DELTA STATE CANNOT DEVELOP IF WE CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE UNREASONABLE 'EXPECTATIONS' OF THE PEOPLE ON THOSE ASPIRING FOR POLITICAL OFFICES
April 12, 2021 | News
I have severally noted that the root, and underlying factor on why Nigerian political leaders are not performing as they should, particularly those in the South-South States like Delta, is simply because of their insatiable GREED, which is also fueled by the unreasonable 'expectations' of the people who are also driven by their own Greed, and the love for living above their means.
DELTA STATE CANNOT DEVELOP IF WE CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE UNREASONABLE 'EXPECTATIONS' OF THE PEOPLE ON THOSE ASPIRING FOR POLITICAL OFFICES
I have severally noted that the root, and underlying factor on why Nigerian political leaders are not performing as they should, particularly those in the South-South States like Delta, is simply because of their insatiable GREED, which is also fueled by the unreasonable 'expectations' of the people who are also driven by their own Greed, and the love for living above their means. And because of these underlining factors, it is practically impossible for States like Delta State and others in Southern Nigeria, to attain any significant level of greatness and development to reckon with across the world, in years to come.
Recently, somebody told me of how a politician who is aspiring for a political office come 2023, is already currently buying brand new vehicles and distributing monies and freebies to some elites, local community stakeholders and grassroots leaders. This includes having the said politician taking care of their bills – from house rents, children school fees, feeding allowance to what have you.
Surprisingly, the same set of people are also busy discreetly collecting monies and Greek gifts from other politicians considered to be in the opposition.
Mind you, the 2023 general elections is still almost three years ahead, but these people with their unreasonable expectations, are already feeding fat from politicians who are apparently up to no good. That means, before the general elections, such politicians would have spent billions of Naira just to satisfy the ‘insatiable appetite’ of some of the elites and grassroots leaders. And I simply asked, if these politicians are seen to spend such huge amounts of money in other to stand a chance at getting the needed support to win elections and be in different political office positions, what do we expect these politicians to do once they get into office? The answer is obvious!
As we all know, the party primaries are usually won by buying over the party grassroots delegates, who now demand for money. I was told that a particular candidate of the ruling party in Delta state has bought twenty five fleets of Toyota Sienna busses, and four brand new Toyota Prado jeeps for some of his party delegates, and they are collecting huge amounts of money from their preferred governorship candidate. So, it is all about the highest bidder, and not what the aspirants will be able to deliver to improve the living standard of the people. How do you expect the politicians in power to perform if the delegates are collecting huge sums of money from the Governorship aspirants just to be voted as a governorship candidate to contest for governorship election? And this is just the beginning. The elites and grassroots politicians have no conscience and they have no right to complain of bad governance, poverty and lack of basic infrastructure.
In other words, we can say that the people themselves, who at the end of the day usually complain of bad governance in Delta State, are the major problem that have created the bad governance to thrive in the first place. Somebody once said: “If you have selfish, greedy and ignorant citizens - you’re going to get selfish, greedy and ignorant leaders. Nigeria (especially Delta State) cannot be great, until there is a total redirection of our mindset. Until then…!!”
As hard as that may sound, but that is the bitter truth and the reality we have to admit, and then sort to change this very unhealthy narrative, particularly in Delta State. Greed is the major driving force that is making 99% of Nigerian politicians in the State, want to occupy public office, not necessarily because they want to serve. But it is the surest and quickest means to become rich/wealthy overnight and stay rich. Hence, our elections in Delta State are usually the most violent that is ridden with all kinds of electoral malpractices. Some politicians, also pay attention to Area Boys/Miscreants/hoodlums/goons, whom they use for election periods to snatch ballot boxes and rig/manipulate election outcomes in their favour. And after elections, these politicians still keep these boys under their payroll as Personal Assistants, Senior Special Assistants and other kinds of undefined portfolios, including bouncers.
That is, on the one hand, pertaining to the state of mind, and how politics are played here by the typical politicians in this part of the country. Again, there is the issue of the outrageous and unreasonable 'expectations' of the people. Even once you are in government, the first set of people who are on your neck to sort out their every need, are your close family members, associates, friends, and of course, your kinsmen/ethnic stock – who glaringly expect you to do whatever that needs to be done to satisfy their own greed, often to the detriment of the overall good and development of all and sundry. It is sad that in Delta State, for any politician to stand a chance to becoming a Governor, such a politician must be ready to spend a lot of money because the locals 'expect' and demand that the aspiring candidate should put them on monthly salaries, pay the school fees of their children, buy them cars and also maintain such cars, have free access to the candidate’s house where they can meet daily to eat and drink, and so on. In some cases, people enter into an agreement with the aspiring candidates to make commitments of what to do for them even before they get into government; from contract patronage, building a house for them, to other unthinkable demands.
