The-only-predominant-thought-of-the-typical-nigerian-politicians
September 7, 2020 | News
THE ONLY PREDOMINANT THOUGHT OF THE TYPICAL NIGERIAN POLITICIANS
It is no news that Nigeria has been having very insincere, dishonest, deceitful and untrustworthy political leaders across all levels of its Governments’ space, since 1999 till date. This is the very reason why we have remained a nation that is so blessed beyond measures, yet its citizens are amongst the top most poorest people in the world, who are daily made to face the most dehumanizing living conditions one cannot even imagine. From perennial unsteady and unreliable electricity supply, to the continue skyrocketing of inflation of basic life-sustaining necessities. Not to mention the lack and complete absence of basic good and affordable medical healthcare, housing, education, reliable transport system and network of roads, rails, seaports, airports, etc. Practically every sector is disarray and bedeviled with all types of issues begging for attention.
The only reason we can deduce, as to why Nigerian politicians are bereft of ideas as regards entrenching good governance and leaving impeccable and admirable legacies that would outlive them, is simply based on one undeniable fact. And that is: the only predominant thought in the minds and hearts of typical Nigerian Politicians is how to brutally strategize to win elections at polls – through the instrumentalities of massive rigging, manipulation of election results, vote buying, intimidation of voters, snatching of ballot box papers, collaborating with election officials and security operatives, and eventually influencing the Judiciary at the Election petition Tribunals and Courts – all aimed at grabbing political power at all means, and remaining in power.
This is the reason why majority of Nigerian political leaders, including the elites, are men and women who are without the intellectual capacities and thinking faculties to lead the Nigerian people out of the woods. They are more consumed in their ambitions and private agendas to enrich themselves and their families/loved ones/friends, through possession of political power. Many of them, though they belong to political parties that have flawed and skewed manifestoes, are clearly without people-oriented agendas primarily aimed at improving the lives of the citizenry, and protect lives and property of the people they are supposed to govern. Our politicians treat party manifestos a little more ‘aspirational’, rather than ‘firm Commitments,’ which the government makes as the deal for getting elected, just like we see in other developed countries. This makes one wonder. If a party, or a public official is unable to fulfill the key planks of their Manifestos, what then is the basis for re-electing them? Or if indeed, they were supposedly re-elected in the first place, especially since free and fair elections have become scarce in Nigeria’s political experience.
Many of them, as part of strategies to remain in power, and find favours in the eyes of their blinded supporters; often go to the extent of manufacturing positions/portfolios in their government for their ‘loyal boys’. Most of whom only sit idle to earn salaries/allowances and enjoy fringe benefits of their underserving offices, for doing practically nothing that would bring added value towards improving the living conditions of the people. With such atmosphere prevalent across the length and breadth of Nigeria’s political space, how on earth will this improve and transform and develop Nigeria? How can the country develop, when the only obvious agenda of Nigerian politicians is to for them to win the next elections? And they exhibit this unpatriotic disposition without contributing anything meaningful that would improve the lives of the people they are supposed to govern and make laws for.
It is sad to note that majority of the Nigerian politicians who are, or were in Government across all levels, including those at the National and State Assemblies as well as other public office holders; do not understand what it means to lead as Public Workers. If they do, I mean if they understand what it means to ‘SERVE’, we are certain that Nigeria will not be where it is presently. While majority of them are there for the wrong selfish reasons, others were scripted or dragged to occupy sensitive political leadership positions they were NEVER ‘PREPARED’ to handle, or even understand fully, how to carry out the responsibilities thrust on their shoulders. At the end of the day, what we have in our hands over the years, are politicians who have no iota of idea of what it truly means to lead a people, manage the enormous collective resources/wealth under their offices for the benefit of the public, and eventually leave great legacies behind for generations to come. This has been the lacuna, the missing gap in Nigeria’s political governance history.
