STRIKER: A Nation Where Aberrations Reign

“THE Nigerian Factor,” is a phrase that almost all of us are familiar with. As “Opposite Peoples,” apologies to Fela Anikulapo Kuti, we have moved from small blemishes condoned to life in a galaxy of psychosis. We were well warned of the impending doom that tolerance of a wayward life can lead us to as a people but we were too carried away to listen. Quiet apart from auguries in popular music, especially by Fela Anikulapo, we have the Avatar himself, Chief Obafemi Awolowo on record saying in 1986, “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.”

Everywhere you look, within communities, social groups, professional associations, etc, what you see are errors, errors, errors, in the way things are done, with calamitous consequences that push society further into the black hole of doom. Talk of trade unionism, students’ unionism, the Ivory Towers, the civil service, the Holy (religious) places, the Palaces of traditions, e.t.c, it is same of the same rot; we should not ever go to administration at motor parks!

However, since politics determines everything else, let us limit our short examinations to the hygiene (or lack of it) in the political space for reasons of space. Politics, which is supposed to be “activities associated with governance of a country or area” for the guarantee of rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” of the people has in Nigeria become the quickest avenue to personal enrichment. Political parties have become the vehicles for moneybags to conspire to grab power in a do-or-die exercise. Mere councillorship aspiration to “represent” the best interests of the people of a Ward has become a multimillion naira endeavour.

Dwight Eisenhower said, “If a political party does not have its foundation in the determination to advance a cause that is right and that is moral, then it is not a political party; it is merely a conspiracy to seize power.” That concisely captures the state of political parties in Nigeria – no ideology, no manifestoes, and no internal democracy.

Since politics determines all other aspects of life, it is no wonder then that the governance, the economy and social life consequent upon a politics not rooted in any determination to advance a cause that is right or moral, has propelled Nigeria to the edge of the precipice.

However, it is the people, the majority, that have a case to answer as to how their politics has wandered into the wilderness of self-service at the detriment of public good. Poverty and widespread ignorance are enemies of common sense. Nevertheless, enlightened self interest should sufficiently prevail amongst the majority to make them rethink a political system heavily rigged against “life more abundant for the majority.” If for 23 years since 1999 they have tasted the bitterness of tribulation in the hands of the major political parties and their henchmen, who crisscross the parties at will, then it must occur to the majority to interrogate the entire process beyond being made pawns in repeated elections that merely change government officials.

More fundamentally, the people, the majority must interrogate their moral standing; social commitment versus selfish interest; sense of duty and sacrifice; patriotism; then if the score is low, the soul-searching must lead into individual redemptive changes that can then be marshalled within their social organisations (Students, Labour, CSOs, Cultural, Social, Community, Trade associations, etc) for mighty opposition to all exploitative and oppressive systems pushing their country towards Armageddon. The earlier we all realise that self-help, indifference, capitulation, or Japa is no solution, the better.