PICK LEADERS NOT RULERS; ‘The planning and permutations by the various power centres are not about national interest or development. It is not about how to grow the economy and bring prosperity; not about how to secure the country; not about how to give jobs to the teeming youths, but how to grab power and then wonder how to “rule” later’ – Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim
Today is January 3rd, the third day of the decision year 2022.
This is the decision year, not 2023 when Nigerian voters will be filing out to elect their President, Senators, Representatives, Governors and Assembly members. 2022 is when Flagbearers of political parties will emerge, and once that process is completed, it becomes easier to predict who will be what. 80% of the decision would already have been made.
This promises to be interesting as our great party, the APC, begins the arrangement for its national convention to pick the party leadership in February.
Sadly, our politics has declined from one predominantly driven by public interests and developmental objectives in the First Republic, to one largely anchored around parochial and self interests of political operators, and narrow interest groups, which has brought only backwardness to the people and disorderliness to our country.
The planning and permutations by the various power centres are not about national interest or development. It is not about how to grow the economy and bring prosperity; not about how to secure the country; not about how to give jobs to the teeming youths, but how to grab power and then wonder how to “rule” later. In a democracy, elected officials should be servants of the people, not their “overlords”.
The vast majority of Nigerian people appear to be helpless in this great decision about their future, yet they are not. Every adult citizen can make himself or herself relevant in this great decision year in any party of their choice, and make their voices loud about what direction they want Nigeria to go. The task is to keep shouting it in your neighborhood, about the future of your children, and the security of your own life, which is in jeopardy.
Already, there are a tiny group of those who are beneficiaries of the system of mediocrity, sycophancy, sleaze and nepotism found in all parties, who think decisions about the future of our country must be taken exclusively by them. The only strength of the forces of evil is that they have hijacked our political institutions in the past 20 years.
This group of elite also have disdain for popular opinions, and they have made a habit of doing what the people do not want, as opposed to what the people want.
They have turned political correctness to mean damning the people. Impunity is their way!
They believe in their reprobate minds, that defying the people is political strength and power!
The political reprobates have mastered their art, lobby a few people, high up, spread rice around and motorcycles, buy some votes and fix the results on the ground!
One good you can do for yourself, is to be part of the movement for a new Nigeria; to SMASH the hold of the political reprobates on our polity.
While we know that in 2022 we shall not be choosing flagbearers who are saints, since the elective offices are not a papacy or theocracy, but we can insist that politicians with proven records of corruption cannot lead us. We can also insist that politicians who see themselves as our emperors, and the rest of us as their vassals, will further endanger our democracy. We must insist that we are CITIZENS not SUBJECTS.
At this point, we need leaders not, rulers. We need patriots and national unifiers, not tribalists. We need modernisers, and not those who will take us deeper backward into darkness. There is no mission on earth that is impossible with determination.
Our ancestors built a democracy that in eleven years, became one of the best examples in Asia and Africa between 1955-1966, when they first partially and finally took power from the colonialists.
My generation ended military rule, that aborted the dream of our founding fathers of the first Republic.
Therefore, we can also put an end to the reign of the political locusts, that are making nonsense of our hard won democracy!
This mission is possible. This task must be done! The Grace of God for it, is thankfully available.
OLAWEPO-HASHIM IS A BUSINESS TYCOON & PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL
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