PREBBLES WITH IGBOTAKO NOWINTA
“The continued domination of the elite is a transgression against our collective patrimony. Nigerians must recapture the country from the unrepentant elite. Indeed, true patriots must think of a new order of a democratic Nigeria. In all history, nation building is a serious matter, which must be built on the sound ideology of social change for the benefit of the greater number of the citizens”
- Quoted in Nowinta’s book- WHERE WE ARE (page 89)
A few days ago, my son came running to me as I was working on my information pad, and said that he saw some people at our street junction singing, dancing and carrying posters of a politician seeking re-election into the State House of Assembly.
As I looked up to ask my boy a few questions about what he was narrating to me, the first words that came to my mouth was: “Don’t mind them; they are nothing but jesters clowning their way around to deceive the people again”.
Immediately I made that comment I realized that truly the general elections in 2015 will actually start in February.
Therefore, I have chosen the title “Season of Jesters” for today’s piece in order to say one or two things about this present season, in which politicians of all shades will come out to ply their usual trade.
Before I proceed what name or tag will one give to an elected politician, who could not influence the fixing of the only access road to his house, who then decided to abandon his house and go and build another house in another location in the city of Benin?
How will one describe a fellow who could not attract any positive development to his constituency as a law maker, but busy himself amassing plots of land and property to the detriment of the people that voted him to power, and that same guy has the effrontery to print posters and other campaign materials for the purpose of seeking re-election?
And if for instance, the said politician fails to get nomination to re-contest, he will pack his bags along with his supporters and decamp to another political party.
Really, when I reflect on the activities of the likes of Tom Ikimi, Nuhu Ribadu, Atiku Abubakar and others, I feel sad to see the stark reality that most of the politicians we have around the country are nothing but “Jesters.”
These are people who have no single genuine agenda for the mass of the wretched people of our country.
I think these sets of unprincipled, parochial, self-serving and cruel politicians are mocking all of us; making jest of the state of our collective inaction to pull them out of the scene!
What have we benefited as a people since 1999, except some positive activities of personalities like Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo state, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa-Ibom state, Raji Fashola of Lagos state, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state etc?
Like what I was telling a Comrade the other day that the greatest obstacles or road blocks to the actualization of progressive democracy in our country are the so called “Comrades” or “Progressives.”
These are people who have decided to do nothing about building a formidable mass movement that will yank our present political Jesters out of the scene.
I am speaking or writing because of my experience in the “Struggle” as a seasoned human rights and pro-democracy activist.
Not too long a “comrade” that we supported in our movement and our political party, was made a commissioner in the first tenure of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
The commissionership of the said “comrade” turned out to be a complete disaster and disappointment.
Instead of building our party or movement, the said former commissioner chose to abandon us, acquired property and decamped to another party quietly.
He surrounded himself with in-laws and family members who did not contribute one thing to his political success. There are several cases to cite but because of space constraints.
Now, in such a situation, where cerebral, hardworking and tested activists have to abandon the struggle to fate, why would political jesters not laugh all of us to scorn or mock us endlessly?
Why will the Abubakar Atiku of this world not want to be President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?
Why would the member of the State House of Assembly, who could not express himself coherently, come again asking for our support and votes, even after performing dismally and blatantly?
Why will drug barons, renowned bandits and common thieves who have no clear-cut vision and mission not flood our streets with posters seeking political re-election or waiting or wanting to represent us at every strata of governance?
And if our ‘opportuned progressives’ have not failed us tragically and abysmally why would the nation’s National Assembly, mostly populated by characters who could not force bills through that will open doors of democratic dividends to the pauperized masses of Nigeria?
Now, the Petroleum Industry Bill, the Mineral Bill, the Railway Amendment Bill etc are still hanging since 1999 and there seems to be no way for these wonderful bills to sail through before the present National Assembly winds up. What a nation?
The current situation of jesters swarming around the country towards 2015 general elections foreshadows nothing but a further bleak future and appalling human development indices will continue to stare at us.
If only the progressives wake up from deep slumber, there will be hope for few distinguished men and women who will align with the members of the ordinary people of Nigeria?
As a realist, the way things are today, the current army of jesters will have a full season and even blossom in the next season! Except the extraordinary happens in our climes!
NOWINTA, WROTE WHERE WE ARE – A CALL FOR PEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION IN NIGERIA
