Nigeria: As the clay foot giants head for another election ritual

By John Kokome

Should we or should we not? The worst thing that can happen to a nation is to continually live in denial of the obvious. It is only when she accepts facts as they are, that she can make any meaningful progress. But Nigeria is one nation that believes she can lie her way into development, or do the wrong things to achieve the right results. The consequence is there for all to see.

The present situation of things in our ‘beloved’ country leaves much, obviously, to be desired. Indeed, there is nothing to be proud of anymore. We have perfected the art of taking one step forward and many steps backwards with the narratives remaining the same. Administrations after administrations, promises after promises, most of which only look good on paper but impracticable in reality. Those who are saddled with the responsibility of elevating the people over years have only managed to achieve the opposite.

The question many tend to ask as we journey through thorny road of nationhood, one that with each passing day, seem ever more likely to end in the abyss, is where and how did we get it wrong? Nigeria, by all standards, is a country endowed with enormous human and material resources. It was a country that was the envy of other nations. At independence, we were truly the giant of Africa with so much potential. We were elected to lead the way on a continent devastated by long years of colonialism and the looting that came with it.
Sadly, five decades down the line. We have become the mocked giants of Africa. Mostly derided as the giant with clay foot by citizens of other smaller countries which have left us behind. Nigerians now visit places like Rwanda, Ghana, Ethiopia and a host of other African countries and are wowed by the level of development taking place. Needless to say, to get quality education, Ghana has become one of the prime destinations for a nation that once drove Ghanaians away for constituting ‘nuisance.’

While others have achieved progress, we have only rapidly retrograded. Such that when we look around us, we see sight of misery, backwardness, hunger, poverty, insecurity, unemployment and division along ethnic and religious lines.

Some have said its leadership, I tend to agree. But it is also true, for the most part, that a nation gets the kind of leaders it truly deserves. And when you think about what constitutes the issues as we go into yet another election, you clearly understand why we are here. And why we are likely never going to get out of the ditch. Real issues have taken a bow. It’s now about which ethnic group occupies which post, and who gets to take presidency in 2023.

It’s another electioneering season. Politicians are going about making promises they know they cannot fulfill when they get into office. Vague and empty campaign promises all in a bid to fulfill the exigencies of the moment, and the electorates knowingly or unknowingly sheepishly vote them into power and in return gets nothing but untold hardship and dashed hope.

Without coming across as a pessimist, the last three and the half years have been remarkably terrible for the populace as a result of bad policies which the current government in power claim to have a clearer picture and a better understanding of, as against what majority of the people can see and feel. If asked, I do not think anyone in his or her right senses would like to travel this route again for another four years.

The truth of the matter is, the forthcoming general election is no doubt, a two horse race between the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressives Congress and the main opposition candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party, as was well captured by Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly who said: “It is a battle of two eagles”. This is without prejudice to other eminently qualified candidates who are also contesting for the exalted position of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Now the dilemma is, should we choose a President Buhari of the All Progressives Congress who has been there for the past three and the half years with little or nothing to show for it, in terms of impactful meaningful economic policies that the citizens can truly be proud of, or the administration’s habitual style of flagrant disobedience to court orders and total disrespect for the rule of law. On the other hand is Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, who served for eight years as Vice President under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo 1999-2007 with a lot of mixed feelings from Nigerians on how the country was governed during the period in question. In my candid opinion, Atiku Abubakar appears to be better prepared than any other candidate for the job of leading the nation at this critical moment of our national life.

This is without doubt, his level of exposure, charisma, political clout and very importantly his understanding of the politics of economics which is the premise upon which a serious government that is ready to make impact must understand and formulate its policies around. But again, Atiku Abubakar is alleged to have a corruption case hanging around his neck since he left office, though no court of competent jurisdiction in Nigeria or abroad has pronounced him guilty of the alleged crime, an accomplice of his, is said to have served his term in jail. The big question now is, should President Buhari be voted in again for a second term in office, with the obvious staring us in the face of the way and manner his style of leadership has further worsened the already terrible situation he met on ground? Or should Atiku Abubakar be given the opportunity to lead the country, if not for anything at least for a change with the hope of a better change this time around, despite the moral burden of corruption hanging around his neck?

Indeed, Nigerians are in a state of dilemma of making a choice between President Buhari’s “Next Level” and Atiku’s “Let’s Get Nigeria Working Again”. In all, we as a people must take cognizance of the fact that the challenges facing us as a nation appears daunting but are surmountable, if we have the right leadership in place. It is important to note, that as a people, we must be ready to live with the consequences of our choices in the forthcoming general elections, whether it is “Next Level” or “Get Nigeria Working Again” the choice is ours to make as a people.

John Kokome is a Public Relations Practitioner based in Lagos
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 08083241780