stands for various things ranging from liberty to drive against traffic, in utter disregard for traffic laws, to condoning off a whole city because of a ‘powerful’ political power actor.
Late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, once revealed that he was always studying late into the night in search of solutions to the myriads of problems confronting the country while some of his contemporaries were partying away in the dead of the night. It is because leaders with adequate preparation for the rigorous demand of power are in short supply in the country that we have been moving in circles for long.
A former governor once complained that he couldn’t deliver democratic dividends in his state because of dearth of fund. Well, Mr. Governor, part of your duties in power is to creatively device means of stepping up the revenue base of your state. Ironically, the same Governor fought tooth and nail to secure re-election for a second term in a state where there was no fund to actualise his electoral promises. Despite being located in a desert, Israel remains self-sufficient in food production. This was achieved through the creative use of power.
This is the time for our new crop of political leaders across the country to uphold the right concept of power for the good of the society. This is also the time for the followers to ask questions of their leaders. Government does not exercise power; rather, it is the concept of government, upheld by law, which exercises power. Democracy will be endangered when political power actors assume that they wield power, and not, that power wields them.
In the meantime, it is important that new leaders in the country’s political landscape understand that only God is constant. Whatever position anyone finds himself in the political space is temporary.Humility remains key in every human endeavour. That you are privileged to occupy a revered seat of influence is an act of grace, not that you are the best in the race. One day, you would live that position and become history. As Williams Shakespeare puts it: “All the world’s a stage and the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances.”
Ogunbiyi is of the Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.
