21/10/2022
2023: CAN WE DECIDE TO GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME?
✍️ Ugochimereze Chinedu Asuzu
I am moved to begin this piece yet again with the quote on leadership attributed to an emerging young and dynamic writer from Ghana, which captures in essence the merit of my postulation in this political thought as espoused below; wherein he stated thus:
"You don't necessarily need atomic bombs to destroy a nation. Politicians who value their pockets than the life of citizens always do that every day." ~Israelmore Ayivor
As much as apportioning blames has become more frequent than offering solutions, the need to understand the level of decay our country is in now has become increasingly expedient, as elections is around the corner now politicians are strategizing and restrategizing to making their preferred candidates win, which by implications is only aimed at being within the corridors of power should their candidates win. Much more than this personal interest, we should begin now to tinker with the idea of really building a Nation since after the independence we got from Britain our former colonial masters. I think it's now time for us to look beyond primordial sentiments, personal or group entitlements or pecuniary considerations as it relates to political participation and see how best to salvage our country which is daily nosediving into oblivion and becoming a shadow of herself, almost sapped of all the trappings of stability, and in essence fashion out the best way possible to go for the common good of her citizens.
Most objectively,
The parlous state our country is in now requires a sound and visionary mind with physical, mental and intellectual capacity, one who thinks outside the box to preside over her affairs at the apex leadership cadre. We most sincerely doesn't have the need for a patronizing leader, or any leader whose physical, mental and intellectual acuity is a subject of suspicion or in obvious decline, rather a servant-leader without corruption baggages who is known to possess the necessary virtues and temperance to pull us out of the quagmire we found ourselves.
Obviously,
We are in unusual times in the Nigeria of today, made worst by the choices of leaders we have had and yet having, the corollary effects being the backward trajectory we keep finding ourselves in because of the bad choices made overtime, more so our inability to screen and verify the past records of individuals who offer themselves to serve, before allowing them access to leadership at our apex level.
Alas,
As it's impossible for anyone to give dried fish to rats for safekeeping, in like manner handing leadership to corrupt infested individuals to manage is tantamount to hanging oneself out to dry, hence the unusual situation we're in requires pragmatic and decisive steps to be taken by Nigerians beyond partisan pandering and consideration.
Hence,
It's suicidal for us as a country at this point in time not to collectively resolve to pick someone that already has what it takes to turn the tide and wedge the nosedive of our economy with very practical skills, the one who has distinguished himself as a stoic, frugal and prudent manager of resources, and who from day one of his assumption to office would be seen cutting the over padded cost of governance which is already choking us as a country. One who will be seen leading by example judging by his records in offices in time past, who already has the sobriquet and antecedents of frugality, which some uninformed individuals might term stinginess.
Inarguably,
Not a usual routine or run on the mill kind of politician who is being cheered on by friends and hangers on to become president so they begin from where they stopped, depleting the already drained resources of the country further, rather one who is known to be a wealth creator that will create conducive environment for businesses to strive and those who are ready to strive in such areas seen striving, not the ones that are parasitic in government, those who contributes little or nothing but only feed fat on our common patrimony simply for the reason of being in the corridors of power, while those who labour and put in their best to nation building go hungry and empty handed.
Admittedly,
Corruption strives more when a leader is in the business of satisfying his hangers on and friends from our common till at the detriment of the masses, because in such instances any opportunity given to those hangers on will be seen as settlement and conduit pipe from whence personal purses are filled, and not necessarily to work for the benefits of all. While not against patronage to friends, nevertheless the over bloated hangers on of certain presidential candidates would serve as albatross to the smooth running of government, hence we should look at the direction of the one who will work for the greater good of the greater majority, than those who's interest will be to enrich friends and hangers on not minding the negative effects on the greater percentage of the people.
In charge,
Let every hand be on the plough to labour today and harvest abundantly tomorrow for our continuous growth as a country, the national cake is already gone, we require that going forward we should collectively join to bake the cake afresh, so as not to be seen fixated on consuming the platter upon which the former cake baked by our forebears was placed simply because it's yet tasty, as there's no free meal even in Freetown.
It's instructive,
That we say a resounding no to known plunders, kleptomaniacs and financial rascals who are known to have barrage of questions to answer and avalanche of skeletons in their closets when it comes to management of public funds; hence our choice of a leader this time around must be in the direction of the ones who over time are known with the track record of savings, because without saving culture embedded in our governance module going forward this obviously plundered country is already headed to doom.
In effect,
We need an unusual kind of leader to attend to our very debilitating situation; above all else one that's a known prudent and frugal manager of resources, one who will be accountable to the core, a leader with proven record of personal and verifiable achievements with track record of fiscal discipline, without the oversized baggages of corruption whether imagined or real hanging on his head, that way even the international community will respect our country and the one in turn would be able to look other world leaders in the eyes and discuss serious matters affecting our country with them without fear of the unknown or fall into the trap of blackmail due to hidden or proven cases of corruption, and which in turn will hamper or slow the pace of governance or make the one pandering to the whims and caprice of those he ought to stand up to.
Consequently,
The idea is not to get a saint, rather one who already is known to possess the virtues as outlined, doesn't necessarily have to be a perfect human being but amenable to the expectations of the now in respect to leadership, one whose attitude to leadership is more selfless than selfish, who understands the nitty gritty of personal discipline in attending to public resources.
In choosing this leader,
We must shun personal sentiments and primordial interests and look at the overall common good of the Nigerian populace; we must shun undue influence of religion, because we are in dire straightjacket now, as such, whatever religion the one subscribes to should be secondary; yes, partisan pandering shouldn't be the consideration that much, though we practice a partisan democracy, but we have an emergency situation on our hands now which needs be tackled head on, hence the political party we're subscribed to should be secondary as well if we must get it right, because if this country fails it'll fall on everyone irrespective of the political parties' persuasion.
Subsequently,
We must all accept that this country is failing in all facets and aspects, also in all indices and economic indicators red flags are being raised here and there; most importantly in the area of economy collapse, the signs are so evident that if we don't get it right in 2023 we might as well get prepared to watch this country balkanize in fragments, because the people are daily becoming despondent, hopeless and utterly frustrated, the elasticity of patience of many is waning and some have since reached the breaking point, and any further stretch will only lead to uncontrollable disaster, and this is what we all should be afraid of, not our personal pocket consideration, rather the impending doomsday should we make any mistakes in not choosing the right leader.
Furthermore,
If we are sincere to ourselves, a look at those who already declared interest and has been thrown up by their various political parties, we already have an outstanding character most fitted for this job, who if the responsibility of starring the ship of the Nigerian state is saddled with will most definitely make us proud as a country, assuming we bury tribalism, overbearing religious inclination and consideration, ego and other negatives, then I think the right decision will be made for the betterment of our country and citizens come February 2023, then the full potentials of Nigeria and Nigerians will be explored to the maximum and the world would stand in awe to watch the positive transformation going forward, and everyone is happy.
Finally,
I leave you the reader to decipher the individuals or individual showcased by this personal reasoning and approve or disapprove accordingly, taking cognizance of the situation we are in now and what is expected of the one we'll vote for, with the hindsight of the capacity and capabilities of our choice.
Thank you for your audience.
©Ugochimereze
20/10/2022