These are incredibly interesting times. The church and the world are locked in a nauseatingly absurd Cold War: The former has become more of the latter, the latter more of the former. The same strange osmosis has been snowballing between the school and the street. Gangs, cults and allied cliques of mediocrities reign supreme in our schools freeing up their former strongholds -the streets- for first-class graduates and sundry qualified persons to eke out a living as keke riders, taxi drivers, taskforcers, etc.
With fallen standards everywhere, everyone seeking survival or personal development or both has had to resort to self-help. There’s been no dulling. Those who need sense look for and glean it from the unlikeliest of places. So much free moral instructions gush out of our politics especially in the run-up to every general election.
I have learned that there’s dishonour in honourable; that legendness is not in height; that most holders of giddy offices are very little people. Check out their puerile actions, crosstitutions, ways. An officer of trust does untrustworthy things or ends up in court or prison post-tenure over something as demeaning as pilfering.
Hitherto respectable institutions of worship, learning and honour that yesterday gave their topmost awards for integrity to high office occupiers, who today have transmogrified into shameless clowns, now languish in eternal regret and past glory. Emerging tigers of less than a decade ago lose their tigritude when it matters most; opting instead to mingle with cats. Imagine the horrendous comedown. These awards should be conferred posthumously, henceforth!
Politics teaches that people are not terminally useful or useless: they are whatever for only a season; not forever. Politicians transform or expire every election eve. The fact that they are one candidate’s sweethearts this election, screaming all the swweetnothings to and about such a one, is no guarantee they won’t desert him/her complete with his/her weak points, secrets, and strategy to side with his/her sworn enemies next election. The game advises that to survive, you must adopt the talismanic basis of as-you-go or need-to-know.
Next, politics has taught that words may be used against their owners; if not now, then in the future; if not by opponents, certainly by frenemies. Nigerian politicians speak for the moment, not the records, which makes it easy to dig up and deploy yesterday words to haunt anyone who uttered them. A time comes when politically correct becomes incorrect, when something that was applauded is booed, when someone wished they never told even the truth. I find it quite surreal that rascally politics would teach caution.
One other big lesson that the hyper-fluid Politics Nigeriana has thrown up -in the words of Akwa Ibom state deputy governor, Mr. Moses Ekpo, MFR- is, ‘to never do joint stock.’ Don’t sympathise or empathise in hate. Don’t love a friend by hating his/her enemy. When they settle as they almost always do, you would look as silly, devilish and stranded as the meddlesome third party after a husband and wife reconciliation.
Now, deriving from the foregoing, we should as well learn about the fundamental aspect of life called change. Nothing lasts forever, not even life: today you are up; tomorrow you are down; today you are wanted, tomorrow you are discarded; today hosanna, tomorrow crucify. Our politics has confirmed that over and over. Position and the concomitant loyalty and privileges are only tenure-long.
Well, that’s not entitled new: a front bencher in the Apostolic Caucus of Jesus denied Him. Godfathers should know that all the blood and other devilish rituals won’t keep political boys and girls in submission forever. Those bowing and trembling today may tomorrow be nemesis. Once godfather no longer holds power, no amount of ‘mbiam’ (Akwa Ibom word for local oath) can stop godson from unleashing self and in most cases turning against.
Furthermore, politics is nothing you should die for. An APC Caucus Member, Elder Enefiok Ekefre, calls it a game of organised hate. Strange bedfellows can mobilise against someone who isn’t necessarily guilty of anything. That’s the reason politicians are such fantastic sportsmen and -women, the child-like way they forgive every time.
Another profound lesson extracted from how politicians in my country ply their trade is the omnipotence, -presence, and -science of a higher power. The way the guys are enthroned, dethroned, or messed up (yes, messed up) validates the age-old truth that God exists. I see how erstwhile or so-called topshots ranting, wandering weeping, exactly like beginners, for instance during elections, and I see God. No other co-citizens mouth God more than politicians!
Still, another painfully sad lesson that politics has taught Nigerians is the possibility of the masses being perpetually and successfully lied to, used even against themselves, and made to hate love. This is some escape from the humdrum that it is impossible to lie at the same time and always to everybody. Thugs who snatch ballot boxes and get jailed or maimed or killed in the process, every four years, are the same young people kept in the street, hungry, unemployed by the same cabal for whom they risk their lives. Every election, the same sufferers of untold rejection, deprivation and inhumanity choose their tormentors well ahead of harbingers of hope.
Loving hate and hating love is a deep even if troubling lesson of life in Nigeria that speaks to the truism that all that glitters is not gold, all that rusts is not iron, and all that smells is not foul. An alarming number of born again politicians have become born against because the system rewards moles better and more regularly than fiercely loyal and honest foot soldiers. However, my compatriots must arise to clean up our Stone Age dirty politics.
God bless Nigeria!