Wednesday, 3 September 2014

2015: Nigeria needs strong persons

By: Mukhtar Jarmajo 

It is indeed sad that after sixteen years of democracy, aspiring politicians will present to us in 2015 same packages of promises we were being told during campaigns since 1999. The interpretation of this is that since 1999, Nigeria only developed an inch if indeed it deed. The same problems of insecurity, ineffective and inefficient health system, interrupted power supply, substandard education and bad road networks, which we have been battling with since the military era are the same problems we are facing virtually 16years in a democracy. 

This simply suggests that this democracy of ours is not fine. Otherwise things in this nation would have been much better than they are today. It is however all too conspicuous that it was Nigeria`s election system that has not been fine. It has not been producing credible leaders who had the willingness and competence and were strong enough to resuscitate our now collapsed institutions for a better Nigeria. 

Contrary to the common thought that for development, strong institutions are required rather than strong individuals, in Nigeria, strong individuals are needed to make the institutions strong. Only when strong persons man our institutions will Nigeria`s infrastructures reinvigorate thus reassuring Nigerians of a flamboyant economy.

This thought was in conformity with the idea that there is an organic relationship between politics and the economy. Meaning, the very moment we get the politics right, we will get the economy right. And a flamboyant economy only implies that a nation is getting it right and therefore its people see light at the end of the tunnel.

 Given the aforementioned, it was quiet easily demonstrated that Nigeria must get it right politically in 2015, otherwise, the nation will continue to dwindle in the hands of mediocre politicians and technocrats who are lame both in morality and sincerity.

It is simply an understatement that Nigeria needs better experienced grown up minds to takeover its affairs come 2015. This nation needs sincere leaders with sycophantically tested negative aides. As a people therefore, we must avail ourselves with the opportunities in the elections next year to make it quite necessary for any thoughtless self-serving; self-seeking political joker irrespective of their political party or affiliations to check out of Nigeria`s political turf.

 This is achievable through enlightening ourselves on the need to actively participate in politics as our fate squarely rests in our hands. Politics should be everybody`s business as it determines every bit of our lives We should learn that the height of ignorance is where a person whether lettered or not decides that they have no business in anything politics.

The people must also learn of the imperatives of remaining together irrespective of our religious beliefs, cultural thoughts and or regional geography and history. The dirty tactic of polarizing the polity is a political strategy very peculiar with our mostly myopic thinking politicians. Unlike in 2011, Nigerians must learn to remain resolute and stand together against the forces of darkness.

Jarmajo wrote from Bauchi 

No comments:

Post a Comment