In the political arena you would read politicians boldly quoted as making statements claiming their region of the country was robbed of their turn to rule and others would say 'in 2015, it would be the Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa's turn to rule. They sound it like it is a mathematical arrangement that the answer had already been found.
Some even go the length of threatening the country will not have peace or remain together if they don't rule.
My question and probably the question of some other Nigerians is 'How many Nigeria is there?'
If there is one and I strongly disagree, why are these voices shouting 'my side is robbed'. Is the leadership of our great nation now at the mercy of people who haven't prove themselves worthy just because they represent their ethnicity, tribe or tongue to take turns?
Where is the unity, where is the oneness and where is the togetherness?
I saw in the news about Akwa Ibom State where it was highlighted that come 2015 it would be the turn of the Eket since His Excellency Governor Goodwill Akpabio is from Ikot Ekpene region. This is even within a state in Nigeria. There is still division even within a state.
That is why I want to use this medium to say that the clamour for Nigeria to split is the worse imagination anyone could ever imagine. If you say split Nigeria, it will trigger the question, into how many?
Will you split it into 36 countries since the Hausa speaking region or Ibo or Yoruba are not even united in totality. Even when you split it into 36, what about the 'I am Eket, I am Ibibio, I am Ngwa and other tribal statements within a state?
How do you reconcile that?
Now you see! If together we are weak then separated we will not just be the weakest, we would not even exist anymore.
To be or not to be? I say 'TO BE' but with a renewed and right mind and mentality.
In sport back in my primary school days, we were taught to have the spirit of sportsmanship to celebrated and shake hands with winners while we hope to win the next time. In this vein also I want to beg our revered politicians also to take up the spirit of sportsmanship, pardon me if there is already a political term for that...LOL and celebrate the leader that emerge by the credible vote count of the people. This is the beauty of true democracy.
Abraham Lincoln failed 8 times politically before emerging American president.
I haven't heard of any Nigerian politician who had gone through such political embarrassment and even with this, Lincoln never threatened to burn down America if he didn't succeed in the next one. He knew he had something to offer so he pressed and pressed until he got his chance. If you have something to offer, convince the people in the language they understand and they would gladly give you their votes.
I want to beg youths and politicians to discontinue the mindset that we are only an important tribe because 'Out of thou hast gone a king' No!
Too bad, this is even encouraged in our university campuses and I urge the Minister of Education to wipe this out as it would further deteriorate the country's condition further. I once visited a university and saw meetings for students of various tribes within that state. No wonder there is assassinations just in the move to select Student Union President because even student combat for people of their tribe to take up the office that equates to them at that level to the office the presidency of a nation. If we look deeper, we would realize this meetings are to solidify relationship within themselves in order to be there for themselves so that any external intruder would not deprive their tribe of their rights especially political ones.
While this is not entirely a bad thing, what are those other tribes we are closing the door on, Nigerians or Non-Nigerians?
Universities should have groups for empowerment, self development, mastermind group, and other positive meetings that has nothing to do with tribal discrimination. This would encourage interaction, friendship, togetherness and unity among people of all tribes and the effect in the long run would be 'One Nigeria' where people are oblivious of their ethnicity or tribe in their dealings with one another.
That would eliminate favoritism, intimidation and discrimination for reasons of tribe and you can imagine the great nation we would be.
Please religious, traditional and political leaders and Nigerians in general, both at home and in diaspora, do not overheat the polity just because you want someone from your region to take up power or rule.
I do not limit this to the Executive arm of government alone but even down to the very base of it. Let us all pray and vote for the man who has been tested and proven to be the one who genuinely has something to offer our country.
The masses of this country has suffered so much and for too long on what I call Experimental politics, where they give our country to the wrong people and say 'let's see what he can do with it'. Very much like giving a kid an adult's bicycle just to learn to ride with.
Let's have the mindset that whether he is going to be Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa or anywhere else even a minority, so long as he is right from my judgment I am giving him my vote.
I equally want to beg the youths of which I am one, that in 2015, you give your vote to the man that will better equip you and I for our sure future leadership. The man who will build more universities and schools, equip and fund them remarkably, build hospitals, research centers, good roads, give us good water, 24/7 electric power supply and create employment for us.
Resist every temptation to be influenced by money, party, tribe or ethnicity.
Vote for the right man.
Remember it is your right to give your vote to whoever you want, so exercise it.
I say with President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan that this nation will not break apart in 2015.
Don't join the group who may want to break it apart because it is not for your interest but for their own selfish political interest.
God bless Nigeria and Everywhere.
No comments:
Post a Comment