Countries don’t come into existence by happenstance, they are outcomes of the deliberate brain work of some men and women. It starts with small enclaves, sometimes of different races, accepting to operate as one entity under a modern order, then a country is birthed. Founding fathers of Italy said after coupling the country together, “now we have found Italy.” Some countries are products of force. Lessons of this are two crucial things which must follow for the union to work. These are negotiations and of course the making of the kind of citizens that will occupy the space.
The British, French, Italians and Germans are all of the European stock but in characterization they are different. Differences in orientation must follow the making of a country. Why is this process very crucial? Simple: there would be constant contestations; many of the sub-units in the union would in one form or another be giving blows to the bonds that hold the union if terms of cohabitation are not clear to all. Over time, bloody conflicts and tragic wars are inevitable. This is why talking is important. This is the experience of Europe minus Russia until recent history. Russia collapsed exactly for the same reasons and the war currently on-going between Russia and Ukraine has its origin in the initial challenge of unnegotiated union, such that when forces of disequilibrium pulled as they were bound to do, significant territory and native populations of Russia found themselves incorporated into newly independent countries including Ukraine. If our country’s development is stalled, there you can find the genesis. It is same reason our politicians behave in very abhorrent ways.
Unpredictability and impudence are known features of countries that came into existence without negotiations and agreements. It was Myles Munroe who taught that when purpose – in other words vision – is not known, abuse is inevitable. We don›t need to go very distant places to get or draw our examples to justify Munroe’s thesis or go far back in history; we live in it today ourselves. State of country is more than a better example. We have been blessed with resources from where we get free money every month, yet countries without anything are doing far better than us. All indices of a failed state are with us yet the ruling spend time pursuing mundane matters, running on character flaws that send people to jail every minute in sane climes. Our leaders have elevated rudderlessness to a national norm because there is no vision in place, none in truth has clear ideas where the country should be headed to. So the leaders act any how, make double speaking and standards a forte, many run with a choking conqueror’s mentality.
These internal colonizers are not only experts in doublespeak and double dealings, they hold very high the flag of impudence, they not only talk carelessly, they also speak in very condescending manner, always filled with sense of entitlement. In one of our outings about three weeks ago on this space with the title «Unpredictability», we held the position that elections become flawed from the beginning when aspirants to public offices are not certain of procedures especially timelines they are to confront. When an electoral body alters her programme mid way, certainty that should be the hallmark of her processes suffers irretrievably. When this is the case the very act confers undue advantage on some parties in the contest. Change of schedules affects plans, alters perception that is in the making and causes loss of funds which by the way could be very scarce. The financially weak obviously would have problems recalibrating her structures.
Not many of those who would have contested for the office of the President ever contemplated they could be asked to part with one hundred million naira. It is possible many academics who would have loved to make their knowledge available at that level of service had no choice but to perish the idea. Same for some business chieftains with clear evidences of quality achievements. That much we have already said, the repeat is because this is vital if our desire is to see our electoral process become very credible. Of course that is a wish that ought to be met quickly, we can’t be learners forever, especially when the world offers us great examples to emulate.
The other very crucial thing would be character of our political personnel and the political culture we have allowed them to put in place. Their character, values and mode of operation contradict in many ways the very clear principles of democracy. After 20 years of steady democratic practice, the citizens are at a loss if what we do here is actually democracy. Those who like to make excuses for failure will argue that democracy has variants, any system of governance that doesn›t have the people at the centre is something else not a democracy.
Just recently, in fact a week, some citizens were thanking the President for allowing a “free and credible” party primaries in his party. In places where development means so much, even the President should fear for his political life. In our case he is the party leader and the question would be why do we have a party chairman supposed to be elected by the party members. In our case chief executives nominate those who lead the party, the sham begins from there. Governors and the President chose the delegates and candidates. Isn’t this an aberration? Leaders have made citizens very hungry, consequently they have become very subceptible to all kinds of inducement.
The other one is on the subject of predictability and impudence, targets of today›s discourse. Man, psychologists teach, is the most unpredictable element on earth but when the attribute is not checked by positive orientation and law in the management of state affairs, it creates problems that leave the human person worse off. Level of switching from one political party to another is high. It would have been of no serious consequence if those who do are ordinary members of a party. To elope with a mandate is insane and abominable. To leave a party on pure matters of the mundane, destroy the party and to return to it after others have managed to keep it afloat is not ideal and sensible.
Having a sense of entitlement and running a conqueror›s mentality does a lot of damage to nation building. The People›s Democratic Party has zoning in its constitution but when it was time to honour South East that stood by it, it chose to rewrite the rules. Its presidential candidate and another chieftain, Babangida Aliyu, began talk about compatibility and someone feared by a section of the country, an obvious reference to Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, who stayed in the sinking ship when these two and others jumped ship and into the opposition romance. Which is this section of country that doesn’t like persons from other parts to express their feelings?
It is wrong to talk about other sides in a union in a very condescending manner. It attracts a reaction that doesn›t help cohesion. There is nothing Wike said that was in the bid to build a virile nation. The truth is that those who complain about being taken for granted must get up and brace up. Nobody demeans another successfully without the consent and support of the victim. Standing up, speaking out and insisting on what is necessary is vital for equity, justice and fair play. Those who chose to play alone should know it is akin to riding a tiger. One day the chances are you end up in it’s belly. Nigeria can and indeed should be run far better. It will be for the benefit of all.