if the rest of the world had a chance to vote in the US election, Hillary Clinton might just have won. In fact, majority of Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora would have voted for the former secretary of state. Even without the legal right to vote in that election, many across the world still did with their hearts and when the results came in last Wednesday morning, they were very disappointed at the outcome. Trump triumphed.
Hillary wouldn’t be president even after earning more popular votes 59,938,290 compared to Donald Trump’s 59,704,886. The winning candidate needed 270 Electoral College votes. Trump with his 290 electoral votes snatched the victory. Clinton garnered 232 votes.  That was how the founding fathers of America wanted it. That you could still win majority of votes cast and still not be president. Those of us watching by the sideline cannot change that rule.
It reminds me of one Yoruba saying, which loosely translated, means ‘you cannot be wiser than the one who says this is how I want to do my thing.’
Americans wanted Trump in spite of his heavy baggage of controversies. Trump promised to give America back to Americans. And that was why he won their hearts.
Trump had during his campaign accused Nigerians among other foreigners of taking over jobs meant for US citizens.
There are hundreds of thousands of Nigerian professionals contributing to the development of America. But that does not matter to Trump. What does is that they have taken over American jobs.
For me the greatest lesson in the US election, particularly with the victory of Trump, is for us as Nigerians to also take our country, Nigeria, back.
Nigeria as a geographical space is about one-half the size of the State of Alaska in the US. But we continue to act as if Nigeria is too big to manage.
We just witnessed the US election. It went seamlessly through party primaries, endorsement of candidates, we saw the independent candidates by the sidelines, and we had the election.  They even had early voting.  More than 20 million had voted before the election day. And despite the size of the country the results were released in a record time. There was no inconclusive election, no ballot stuffing, and no ballot snatching.  Here, we are still to conclude some of the elections of 2015.
And even though we tout it that our democracy was borrowed from America, when it comes to practicing it the way the Americans do, we shop for excuses that it had taken the US ages to attain perfection.  A hypocritical defence I dare say. When it comes to doing the right things to make our country better, we plead for time, yet we build good houses, ride the latest cars, use the latest phone as in the US and indulge in more luxuries of the modern world with impeccable refinement.  Only our democracy is warped and our politics defective.
We went into to last presidential elections without the candidates having any debates. Nigerians had no opportunity to be convinced directly by the candidates on why they should be entrusted with our mandate. That was not the case with the US election. From the party primaries to the main election, the candidates spent months selling themselves to the electorate. No unserious-minded person would dare go through such rigorous process, but in Nigeria we end up most times with incompetent and unequipped candidates. And what do we get in the end? They leave the country worse than they met it.
A good way to begin the move to take back our country is to reform our electoral system.
An electoral process that is characterized by rigging and violence cannot produce the right elected officials that will make Nigeria great.
An electoral process that fails to punish offenders cannot make us proud.
An electoral system that prevents most qualified candidates from emerging to lead their parties and the nation cannot make us be like America.
President Muhammadu Buhari early last month inaugurated a 24-member panel headed by former Senate president, Ken Nnamani to consider possible amendments to the Constitution and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) with a view to having a generally acceptable electoral system. The late president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua set up a similar committee headed by a former chief justice, Muhammed Uwais. Nigerians who desire to take the country back and make it great would not just wait and watch panels upon panels being set up while the recommendations end up gathering dust in some lockers in the government offices.
Nigerians should move beyond being disappointed in the loss of their preferred candidate in the US election. There is no better opportunity to reform our democracy and make Nigeria great again.


