Nigerians And The Change They Seek.

The dramas, unsettled atmospheric movements that played out at the tail end of last year, gave me little lacuna to revisit certain disturbing issues involving the Nigerian people as regards the upcoming election. Stating that Nigerians are divided in between two lines will be stating the obvious. It however doesn’t really border me because those are the givens of democracy and politics, not just in Nigeria, but the world over. People get to choose the side they want to belong based on the level of information or knowledge they have and some personal convictions on their chosen candidate. However true that may be, violence either in words or act shouldn’t be part of it.

I have seen and analysed various angles of the political dance-steps carried out by many, even before the election date became a stone throw. One angle that never settled with me the most, is that of the Nigerian people, the very ones who either way, are affected by the actions and inactions of the numerous deceptive politicians that fill the place today. Nigerians attack themselves on and off the Social Media without reason or cause only to protect their selected candidates, lying through tin lines and painting the nation black in the process, showing the entire world what Nigeria and Nigerians, big or small, are and can be. This is not right for the nation, this is not right for us as a people of this country, and this is not a practice that civilized people of our caliber is expected to uphold.

Since the campaign began, one set of people that has continued to lash out on themselves with great level of reckless abandon, even more than the candidates who are competing against each other, are the ordinary Nigerians. The big question i have often asked myself is where the Nigerian Project is in their definition of political campaign? Is the election about tarnishing our various images, rubbing dirts on our government, creating lasting enemies or is it not supposed to be about nation building, about selecting that one person who will deliver the true Nigerian project and redefine the nation through practical changing of the existing status quo? No any individual can control your opinions, your sentiments, your political views or candidate of choice if you choose not to let them. Incitement of violence has its price and in the end, the expected results is hampered due to your over-zealousness and uncontrolled sentiments.

Violent campaign distracts everyone, give the electoral process and body a bad name, and then make the wrong person to take the win. I personally don’t think that’s what we want to happen in this 2015 general election and if my guess is as good as yours, then let’s quit the hate going on right now and instead, conduct ourselves with the ethical principles of democracy, respecting difference of opinion and standing for Nigeria rather than an individual.

God bless Nigeria!