Without this, such a politician will not be liked and supported by many, and he/she will be considered as a bad candidate, regardless of whether the person has what it takes to perform or not. The people and elites are not even concerned if the person has what it takes to deliver as a governor. EVERYBODY IS MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT THEY WILL GAIN AND HOPE TO GAIN FROM AN ASPIRING POLITICIAN. So, at the end of the day, when the candidate eventually makes it into government, he has a lot of demands to meet on the one hand and also needs to recoup all that he has spent before getting into government. And at the same time, he needs to enrich himself, family and fronts, so as to live the wealthy life, and to remain in government space in the near and far future.
Of course, all of this is done to the detriment of the execution of needed infrastructural development in the State. Before you know it, four or eight years is gone, and another aspiring governorship candidate comes along, to repeat the same things his predecessor did, or something even worst. THAT IS WHY STATES LIKE DELTA, HAVE REMAINED THE WAY THEY ARE IN THE LAST TWO DECADES, DESPITE THE ENORMOUS WEALTH THAT COMES TO THE TREASURY OF GOVERNMENT AS REVENUES. Though, the situation is different in some of the States in the South-East for instance, where all that the people want there is a governor that will provide them with the needed infrastructure, which will help them go about their 'independent business hustling', however, they equally have their own kind of Greed running through their blood. But in the South-East, nobody is really after what they will gain from an aspiring candidate as we see here in Delta State. Not that this practice is completely absent there, but it is not as prevalent as it is in this part of the country. And that is why they have been able to produce some of the best governors in the country, who are prudent in the management of State funds to execute visible infrastructural projects. Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, and the current Ebonyi State Governor, David Umehi, are very good example of what I am saying.
Beyond these droplets of examples, the underlining factor of Greed, is responsible for all the woes we can think of in Delta State in the last two decades or so. And until we address the level of insatiable Greed amongst us as a people in Delta State, and indeed the entire country, we would remain grossly underdeveloped and lacking behind others like us across the country and the globe, whom we are well-endowed more than in terms of natural and human resourcefulness. So, before our people start crying of ‘bad governance, they should be mindful of the actions they are taking today with politicians that are aspiring for one post or the other as we build-up to 2023.
The people, which includes the elites, the grassroots leaders of the major political parties, and the community locals, are the ones encouraging the politicians to loot the State's treasury. And by so doing, they are the ones indirectly responsible for the evident bad governance in the State. This is because they demand for so much money from the aspiring political candidates. So, they are the ones pushing the politicians to loot. If the aspiring politicians spend so much to be elected, what will be used for infrastructural development of the state if they eventually enter Government House as governor? They must recoup their expenses when voted in as governor, and they must surely loot to cover up what the elites, grassroots leaders and locals have taken from them. The truth must be told, no governor or president can perform in this situation. When they visit these political aspirants, and about to go, they will ask for fuel money to fuel the vehicle that the same politician has bought for them. Does that make sense? This practice has become an official criteria which any aspiring candidate must accept and do, before you will be considered serious.
Zik Gbemre.
April 12, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
I have severally noted that the root, and underlying factor on why Nigerian political leaders are not performing as they should, particularly those in the South-South States like Delta, is simply because of their insatiable GREED, which is also fueled by the unreasonable 'expectations' of the people who are also driven by their own Greed, and the love for living above their means. And because of these underlining factors, it is practically impossible for States like Delta State and others in Southern Nigeria, to attain any significant level of greatness and development to reckon with across the world, in years to come.
Recently, somebody told me of how a politician who is aspiring for a political office come 2023, is already currently buying brand new vehicles and distributing monies and freebies to some elites, local community stakeholders and grassroots leaders. This includes having the said politician taking care of their bills – from house rents, children school fees, feeding allowance to what have you.
Surprisingly, the same set of people are also busy discreetly collecting monies and Greek gifts from other politicians considered to be in the opposition.
Mind you, the 2023 general elections is still almost three years ahead, but these people with their unreasonable expectations, are already feeding fat from politicians who are apparently up to no good. That means, before the general elections, such politicians would have spent billions of Naira just to satisfy the ‘insatiable appetite’ of some of the elites and grassroots leaders. And I simply asked, if these politicians are seen to spend such huge amounts of money in other to stand a chance at getting the needed support to win elections and be in different political office positions, what do we expect these politicians to do once they get into office? The answer is obvious!
As we all know, the party primaries are usually won by buying over the party grassroots delegates, who now demand for money. I was told that a particular candidate of the ruling party in Delta state has bought twenty five fleets of Toyota Sienna busses, and four brand new Toyota Prado jeeps for some of his party delegates, and they are collecting huge amounts of money from their preferred governorship candidate. So, it is all about the highest bidder, and not what the aspirants will be able to deliver to improve the living standard of the people. How do you expect the politicians in power to perform if the delegates are collecting huge sums of money from the Governorship aspirants just to be voted as a governorship candidate to contest for governorship election? And this is just the beginning. The elites and grassroots politicians have no conscience and they have no right to complain of bad governance, poverty and lack of basic infrastructure.
