By Muideen Olalekan Olagunju
Not long ago, FFK was the darling of PDP Governors who hosted him in their respective states to give “pass marks” to their development agenda. Remember the question from a journalist about who was “bankrolling” his visits? It goes without saying that those governors, desperate for endorsement, offered him plum treatments.
What has changed?
Well, I think anyone who still finds it strange that we, the politicians, thrive on “relevance”, is clearly ignorant about how politics works in Nigeria. It is 95% interest based. No exception. This “interest” does not however strip a politician of ideals for good governance. It is also trite that no political party is bereft of people who can actually deliver the good or people who can deliver the worst. There is a thin line between political ideologies, if any, among political parties in Nigeria. It’s even a shade better in APC or PDP; go to those jeko-jeko parties with party stalwarts scrounging the next opportunity to make some money.
FFK is a politician. Whatever he does, pleasing or annoying, has an endgame. He is not alone. Over 90% in the game are exactly like that. He has exercised his fundamental right to freedom of association. In principle, he has committed no crime, sin or wrong. The truth is, in the Nigerian case, the electorates are “pawns”.
Our problem is the system. We operate a system of Jankaraism. Anyone, regardless of his antecedents, can actually lead in Nigeria. In saner climes, they build political and party structures meticulously. The USA, the UK, Germany, France, Canada, Australia, even India, have entrenched democratic principles. Gate-crashing is reduced to the barest minimum. The electorates are quite so politically savvy that can smell a con from afar from a pool of wannabe leaders. Presidential debates are one of the best watched TV events in these countries. People are interested in what you have to offer to improve the system. Integrity is almost always sacrosanct. Even if you managed to be voted in and then you commit wrongs that politicians easily get away with in Nigeria, you have to resign or there is inescapable calls for you to be removed from office. The recent case of Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York is a case in point.
It’s a bleak situation for us, to be honest. Without a solid foundation of ideologies people can key into, it’s GIGA (garbage in, garbage out) laden with retrogression.
We are all in it. Wailers and hailers. Abobakus and egberes. Ponmo boys and SIWES boys. A dispassionate look at how we are being governed at all levels will draw tears from the eyes. We should be doing a lot better as a country, as a state, as a local government. Dreams are dead. Potentials are lost. Countries at par with Nigeria 40 years ago are now light years ahead of us. There is corruption EVERYWHERE. 10%-20% kick-backs of contract sums are still the order of the day. Conduit pipes for self-interests are firmly laid under every facet of governance.
It’s not about FFK or other small fishes in the stormy waters of Nigerian politics. Most of the people we laud and worship are worse than FFK.
It is well. We can only hope for a better Nigeria. Let’s continue to participate to achieve a preponderance of good over evil. It’s in our hands.