All our Nigerian politicians know about and pursue, is how to win the next elections. As we speak, majority of them are already planning, strategizing, creating the foundation and political framework for 2023 - to either be re-elected, have someone they have picked/sanctioned to be elected, or be elected to move to a higher office, like to the National Assembly for instance for State Governors. That is all they are thinking about – how to grab and remain in political power. But who would blame them? When we (basically some of them while in Government) have made the “NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT VERY ATTRACTIVE” at all levels. And because of the ‘attractiveness of government’, all of them are ready to do the unthinkable just to remain in power. Like we saw in the last elections in Kogi State, where the Kaduna State Governor went to the extent of kneeling down on behalf of his counterpart, Yahaya Bello, to beg for votes, and plead to Nigerians to forgive the latter’s misbehaviors, which we all know would continue in the next four years. That is the shameless level of ‘desperation’ these people are ready to go just to remain in power.
That is to show how these Nigerian political leaders are never really interested or passionate about living good legacies that would outlive them and improve the living standards of the common masses. Their ‘primary motive’ of being in Government is wrong in the first place. All they really want is to gloat with malignant pleasure, as they answer political titles of “His Excellency”, “Honourable,” and what have you. And enjoy unrestricted access to public wealth, including the fringe benefits and privileges provided by their Offices and positions occupied in the public space.
Those who have joined the Nigerian Government, maybe as Legislators, Governors, or appointed as Ministers, Commissioners, Special Advisers, Chief of Staff of Government at all levels, are still very much in the Government of the day – either as one thing or the other. And they will remain there in Government for life, after which their children will inherit their political positions/portfolios from them. In other words, the Nigerian Government as we know it today, have become the most lucrative business in the country and will continue to be so. As long as the general public/followers/elites are comfortable with it.
Nigerian politicians should not fail to realize that history will always judge them by their eventual actions that brings things to ‘reality’, and not by what they have promised on paper. They should be reminded that when a man/woman says one thing and does another, that man/woman can never be trusted with anything. And that also means that such a man/woman, and those rallying around him/her, should never be taken seriously. They cannot travel across the globe to developed societies, where their systems work, and enjoy the same things they have not been able to provide and do back home in Nigeria, and then think that nemesis will not catch up with them. Posterity has a way of remembering and paying back people in their own coin. Though, it may tarry, but it will surely come.
Zik Gbemre.
January 30, 2020
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
It is no news that Nigeria has been having very insincere, dishonest, deceitful and untrustworthy political leaders across all levels of its Governments’ space, since 1999 till date. This is the very reason why we have remained a nation that is so blessed beyond measures, yet its citizens are amongst the top most poorest people in the world, who are daily made to face the most dehumanizing living conditions one cannot even imagine. From perennial unsteady and unreliable electricity supply, to the continue skyrocketing of inflation of basic life-sustaining necessities. Not to mention the lack and complete absence of basic good and affordable medical healthcare, housing, education, reliable transport system and network of roads, rails, seaports, airports, etc. Practically every sector is disarray and bedeviled with all types of issues begging for attention.
The only reason we can deduce, as to why Nigerian politicians are bereft of ideas as regards entrenching good governance and leaving impeccable and admirable legacies that would outlive them, is simply based on one undeniable fact. And that is: the only predominant thought in the minds and hearts of typical Nigerian Politicians is how to brutally strategize to win elections at polls – through the instrumentalities of massive rigging, manipulation of election results, vote buying, intimidation of voters, snatching of ballot box papers, collaborating with election officials and security operatives, and eventually influencing the Judiciary at the Election petition Tribunals and Courts – all aimed at grabbing political power at all means, and remaining in power.
This is the reason why majority of Nigerian political leaders, including the elites, are men and women who are without the intellectual capacities and thinking faculties to lead the Nigerian people out of the woods. They are more consumed in their ambitions and private agendas to enrich themselves and their families/loved ones/friends, through possession of political power. Many of them, though they belong to political parties that have flawed and skewed manifestoes, are clearly without people-oriented agendas primarily aimed at improving the lives of the citizenry, and protect lives and property of the people they are supposed to govern. Our politicians treat party manifestos a little more ‘aspirational’, rather than ‘firm Commitments,’ which the government makes as the deal for getting elected, just like we see in other developed countries. This makes one wonder. If a party, or a public official is unable to fulfill the key planks of their Manifestos, what then is the basis for re-electing them? Or if indeed, they were supposedly re-elected in the first place, especially since free and fair elections have become scarce in Nigeria’s political experience.