Re: A case for helpless patients

Abdulfatah, let me, on behalf of all peoples of the world, share your opening prayer of “A Case For Helpless Patients”, all our days on earth, with a resonant Amen. The problem of Nigerians not receiving help from government is not new. There had been cases the media even helped with serial advertorials on tabloids, which failed to get attention. There were a few cases of sportsmen who had won laurels for Nigeria who died from failure of government to give them financial assistance when they were down with terminal illnesses. If such people could be so treated, what would unknown citizens expect in such circumstances from government than scorn and neglect? The health sector has had to go on strike several times, based on poor financing by government to buy required equipment and other needs to carry out reasonable medical services in hospitals. Was there any mention on provision of infrastructure for the health sector in the prospective $29.9 billion government loan under contention now? I doubt. With even a plan to mortgage future Nigerians to advanced climes, not considering such a provision for the health sector, where is the hope of financial support for ill Nigerians of tomorrow by government? In advanced climes, provision of sound health services is prime because governments, in contradistinction with Nigeria, serve the people and not themselves. Until we have constitutional provision of about twenty percent of the annual budget allocated to the health sector, with strict supervision by a set council of professionals to ensure proper application of funds statutorily provided by the budget, the status quo would remain. But, are our political leaders inclined towards such a proactive design? My guess is as good as yours. And with recession in place? May God save Nigerians. Amen.
–Lai Ashadele

When you pass through the pains of education in Nigeria, you meet unemployment, and even if you work for an Indian-owned factory (6am-6pm), you are not sure of your pensions not to talk of gratuities, even though you must shoulder the responsibility of providing the basic needs of your family and still pay 10% of your income as tax even with the skyrocketing prices of commodities. Don’t you sometimes deem it so attractive to scream aloud some swear words for those ruling us? Well, keep on wasting your ink, because our calamitous government would not read it not to talk of acting. End time government! Mtcheew!  –081767464**

Dear Abdulfatah, Nigeria is a country where citizens have duties without rights. You buy a car with all documents complete, yet the police will stop you on the way and ask for imaginary vehicle papers never heard of. Ondo and Edo states are experts in this. They delay, insult and harass you until you part with some cash if you are the type that can be easily intimidated, if not, they keep you for a while before they let you go. Those in government carry on as if they have conquered the entire world. They plunder, oppress and deceive the unwary. While these go on, the main reasons why they were elected into office are neglected. Security, healthcare, education, food security, provision of infrastructure are some of the primary duties of any government worth its salt. But what we find here are people forever blaming their predecessors in office to cover their own inadequacies. Our governments at all levels should be alive to their duties. Citizens are suffering and dying daily due the negligence of government. Thanks.
–Emma Okoukwu

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Abdulfatah, your article is a sure pathetic story of poor Nigerians. I was down this few days with typhoid and malaria and had to spend N17,000. Think of those who cannot afford such amount to get medical treatment. Everyday we hear recovered billions, we don’t see it, we don’t feel it. It’s either the Buhari government is only making a show of pulling the opposition down or some people are busy looting the recovered loots.  –080339716**

Assuming we have listening leaders who care about the citizens, government would have provided medical facilities in our hospitals that would make treatment cheap for citizens who cannot afford foreign treatment. Many of the medical experts across the world who are Nigerians chose to work abroad due to poor working environment and inadequate infrastructure caused by failed leadership at home. If we put things in order as a nation blessed with oil and other mineral resources, every citizen has right to free medical care whatever ailment the person is suffering from.  It is very unfortunate and sad that we have bad leaders.  –Mrs. Ijeoma Nno, Lagos State.  

Our health is very paramount. Government should provide health facilities for Nigerians who cannot afford to travel aboard for treatment; after all we have the resources to make health facilities in Nigeria the best in the world.
–Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia

You captured it all. Nigeria is in serious trouble. Do you know that in spite of all the noise about fighting corruption on our roads, for instance, l traveled from Isuikwuato to Umuahia this morning (Sunday Nov 6) all the police checkpoints and one Army checkpoint were collecting N50 from commercial vehicles, even giving change, without batting an eye. Jesus! We are finished with double jeopardy of our situation. We see this daily, even minors watch. I am sad.
–Tony Enyinta, Isuikwuato