Leadership Of Hopelessness And Trust Deficits -By Richard Olanrewaju Odusanya

You can rise to the top by any means possible: treachery, betrayal, backstabbing, craftiness and other types of tendencies. But, you can’t sustain that position same way. We can find the example in king Saul; his failure started from the very day he was enthroned, yet he ruled for over 27 years. Obviously, he was restless for the greater period of his reign. You could use any strategy to climb to the top. But at the peak of your glory destruction awaits you.

The present gladiators and members of the political class are another sets of classic example of deceptive practices; not long ago, some disgruntled citizens grouping under “change” took over the entire space with their messages and deceptions: we will fight kwantiri; we will kill kwaruption; we have the magic and capacity to rebuild the kwantiri and rescue her from insurgents and bandits etc.

Prior to the 2015 General Elections, Expectations were high as most Nigerians expected the coming government to wave a magic wand and make all their problems disappear. The Buhari campaign which ran on a ‘CHANGE’ mantra made numerous promises to Nigerians. During the electioneering campaign, President Muhammadu Buhari; his vice president, Yemi Osinbajo; and other top members of the party, made lots of promises to Nigerians, upon which they rode gallantly to power.

President Muhammadu Buhari campaign words among others were, “I, Muhammadu Buhari, believe that our politics is broken. Our nation urgently needs fundamental political reform and improvement in governance more transparency and accountable. If you nominate me in December, 2014 and elect me in February 2015, my administration will initiate actions to amend the Nigerian Constitution with a view to devolving powers, duties, and responsibilities to states in order to entrench true Federalism and the Federal spirit.

Furthermore, Prince Tony Momoh, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former minister of information during President Ibrahim Babangida’s administration during an exclusive chat with Guardian in April 2, 2016, said “Stone us,” Momoh said confidently if within two years the current government fails to reverse the situation, even as he stressed that this government is laying the foundation for a new and better country”. According to him, there are three steps in Buhari’s scheme, which are security, stability and prosperity.

Today, our dear nation and beloved citizens of Nigeria are worst off. These political gladiators paddling the affairs of this country have failed to institutionalise the principle of fairness and equality. The recent fainting system is an indication of wholesome and deliberate attempt to confuse the nation and condition our minds to acceptance of the status quo. At the fullness of time when the truth about the situation and realities comes to be known, the Pondei fainting will likely be a child play compared to the many faintings and exposes.

It sometimes takes a baptism of fire to bring out the beast in people. Before 2023, one won’t be shocked if this current government through its insensitivity and gross incompetence becomes the catalyst that brings the revolution some have been calling for all this while. With the way events are unfolding, Nigeria might reach a point where those who used to be scared of death no longer have what to live for so they’ve got nothing to lose. We were so desperate for change we didn’t even bother to precautionarily observe what we were changing to.

Therefore, it has become imperative for our compatriots across the divides to wake up and smell the coffee. #NowOrNever

Richard Olanrewaju Odusanya

Convener: AFRICA CONVENANT RESCUE INITIATIVE