Politics is happening to Nigeria and Nigerians, yet again. Everywhere you turn, politics smiles or snarls at you. Whatever, the intention is one, namely, to deceive or intimidate you into making a choice you’d ordinarily not. Politics knows right is straight up but takes left thereto; with its twists and turns.
How Nigerian politicians cash out sound sleep per night is a research on which I have to-ed and fro-ed, to no avail. How exactly does their mind work? Are they the very personification of dead conscience? How do human beings created by the good God become so immune from good that now black is white, right is left and evil the new good?
Look at process. Look at rules. One rule is used when it favours them but discarded once it favours others. Sadly, everyone only laughs it up and off.
Politics Nigeriana makes the country appear jinxed, or bewitched, or cursed, or all. A citizen in Damaturu, in Kafanchan, in Okokomaiko, in Isuikwuato (the bigheaded threesome), in Nembe Brass, in James Town and everywhere else in this otherwise beautiful country will condemn a political style only to get in the driving seat and rather than change that style, prefers to worsen it for selfish reasons but once out of that high office resumes complaining against that same style? Is that not juju? Won’t life be better if Nigeria banned politics and politicians, outright?
We ought to do something drastic (sooner rather than later) to address the vitriolic impunity that bestrides our politics. We need to rein in the peppery gang, urgently and heavily. All men and women of valour need to stand up to be counted. The time for this was yesterday!
Today is late. Evil is winning. Good is now so bad people poke fun at it. Good suddenly has no value, because evil had since dethroned it.
People are deemed smart or good politicians once they are treacherous and fast enough to (re)align even with whom or for what they hate. All that matters is the person or camp that will best butter their bread, going forward. They don’t care about morality, nor about whose horse is gored, nor indeed about any other person or interest. The most intriguing thing is that this shot-in-the-foot political culture (as already mentioned) is pervasive and readily applauded by even the most upright as a masterstroke.
This piece though, is not about these smart alecs and their antics. Rather, in focus are the not-so-smart foot soldiers. Despite far outnumbering their paymasters, they carry on desperate to prove they are tied to the apron strings of sycophancy. They go to any length and take on anyone, even to own detriment.
This is how most of these foot soldiers damage their reputation which -well- doesn’t really seem to count for much, lately. This is how they fracture their present, burn their tomorrow bridges and make themselves outcasts. Foot soldiers who curse their godfather because they have (or want to win over) a new godfather or to gain political advantage are the poorest of the poor in spirit, in character, in everything. Unfortunately, it is people like these who populate the highest political offices in the land.
Men and women who lack character, who stand for nothing that’s worthier than a mess of pottage. Men and women who have reproduced their kind, biologically and via pseudo mentoring. Yes, youngsters you find on social media minting and distributing insults could only have descended from an identical ancestry. Show me a political foot soldier insulting people on social media who is a son or daughter or mentee of somebody strikingly different.
Nigeria needs to fix this fundamental dislocation, urgently. Young people need to allow politicians or elders have their fight in peace. Paymasters know themselves and their interest and how to sort out differences backstage. Politicians have a backroom where they meet to share a glass or two of understanding; which explains why two elders you heard cursing each other would later emerge in public hugging and laughing at the rest of us.
Much of the open political quarrels in Nigeria (intra- and inter-party) are mere grandstanding: meant for the cameras. Our politicians are drama kings: they understand the script and can tell the end of the drama from the beginning. No young person should jump in, supporting one party: because almost always such a one misses his lines and is scapegoated forever. Look around: you see too many politicians whose lives or careers were and have remained stunted because they took sides with one of two gladiators at war at the time; two gladiators who are today two political sweethearts!
Wise up, dear political footsoldier: don’t join the army of extras (or waka pass as we call them in Nollywood). Don’t fight any political war that doesn’t directly concern you. If you nurse approval cravings you cannot resist and must jump into the fray, use your head; stay on the issue; keep your arguments clean, short and simple. Never -I repeat, never- cross the red lines of love, of character, and of humility; never, never descend into the ring to mudsling, to bring down, and to smallify because the way life rotates: you may tomorrow find that yesterday target is your next destiny helper!
At Michael BUSH Mentoring Academy, I teach mentees and followers how, when and why never to join in my personal battles. I know there’s always the temptation to score a point, but, you know what, Most third party interventions are inimical; they are like fuel to fire; they prolong the crisis and widen its coverage. Most political paymasters know these and that foot soldiers not having a full understanding only speak out of sentiments.
My only child, Winnie, let alone Mrs. BUSH have never publicly raised a finger for me. Yet, I love both more than those who do. Check also the politicians (especially those in high offices), you never see their family on the front line during electioneering or fights with opponents. Yet, those silly foot soldiers who fight dirty for them online eat only crumbs that fall from family tables!
That truest-truth present-day reality should sober up a foot soldier. Plus, politicians hate the foot soldier who insults their opponents. They know that someday -if Jesus tarries- this attack dog might come after them; examples of which inundate the polity.
This is why political masters only give their abusive foot soldiers access to just enough food and money and position!
Meditate on the foregoing, dear political foot soldier. It is an unspoken rule of life. In Coming to America (Part 1), over three decades ago, Eddie Murphy ensured Arsenio Hall had less money in order to reduce the latter’s mischief. Free yourself today from that leash. Do nobody’s dirty jobs, because even that person will never see you as clean or big enough to be respected or promoted!
Support your boss or godfather clean and clear, honourably. Don’t betray them; but also don’t betray others; but, most importantly, don’t betray yourself. That’s how to build goodwill that you always need to help your boss or godfather or yourself, now and in future.
This is the roadmap of life, of politics, of everything: follow it so you live and enjoy, effortlessly.
It is the only path to positive impact and legacy. The world will treasure your life or memory if you added -not subtract- value. Conversely, the life or memory of fighting others’ useless political battles or insulting the master’s opponents shall be permanently booed and scorned. Even foot soldiers who are hard of hearing must hear and internalise this message or waste away in eternity!
God bless Nigeria!