Political Madness and Personality Flimflam -By Femi Amosun

The dawning of 2023 General Election in Nigeria is another opportunity for incompetent and prudish individuals and groups of sycophants to milk the country. A season for politics and electioneering largely driven by personal ambitions, self-interests, and extraordinary greed.

As a Nigerian, I feel a moral obligation to voice against the profound and unprecedented political idiocy being planted across the land. With the magnitude of destruction raking Nigeria, it is astonishingly inconceivable that ministers, governors and elected representatives still pronounce themselves as “Your Excellency“. The Oxford Dictionary defined Excellency as “the quality of being outstanding or extremely good”. In order words something in which one excels. So with the ‘Chain of Command’ and multiple layers of ministerial and duplicated appointments, one is bound to ask the pivotal question; where is Nigeria today in the context of development, equity, security, peace and conducive environment for all.

So we are in this territory grappling with the multiple social vices destroying our country, and in view of the overwhelming negative statistics as Nigeria is labeled the Poverty Capital of the World, the APC (the ruling party) thought the best way to divert attention is to charge N100 million for a Presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination Form. Nigerians should take note of all the names of Presidential aspirants who have bought the N100 million Nomination Form. The ‘N100 Million Club’ is an indirect element of the mass looting of public funds under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government. In normal clime, these aspirants should have been invited by the security agents for thorough questioning and investigation into the source of their wealth, and if they have paid all due taxes.

On the Aspirants “trains” moving with high velocity, visiting Royal Fathers and the Presidential Palace thus turning President Buhari to an “Emperor”. A President who is only proficient in appointing his cronies to key positions and imposing the Fulanis in pursuance of his personal Agenda. These aspirants scramble for “endorsement” like damaged products. Their actions are reminiscent of the Scramble for Africa in 1885 whereby former Colonial masters gathered in Berlin (The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885) and partitioned Africa without any due consideration for the African people. The sole focus then was the natural resources (economic gains) beneath various African regions. The unfathomably greed and callousness effectively ushered in the era of divisions, ethnic rivalries, clashes, wars etcetera. Till date Africa have never known Peace.

We have also seen explicit exhibition or manifestation of personal quest and self-centeredness as opposed to advocating robust solutions to tackle, and solve, the various economic, political and social problems confronting Nigerians. Some of the famous advocacies are “It’ll be injustice if l doesn’t contest“….”This is my long term personal ambition to be Nigeria President” etcetera. The not so hidden truth is that we are resoundingly far better than this somewhat arrogant, mischievous, self-centered, narcissists, vicious, dumpsters, unpatriotic, and looters that have taken over our country. How is it plausible for a senator or representative to earn monthly salary circa N13 million while majority of the population lives on one dollar a day? Where is your dignity, sanity, and responsibility to fellow citizens and others?

We have also witnessed a particular aspirant eating Amala in public and then shamelessly posted such contemptible act on the Social media. The disgusting act is no more than O dele eleba! Otu yeri ete (meaning, once at a food vendor, he’ll be shamelessly unable to control his mouth and licking of fingers in public space). Why are these aspirants and politicians repeating the same central theme of Berlin Conference?

Our founding fathers did not set out, or planned, to embarrass and humiliate us, so l am shocked that in 2022 we have a generation of desperate politicians and aspirants rolling around like empty palm kernel shell. You can always tell by their mendacity and desire to con Nigerians once again. It is disproportionately insulting that this generation of aspirants cannot even manage a bakery or barber shop let alone manage Nigeria, both at the micro and macro levels. Individuals that lack personal conviction, disposition or respect for others cannot be sincere in governance. Conscious fellow Nigerians may want to probe why we have denigrated to a point whereby the economic value of salt is increasingly becoming more valuable than human life.

The far-reaching implications of all these personality flannel is that the International Community will continue to perceive Nigeria as a nation where political and personality madness hinders national development and progress. One may also have averred that an unworthy, and timid ignorance is the height of political and personality psychosis obstructing our progress as a nation.

In this age of advanced technology, many Nigerians, both home and abroad, are well placed to inform their knowledge about other countries particularly issues of governmental behavioural pattern including how much they pay elected officials and other public office holders. So when our deeply-tainted politicians and officials are running around like loose Cannon, how long do they think they can continue to deceive and manipulate sagacious Nigerians. Of course they do not care, but one astonishing fact remain; Dignity and Integrity are, indeed, uncommon virtues.

Politics is not a business enterprise or investment avenue. Politics is a natural base to serve the People with equity, innovative development, and better life. Consequently, political parties and the elected officials should only exist for the benefit of Nigeria as a country, and citizens as the nucleus force of the Nigerian society. It’s not about personal ambition, interest or aggrandizement, it is about the best interest of the country.

May your case not be that of a fisherman who worked assiduously all day only for the striking storm and thunder to wash away his gains.