2019: About time we taught politicians we are no fools By Micheal Bush

The build-up to the next general elections should reach boiling point any moment now. That’s a quadrennial given, so there should not be any prize for guessing or too much fuss about it. However, as we approach the electoral eve crescendo, a window opens that offers the Nigerian masses a golden opportunity that’s been consistently missed since 1999. Perhaps, the country has endured the perennial political miasma because citizens fail every time to do the needful.

It is not rocket science to understand that you cannot implement the same Neanderthal strategy and expect latter-day results. Nigeria is stuck where it has been because Nigerians are too lazy or too stupid (or both) to lift a finger against all the crass foolery professing to be excellence. Look at every stratum of our national life. Look at the people we put forward or the way we do things whenever our best is required.


For instance, have you ever attempted to check out our education system, which we all know is fundamental and inevitable in a society’s journey to development? The monumental deficiency in and mediocrity of its personnel coupled with decrepit infrastructure and worst of all the double misfortune of belonging in a system run by managers who know nothing about management, motivation and indeed what’s expected of them. Nigeria is in soup, hot soup. Nigerians should all be weeping!

Well, the optimists (if they still exist in the land) may retort: ‘but, that’s just one sector.’ Great, so let’s seek succour elsewhere. In which aspect really can a Nigerian take solace in Nigeria? My mind’s eye is roving over our economy, our national unity, our people, our civil service, our public service, our religion, our evri evri!

Sadly – and I hate to sound like this – there’s nothing nationwide to cheer up anyone who knows the depth to which our country has sunk. Please spare me that preachment on patriotism and hope; it is tantamount to self-deceit. And, let me say this: primarily, what Nigeria needs from Nigerians going forward is not hope, not money, not belief, not all the other things we have mouthed about so long. These are only secondary or even tertiary needs.

What Nigeria requires urgently is – wait for it – courage by its citizenry. More than at any other point of its history, this country needs us one, to possess the willpower to say enough is enough and two, even more importantly, the willpower to display and defend that willpower. That’s something that’s been lacking all along. That’s the card we must play to prove we are truly interested in rescuing our country from these marauding vagabonds, vampires and rapists of power.

Fortunately, the 2019 ballot is here. Nigerians have never had and may never have a better chance to extract our pound of flesh from these clowns of leadership who have had a field day for far longer than necessary. We must assume the pole position of leadership and lead from the rear or from down under, since those at the forefront or very top have performed abysmally. What leaders cannot do, followers can do – and even better!

Subsequently, the masses being leadership gatekeepers must become eternally vigilant to be able to foresee, preempt or forestall those human accidents waiting to happen in our public offices. Nigeria’s intractable leadership challenge would be 50% resolved if we saw through the empty craftiness of pretenders to the throne which is so palpable every election season. Think now about all the guys seeking our mandate: what did they say or do yesterday when they forgot that tomorrow would recede into today? Does that tally in any way with what they say or do now that God has given us the life and power and opportunity to remember?

See, compatriots, these pseudo models who call themselves leaders – they are our main enemies, really – think us fools or dumb or greedy, or that we suffer memory loss (or all). In God’s name or all the other things we believe in, 2019 is the opportune year to deal with these scoundrels and delete them once and for all from our lives and consciousness. We shouldn’t be carried away by greetings, love, money, rice, salt, clothing, medicare, cars and sundry political Greek gifts that they only present at the nick of time. Enough of being used and dumped by people whose plastic laughter and 419nish fondness are only meant to extract votes.

Has any known stingy miser (forgive the doubleheader) seeking office or an encore in 2019 been smiling sheepishly at or making you mouth-watering offers and promises, lately? Has anyone who pooh-poohed your phone calls all these years suddenly started tantalising you with head-turning calls and smses? Have you observed a strange born-aganism in any standard bearer? Ignoring, fleeing from and voting against such false and fake leaders is the fastest way that God wants to bless Nigeria from 2019!