In other words, we can say that the people themselves, who at the end of the day usually complain of bad governance in Delta State, are the major problem that have created the bad governance to thrive in the first place. Somebody once said: “If you have selfish, greedy and ignorant citizens - you’re going to get selfish, greedy and ignorant leaders. Nigeria (especially Delta State) cannot be great, until there is a total redirection of our mindset. Until then…!!”
As hard as that may sound, but that is the bitter truth and the reality we have to admit, and then sort to change this very unhealthy narrative, particularly in Delta State. Greed is the major driving force that is making 99% of Nigerian politicians in the State, want to occupy public office, not necessarily because they want to serve. But it is the surest and quickest means to become rich/wealthy overnight and stay rich. Hence, our elections in Delta State are usually the most violent that is ridden with all kinds of electoral malpractices. Some politicians, also pay attention to Area Boys/Miscreants/hoodlums/goons, whom they use for election periods to snatch ballot boxes and rig/manipulate election outcomes in their favour. And after elections, these politicians still keep these boys under their payroll as Personal Assistants, Senior Special Assistants and other kinds of undefined portfolios, including bouncers.
That is, on the one hand, pertaining to the state of mind, and how politics are played here by the typical politicians in this part of the country. Again, there is the issue of the outrageous and unreasonable 'expectations' of the people. Even once you are in government, the first set of people who are on your neck to sort out their every need, are your close family members, associates, friends, and of course, your kinsmen/ethnic stock – who glaringly expect you to do whatever that needs to be done to satisfy their own greed, often to the detriment of the overall good and development of all and sundry. It is sad that in Delta State, for any politician to stand a chance to becoming a Governor, such a politician must be ready to spend a lot of money because the locals 'expect' and demand that the aspiring candidate should put them on monthly salaries, pay the school fees of their children, buy them cars and also maintain such cars, have free access to the candidate’s house where they can meet daily to eat and drink, and so on. In some cases, people enter into an agreement with the aspiring candidates to make commitments of what to do for them even before they get into government; from contract patronage, building a house for them, to other unthinkable demands.
Without this, such a politician will not be liked and supported by many, and he/she will be considered as a bad candidate, regardless of whether the person has what it takes to perform or not. The people and elites are not even concerned if the person has what it takes to deliver as a governor. EVERYBODY IS MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT THEY WILL GAIN AND HOPE TO GAIN FROM AN ASPIRING POLITICIAN. So, at the end of the day, when the candidate eventually makes it into government, he has a lot of demands to meet on the one hand and also needs to recoup all that he has spent before getting into government. And at the same time, he needs to enrich himself, family and fronts, so as to live the wealthy life, and to remain in government space in the near and far future.
Of course, all of this is done to the detriment of the execution of needed infrastructural development in the State. Before you know it, four or eight years is gone, and another aspiring governorship candidate comes along, to repeat the same things his predecessor did, or something even worst. THAT IS WHY STATES LIKE DELTA, HAVE REMAINED THE WAY THEY ARE IN THE LAST TWO DECADES, DESPITE THE ENORMOUS WEALTH THAT COMES TO THE TREASURY OF GOVERNMENT AS REVENUES. Though, the situation is different in some of the States in the South-East for instance, where all that the people want there is a governor that will provide them with the needed infrastructure, which will help them go about their 'independent business hustling', however, they equally have their own kind of Greed running through their blood. But in the South-East, nobody is really after what they will gain from an aspiring candidate as we see here in Delta State. Not that this practice is completely absent there, but it is not as prevalent as it is in this part of the country. And that is why they have been able to produce some of the best governors in the country, who are prudent in the management of State funds to execute visible infrastructural projects. Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, and the current Ebonyi State Governor, David Umehi, are very good example of what I am saying.
Beyond these droplets of examples, the underlining factor of Greed, is responsible for all the woes we can think of in Delta State in the last two decades or so. And until we address the level of insatiable Greed amongst us as a people in Delta State, and indeed the entire country, we would remain grossly underdeveloped and lacking behind others like us across the country and the globe, whom we are well-endowed more than in terms of natural and human resourcefulness. So, before our people start crying of ‘bad governance, they should be mindful of the actions they are taking today with politicians that are aspiring for one post or the other as we build-up to 2023.
The people, which includes the elites, the grassroots leaders of the major political parties, and the community locals, are the ones encouraging the politicians to loot the State's treasury. And by so doing, they are the ones indirectly responsible for the evident bad governance in the State. This is because they demand for so much money from the aspiring political candidates. So, they are the ones pushing the politicians to loot. If the aspiring politicians spend so much to be elected, what will be used for infrastructural development of the state if they eventually enter Government House as governor? They must recoup their expenses when voted in as governor, and they must surely loot to cover up what the elites, grassroots leaders and locals have taken from them. The truth must be told, no governor or president can perform in this situation. When they visit these political aspirants, and about to go, they will ask for fuel money to fuel the vehicle that the same politician has bought for them. Does that make sense? This practice has become an official criteria which any aspiring candidate must accept and do, before you will be considered serious.
Zik Gbemre.
April 12, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes