It has started. Politics I mean. Not yet the jingles, not yet the campaigns, but the race has started. In earnest. You mean you have not noticed? I can't blame you because the way of the politician is deceptive and passeth all understanding. For those of us conversant with the mentality of the Nigerian politician, nothing is too sacred and nothing too base for them to do to achieve their goals. The house of God is patronised as much as the house of Satan. The politician can be found supporting one cause or the other in the church, attending church services in the full glare of the press and at night escape to the shanty, dark hut of the witch doctor throwing cowrie shells on the sand, trying to see tomorrow (apologies, Gabriel Okara).
The promises they made four years ago to provide pipe borne water, electricity, schools, health centres, you name it, could not be fulfilled because, "you know, there is economic downturn", The same politician who promised to turn water into wine during the campaigns. He also promised to provide air conditioners in all our streets! Now that elections are around the corner, these are being 'fulfilled' (how convenient!). So there is no more economic downturn? Can you not see the rush to complete roads? the rush to provide electricity? the rush to sink boreholes here and there? how about that bridge that one state governor and the man at the house of representative were struggling to take credit for? It was widely reported that there was a shouting match during the commissioning in a manner unbefitting for high government officials. Some witnesses swear that there was fisticuffs. Nigerian politicians! If I may digress, the 'affray' was needless. It would have made more sense if one party had gone to commission the bridge and left, and the other party goes to do their own commissioning with a fresh plaque beside the earlier plague. You see? The more the merrier! After all, if you listened to both parties, you will be led to believe that each party contributed to the successful (partial) completion of the project in equal measure; the only snag being that like cat and mouse, both big men cannot occupy the same space at the same time in their own state! Otherwise, it would have been a sweet joint commissioning. The battle for the soul of that state had begun in earnest.
Back from that digression, the year 2011 promises to be one hell of a year for Nigerians. For most states of the federation to abandon governance this early to pursue the politics of successions is very worrisome. It is more worrisome for those state governors who 2011 or not, are acquitting themselves creditably and credibly.Unlike other places where we see 'political' projects, these performing states started witnessing a sea change in the provision of amenities from the very onset of the government. Where there was no money, creative ways and means were sought and adopted to provide some level of acceptable social infrastructure. Internally generated revenue doubled and even tripled in those states. Citizens were educated as to their civic duties. They were made to understand that civic rights followed civic duties. And because they trusted their governments, the citizens cooperated and paid their taxes which the governments wisely deployed to VISIBLE and VERIFIABLE projects. Not white elephants. For such forward looking governments, the fear of electoral loss is not the drive to belatedly think about the welfare of their citizens. They saw their first term mandate as a contract that must be executed because they loved their citizens. They are truly committed to the welfare of their citizens. The privilege to serve was not lost on them. In other words, they did not seek power for the sake of flaunting power. They sought power because they MEANT to make a difference in the lives of their citizens. Even if such leaders are irreligious, they regard power as a sacred trust, a trust that must not be betrayed on the alter of primitive greed or unbridled corruption. We are proud of such governors. The sky can only be their limit.
As for the rest of the so-called leaders hell bent on capturing power whether they performed well or not, we sympathize with them. If the idea of One Man One Vote takes hold and is sustained throughout the elections of 2011, we shall have the political landscape littered with electoral casualties - their just reward for ineptitude, wickedness and crass opportunism.
No comments:
Post a Comment