The elections 2007 have come and gone and much more than I suspected, it further eroded our already embattled national poise. Despite all the battle cries and malfeasances that preceded this electoral charade, I had hoped, albeit tenuously, for some miracle that could disabuse our zany and power-blinded oligarchs so that they would accede, for once, a fair and free election to the perennially deprived Nigerian citizenry. Alas, it was not to be. The results we got were a foregone conclusion and my hopeful gossamer was not just blown away, but it was shattered beyond my wildest premonitions.  

Meanwhile, we have been witnessing failed politicos audaciously defying the reproving voices of the world. They assault our intelligence with all contrivable casuistry in a malefic bid to convince us and the rest of the world that what we all saw was not what happened, (abracadabra), and that we got the best elections we could possibly get!  

I probably would have been able to handle these withering temerities a lot more easily if I hadn’t descried the self-effacing and acquiescing post-election commentaries coming from unexpectedly numerous grovelling maws. Our conquistadors, I dare not call them politicians, are probably right to say we got the best elections we could get because from all indications what we got is what we deserved.  

How can we dare doubt where we are headed as a nation when we, again and again, readily accept such overt frauds in the name of politics? I know we are a notoriously happy people, always smiling in the face of misery. “Ha-ha, hi-hi, we have been defrauded of our franchise again but hush-hush, just don’t start any troubles, pray, pray, God will intervene, it will all be okay, go to court and make your case, that is what democracy is all about, ha-ha, hi-hi, die and go to heaven smiling and so on and so forth.” But isn’t it about time we asked why this nation has continuously spawned lost and dispossessed generations after generations?  

To be clear, I am not advocating here for violence in any form. I am only asking, why can’t we unanimously, without exception, say NO to an openly deplorable situation and stand by our NO for as long as takes to make an impact, no matter the consequences. That alone might not stop our condescending ogres from foisting their agendas on us but when some of us say NO, some say YES and yet others say, Take It Like It Is; we are only encouraging these neo-colonialists to ever more audacious gerrymandering.  

If, as it seems, this regime has once again succeeded in imposing itself on the people, I have one or two advices for them. It should not continue to over-estimate the patience of the people of Nigeria . They may consider this simple piece of advice naïve if they like, but I can, without any doubt, predict that this multinational behemoth called Nigeria shall not see the next one and half decades as a unitary entity if it (or any other regime for that matter) does not palpably and urgently improve on its performances.  

The people at the helm of Nigerian affairs must, and I say must, from now on set their priorities right. Before anything else, this administration must make sure that within its first term in office every city and every rural community in Nigeria is furnished with hospitals and modern medical facilities, without exception. Secondly, all existing roads in the country must be put in first class order. Thirdly, every city and rural area must be guaranteed a steady power supply. Fourthly every household in Nigeria must have easy access to clean water and lastly, but not the least, quality and free education must be made available to all Nigerians.  

This is not too much to ask for in a country as richly endowed as Nigeria after more than four decades of self-rule. We don’t want to know how you do it. Just do it! That’s what you get for arrogating power to yourselves without our mandate. You have only four years to prove your mettles. Our patience is thinning out fast! In a democracy the legitimacy of claim to re-election by any regime must be predicated upon its performances.  

An incumbent government that has performed well and endeared itself to the hearts of its people will not have the need to declare a do-or-die war on them as we had witnessed in the last elections. If this regime does not now re-chart this nation’s drift by declaring a do-or-die war on the urgent needs of the laity, it would inexorably find itself in a dire need to declare war on the citizenry again, come next election. But the next time around it should not be surprised if it turns out to be the proverbial last straw.

Robot  # 1 | 05.05.2007 10:44

The people at the helm of Nigerian affairs must, and I say must, from now on set...Read the full article.