Many of them, as part of strategies to remain in power, and find favours in the eyes of their blinded supporters; often go to the extent of manufacturing positions/portfolios in their government for their ‘loyal boys’. Most of whom only sit idle to earn salaries/allowances and enjoy fringe benefits of their underserving offices, for doing practically nothing that would bring added value towards improving the living conditions of the people. With such atmosphere prevalent across the length and breadth of Nigeria’s political space, how on earth will this improve and transform and develop Nigeria? How can the country develop, when the only obvious agenda of Nigerian politicians is to for them to win the next elections? And they exhibit this unpatriotic disposition without contributing anything meaningful that would improve the lives of the people they are supposed to govern and make laws for.
It is sad to note that majority of the Nigerian politicians who are, or were in Government across all levels, including those at the National and State Assemblies as well as other public office holders; do not understand what it means to lead as Public Workers. If they do, I mean if they understand what it means to ‘SERVE’, we are certain that Nigeria will not be where it is presently. While majority of them are there for the wrong selfish reasons, others were scripted or dragged to occupy sensitive political leadership positions they were NEVER ‘PREPARED’ to handle, or even understand fully, how to carry out the responsibilities thrust on their shoulders. At the end of the day, what we have in our hands over the years, are politicians who have no iota of idea of what it truly means to lead a people, manage the enormous collective resources/wealth under their offices for the benefit of the public, and eventually leave great legacies behind for generations to come. This has been the lacuna, the missing gap in Nigeria’s political governance history.
All our Nigerian politicians know about and pursue, is how to win the next elections. As we speak, majority of them are already planning, strategizing, creating the foundation and political framework for 2023 - to either be re-elected, have someone they have picked/sanctioned to be elected, or be elected to move to a higher office, like to the National Assembly for instance for State Governors. That is all they are thinking about – how to grab and remain in political power. But who would blame them? When we (basically some of them while in Government) have made the “NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT VERY ATTRACTIVE” at all levels. And because of the ‘attractiveness of government’, all of them are ready to do the unthinkable just to remain in power. Like we saw in the last elections in Kogi State, where the Kaduna State Governor went to the extent of kneeling down on behalf of his counterpart, Yahaya Bello, to beg for votes, and plead to Nigerians to forgive the latter’s misbehaviors, which we all know would continue in the next four years. That is the shameless level of ‘desperation’ these people are ready to go just to remain in power.
That is to show how these Nigerian political leaders are never really interested or passionate about living good legacies that would outlive them and improve the living standards of the common masses. Their ‘primary motive’ of being in Government is wrong in the first place. All they really want is to gloat with malignant pleasure, as they answer political titles of “His Excellency”, “Honourable,” and what have you. And enjoy unrestricted access to public wealth, including the fringe benefits and privileges provided by their Offices and positions occupied in the public space.
Those who have joined the Nigerian Government, maybe as Legislators, Governors, or appointed as Ministers, Commissioners, Special Advisers, Chief of Staff of Government at all levels, are still very much in the Government of the day – either as one thing or the other. And they will remain there in Government for life, after which their children will inherit their political positions/portfolios from them. In other words, the Nigerian Government as we know it today, have become the most lucrative business in the country and will continue to be so. As long as the general public/followers/elites are comfortable with it.
Nigerian politicians should not fail to realize that history will always judge them by their eventual actions that brings things to ‘reality’, and not by what they have promised on paper. They should be reminded that when a man/woman says one thing and does another, that man/woman can never be trusted with anything. And that also means that such a man/woman, and those rallying around him/her, should never be taken seriously. They cannot travel across the globe to developed societies, where their systems work, and enjoy the same things they have not been able to provide and do back home in Nigeria, and then think that nemesis will not catch up with them. Posterity has a way of remembering and paying back people in their own coin. Though, it may tarry, but it will surely come.
Zik Gbemre.
January 30, 2020
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes