• Politics, ideally, is the tool through which we structure ourselves as groups and societies, which also govern every aspect of life…
• But in the Nigerian situation, there is a whole lot of dynamics of the sort of politics we practice here, which has made the people to be, and remain on the ‘losing side’ in the nation’s political and electioneering processes…
• Nigeria is a country where tribe/ethnicity and religion have become the deciding factors that determine the rulership/political leadership direction…and where money is recognized more than any political ideology…
•Our Nigerian-styled of Presidential System of government, which is so expensive to maintain and encourages corruption, was structured to keep credible people away/out of their reach, so that the ‘political crooks’ would remain and be recycled within the country’s political space…
I recently saw a short TED Talk video delivered by a young lady whose name was not mentioned, on the reason why politics exists in the first place, and why everyone should be interested in politics and as an active participant. The lady practically spoke the truth about the ideology behind politics in every society, and its importance in the life of every member of that society. While a lot was said, but to me, most of the things said can only apply in an ideal society that truly understands what politics is all about, and not in a country like Nigeria whose idea of politics is simply out of this world.
According to the lady in the TED Talk: “Can you really afford not to be interested, or not participate in politics? Politics is not only activism. It’s awareness, it’s keeping ourselves informed, it’s caring for the facts. When it’s possible, it’s casting a vote. Politics is the tool through which we structure ourselves as groups and societies. Politics governs every aspect of life, and by not participating in it, you are literally allowing other people to decide on what you can eat, wear, if you can have access to health care, free education, how much tax you pay, when you can retire, what is your pension.
“Other people are also deciding on whether your race and ethnicity is enough to consider you a criminal, or if your religion and nationality is enough to put you on a wanted list. We need to teach people at an early age about decision-making and how to be part of it. Every family, is its own mini-political system that is usually not democratic, because parents make decisions that affect all members of the family, while the kids have very little to say.
“Similarly, politicians make decisions that affect the whole nation, while the people have very little to say in them. My proposal and advice is, try out the family democracy meeting system, because that will enable your kids to exercise their decision making from a very early age. If you include your kids in the family conversations, they will grow up and know how to participate in political conversations. And most importantly, they will help others engage.”
While a lot of what she said is true about politics, and why every member of society should directly or indirectly participate in it to shape that society in a desired direction. But in the Nigerian situation, there is a whole dynamic of the sort of politics we practice here, which has made the people to be, and remain on the ‘losing side’ in the nation’s political and electioneering processes. For one, Nigeria is a country where tribe/ethnicity and religion have become the deciding factors that determine the rulership/political leadership direction.
Nigeria has been turned into a nation where people’s votes do not really count in the election of desired politicians that they believe would bring about the needed change. In Nigeria’s politics, money is recognized more than any political ideology. Nigeria has become a place where the good virtues of hard work, integrity and honesty, have given way and replaced with easy disturbing practices and easy access to public money. So, the stated TED Talk is a commendable presentation, but which best applies to ideal situations where political leaders who truly understand what it means to SERVE, are elected to govern with their hearts and minds.
I have established before now that the observed voting pattern in Nigeria, is never really about who will lead well, or who actually has what it takes to deliver good governance in the interest of the general populace. The voting pattern is about who is our brother/sister (from the same ethnicity or religious background), or who is our Oga/boss (from who all sorts of goodies and monetary gains are expected to flow). Some even vote because it is either a ‘broom’ or an ‘umbrella’ – not because they know the character or the capacity of the politician in question. That is why the issue of ‘vote buying’ is very predominant in this part of the world.
The electorates are left to remain poor by the political class, so that during elections they can use monetary items as bait to have them vote according to their preferred pattern. That is the pathetic situation we find across the nation, especially in the rural areas. So, even when the people know within themselves that those vying for one political portfolio or the other, are of questionable characters and without integrity, they still blindly vote for them according to either of the described pattern above. What that leaves us with are political office holders who practically do not understand what it really means to serve the public. That is why all we have had, especially since the current democratic dispensation, are public office holders who are best described as ‘Public Masters’ and not ‘Public Servants’ like we see in developed societies.
The situation is even worse in the Southern parts of Nigeria, where everybody is more interested in – “what is in it for me”, than how others, and the society will be affected. In the South-South, the man aspiring to foot the bills of his followers and pay their rents, pay their medical bills, pay for the cost of vehicles maintenance, pay for the cost of fueling their cars, pay their children school fees, pay rents for them, give them monthly allowance and all that; is only interested in one thing – and that is gain political power by all means necessary. When the candidate eventually wins in an election, he will start taking bribes, kick back, steal public funds by all means – just to RECOUP all his expenses. So, such a politician cannot be advised or called to order, to lead well. This culture of the ‘public officers must settle’, has made nonsense of our political development and electioneering process. With such practices, there will not be evident performance and good governance.
The Nigerian Presidential System is not only too expensive to maintain, it also encourages corruption to thrive at a large scale. It has made politicians, to either borrow money or be sponsored by the few rich men and political fathers, who would obviously in turn want a double, or even triple of their so called ‘political investments’. At the end of the day, the prevailing governance and management/appropriation of our collective wealth as a people, are not channeled to address people-oriented needs but rather, the selfish needs and desires of these ‘political juggernauts’. In other words, our Nigerian-styled Presidential System of government was structured to keep credible people away/out of their reach, so that ‘political crooks’ would remain and be recycled within the country’s political space. We must stop the pretense and stop kidding ourselves – hoping that things will change. There is no way things can change if the current political structure and way of doing politics in the country does not change.
Politics in Nigeria has been turned into an ‘Enterprise’ of some sort and the Nigerian politicians are the Entrepreneurs. So, it will be difficult for us to have free and fair elections in the country. All we will keep having are people who would like to win elections by all means possible, and they really don’t care how they get to that public office. Let us not pretend about this. For it is the reality on ground. Do we call these Nigerian Politicians – Political Entrepreneurs or Political Investors?
Seriously, the cost implications of Nigeria’s type of democracy, has never done us any good as a developing nation. All we have seen is a widening great divide between the government and the governed; the poor and the rich; the haves and the have not. The enrichment of the few in government circles have made going to politics to seek for elective positions as a career; to be the surest and quickest way to instant wealth. Hence, the issue of ‘service’ does not come to mind by our ‘professional politicians.’ They are too busy filling their pockets and satisfying the interests of those that put them in power.
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes!