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What Nigerians Do Not Need Is A Military Coup, But A Revolution And Reformation Of Our Present Political System By Dr. Christopher Enakpene
The on-going hiccups amongst our political elites, the widespread dissatisfaction in the society and the uncertainty of the future of our political system and the seemingly retarded growth of our economy are part of the wind of change that are currently pervading the entire world, perhaps as part of our contemporary global evolution, but are not in any means indications of utter failure of our system. In times like this when there are accusations and counter-accusations amongst our political class, when the integrity of the rostrum of leadership is under attacks and facing credibility challenges, when the people are ready to down-tool at any slightest provocation and perceive misrule of our leaders, when the weak and the under-privilege people are completely neglected and also subjected to abject poverty, and the endurance and loyalty of the populac e are under severe strains and trials, the military junta seizing power can neither provide the necessary solution to all these quagmires nor unravelled the jinx-saw of the peculiarity of our situations.
The military should not just dare it to use these crises as excuses to stage a come-back to power because Nigerians have had enough of them. They held the country to ransom for close to 4 decades, plundered our resources and left us with only one legacy, which is corruption. Their financial recklessness, their strangulating economic policies, their annihilation of our socio-political class, their gross abuse of human right and other dehumanising activities that sent many of the best brains in Nigerian into self-imposed exile are the bane of our current predicaments. In sane societies unlike ours, nobody should grant audience to any of the past military leader of this country in regards to seeking a political post except for the purpose of inviting them to grace marriage ceremonies, lunching of books and fund-raising ceremonies to make them to put back to the system what they have stolen from us. Unfortunately, our society tends to adopt immorality as moral, sell their conscience for morsel of crisping naira notes and give credence to people with dishonest and questionable characters when it comes to choosing a leader.
It is becoming apparent that our problems are beyond religion bigotry, north or south dichotomy, political alliances, but simply the results of manipulations of some self-acclaimed mafias of Nigeria politics who benefit immensely from our present weak structures and heavily corrupted system, and want the status quo. Any attempts to delve into the secrecy of their evil intensions, to unveil their illegal business empires and loots, and to curtail their excesses are always met with stiff oppositions and turmoil. Anyway, we are not bothered by their antics to draw the hand of our clock back or act as cog in the wheel of progress of our great nation. I think Nigerians have come of age to know the differences between Kings Saul and David of our society, the Tyrants and the Meeks, those who seek political post to boost their curriculum vitae and personal aggrandisement rather than service to the people, the indolent and the performing leaders, the looters of our resources and the accountable and responsible leaders.
It still beat my imagination why every Tom. Dick and Harry are interested to occupy the Aso rock seat. What is most amazing is that those who have failed woefully to meet the aspiration of their electorates while occupying smaller positions are now seeking to occupy the rostrum position of leadership of our great nation. On a levelled ground when Nigerians are asked to choose their leader without rigging and intimidation, none of the current crop rogues who parade themselves as would-be president of our country would get a single vote even from the lunatics on our streets. We are tired of parading the same old faces in our politics for too long, and these are indices of corruption and impending doom to any society. Why do we continue to re-circulate the same people who have plugged our nation into both local and international disrepute? Is Nigeria short of genuine and sincere leaders that can steer and re-position our country to the path of righteousness and greatness? Why don’t we try people who have demonstrated good and honest leadership quality in their various endeavours? I think what we need now at this crucial time of our political history is men and women with credentials not those with “credit cards” that have little or nothing to offer to the teeming number of suffering Nigerians. I strongly believe that there are millions of credible Nigerians , whom when given the opportunity and favourable environment to operate will serve us better than the current political harlots who are determined to stay put in power as if it is their birth right. We still have honest and sincere leaders in the likes of governors Mar’zu of Bauchi, Tinubu of Lagos, Saraki of Kwara, Odilli of Rivers, Duke of Cross-Rivers, Gbenga Daniel of Ogun and Professor Dora A kinyuli, Chief Emeka Anyounku, rt. Col. Umar, rt Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, pastor Christian Okotie and Hon. Haruna Yerima who can move our country forward when given the opportunity to serve. Give Nigerians a credible leader, they we all follow him or her and forget everything about tribal, religion and regional sentiments.
To the Nigeria society, we cannot absorb ourselves of blames of the evils that have befallen us. At times, we yell only when we are affected. When other are crying of marginalisation and oppression, we do not sympathise with them because we are not directly affected. What moral justification has the Nigerians got to complain of the recent hike of petroleum products prices while the people whose land these products are being explored are subjected to abject penury? The reasons that make Nigerians have to request for oil subsidy because they are oil producing is the same that make Niger Delta to request for full resource control. If the Niger Delta people are being denied full control of what has used to bless their land, then Nigerians have not moral right to go on strike to demand for reducti on of fuel prices. If what is good for the geese is equally good for the ganders, then we should all bear the brunt of the hardship occasioned by the recent hike in oil prices. What is going on with our oil industries is part of the current global energy crisis even though it has resulted to huge income accruing to the federal government confer. A good government should put in place some emergency measures to buffer her citizens rather robbing them of their meagre income through imposition of high levy on what they produce.
I think the rift between the Mr President and his vice is a good omen to our nascent democracy. Let us not colour this scenario with tribal or religion interest, but let us view it in the perspective of finding a lasting solution to our political quagmire. Let the storm steer in our political class, and the result might be the best thing that has ever happened in our political history. There is no smoke without fire, the process of purification has started in our system and it is very a good sign that it has commenced from the head and then later spread to all sectors of our society.
Nigerians should shine their eyes very well and choose credible leaders in the next election rather than selling their conscience and birth right in the name of religion and tribal inclinations. Otherwise, we may mortgage the future of our children and our unborn generations just for morsel of bread, amala, garri, tiwo and crisp of naira notes.
Friedrich-Alexander Universitaet Frauenklinik, Universitaetsstr.21-23, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany.
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