STRIKER: For A Party That Is No Private Property
There is a consuming poverty ravaging the souls of Nigerians, especially the rank and file of those involved with politics; and it is simplistic to attribute it to hunger and chronic material deprivation widespread in the land.
A political Party is supposed to be an assemblage of members who have similar vision and an action plan for a better society than what currently is. It is among these members that leaders of the party emerge through dedication and sacrifices in pushing forwards the manifestoes of the party and placing them in good standing in their quest for power and government.
This is far from the case in Nigeria. Parties have become the private properties of select “founders” and power mongers; in the big parties, basicallythe properties of the men and women with the big money. As private properties, they are now managed for private interests by the cult of stakeholders and associates of the imperial money lords of the parties: no room for debates, no room for questions or contrary views, and no room for internal democracy – it is obedience of the last given order.
The rank and file are played as pawns in the power game, and for the crumbs from the masters’ tables they are happily compliant and ready to insult, curse and even harm anyone standing for propriety and democratic proceeding. In or out of power– at local, state or national level – there are only few exceptions to this ugly party trend.
Of course, concrete issues of prevalent poverty, hardship, misery and ignorance have to be fought with concrete means. Nevertheless, the job is clearly cut out for Nigerian patriots, be they active in politics or not, to imbue the people – democracy being all about the people – with fresh and uplifting ideals on nobility and supremacy of the party (through intensive informal education).
Parties MUST be organised on the basis of manifestoes, constitution, code of conduct, INTERNAL DEMOCRACY, self-sacrifices for the pursuit of its manifestoes, and accountability from one and all – from the highest leadership to the lowest office manager.
Once the parties are in bad standing – in principles and practise – nothing good can be expected from any government they form as is CLEARLY SEEN FROM PARTIES SINCE 1999 (with only flashes of exception here and there); and, unfortunately, the only way to power and constituting government today in Nigeria is ONLY throughPARTY politics.
Rather than obsession with self-centred ideals (money politics, money CSOs and NGOism, religious and ethnic extremism, ritualism and violent crime), the active leadership and patriots among the youths have their duties spelt out for them as things stand today – to propagate and mobilise around refreshing, uplifting ideals as concrete tools for redemptive actions, while sustaining their interest in productivity (engagement in deliverable goods and services) as the noble and sustainable path to wealth and wellbeing, and supporting parties that are not dictatorial private businesses of moneybags.
We don’t have to go as far away as Nkrumah, Cabral and Nyerere. People like Awolowo, Aminu Kano, Enahoro and recently departed Ayo Adebanjo too (and many that space cannot permit mentioning) are not angels or super humans; they are simply selfless beings with humanistic ideals and disposition. They inspired and helped build political parties in the best tradition. Are there none in Nigeria anymore?
For activists, progressives and patriots across the land, and the people in general, the quote of the Avatar, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, while reflecting on how lowly the attitude of Nigerians has become, is worth repeating again and again:
“As long as Nigerians remain what they are, nothing clean, principled or ethical and idealistic can work with them. And Nigerians will remain what they are, unless the evils which now dominate their hearts, at all levels and in all sectors of our politics, business and governmental activities are exorcised. But I venture to say that they will not be exorcised, and indeed they will be firmly entrenched, unless God Himself imbues a vast majority of us with a revolutionary change of attitude to life and politics or, unless the dialectic processes which have been at work for some twenty years now, perforce, make us perceive the abominable filth that abound in our society, to the end that an inexorable abhorrence of it will be quickened in our hearts and impel us to make drastic changes for the better.”
He said this in 1986! We all need to take a hard look in the mirror and make the desired change! A word is enough for the wise.
The opinions expressed in this publication are solely those of the author. It does not represent the editorial position or opinion of OSUN DEFENDER.
