Walking The Talk For Nigeria’s Revolution- By Clement Uwayah

The word ‘revolution’ always seems anathema, especially in government cycles. It is often viewed with negative cynicism on the proponents. Yet, in history, it has always taken revolutionary actions for nations to become repositioned, redeemed, and set on progressive and enviable paths. Why then does the word attract such reservations, resentments and fear of prepositions? Perhaps, it remains unclear to many that revolutions have gone past what it was decades back, when upheavals, fights, wars, bloodshed and other negativities characterized it. The changed and ever changing times makes it very inauspicious to prescribe nor adopt measures that are becoming confined to the dustbin of history. Today’s digital age presupposes that more subtle measures be applied towards getting desired results. And, this is the standpoint upon which it has become absolutely necessary to revolutionize Nigeria, knowing too well that the citizens mindsets remain the fulcrum upon which such revolutionary acts revolves.

Generally, revolution means a turn around. In the fields of history and political science, a revolution is a radical change in the established order, usually the established government and social institutions. Jack A. Goldstone, an American sociologist, political scientist and historian, stated in his book, Revolutions: A Very Short Introduction, that, ‘Revolutions have both structural and transient causes. Structural causes are long-term and large-scale trends that undermine existing social institutions and relationships, and Transient causes are contingent events, or actions by particular individuals or groups, that reveal the impact of longer-term trends and often galvanize revolutionary oppositions to take further action.’

No doubts, the above clearly depicts the fact that Nigeria had long been overdue for ‘radical changes in its order’. Narrations of the Nigerian state of affairs since independence is heart wrenching. The empirical visualizations that gave tulip to the possibility of her becoming the giant of Africa signals from the abundance of human and natural resources. However, mismanagement took an unprecedented toll, to the extent of not only declining in expected growth and development, but now being taunted as the world capital of poverty, crime and insecurity. Nigeria’s dip is so deep that one can only concur to Chinua Achebe of blessed memory, that, “there was a country.” How we remained in the precarious situation we found ourselves to the extent of becoming a mockery and shame in the comity of nations is unimaginable. Even now, rather than abating, it appears heading to an all time worst situation, with the political class failing to realize the necessity for leadership recalibrations as revealed in their usual empowering of moneybags in the general elections, especially at the presidential level.

Since revolution in its simplest form means a turn around, everything needs to be turned around for the sleeping giant inside Nigeria to be awakened and the stage for her greatness set. To start with, our value system needs urgent redirections. The value system of a group of people is the set of beliefs and attitudes that they all share. Over the years, we have lost the core elements in our blood streams that made us unique as Africans. We degenerated to a society where anything goes, because we yielded to acculturations that neither defined nor fit our well-being as people of black race and cultures. Rather, we tolerated value systems that are inconsistent, incoherent and unbefitting. How do we explain the fact that honour and respect, which used to be ‘common’ with the black race, is now almost a hard find?

The call for revolution is far from being orthodox. It is simply a call to look inwards rather than outwards. It’s a call to understand that a country’s greatness is tied to the perceptions and inputs of her citizens themselves. It’s a call to know the truth, that, nothing works except people make them work. It’s a call to remind everyone, that, what is now needed more than ever before, is a situation where Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM) mentality must take deep root. Call for the revolution of Nigeria is one that seeks to get everyone be on their toes for the right things at the right times, without waiting to be pushed, reminded or even told. The call for revolution is a call to react appropriately to ensure the tilting of the political leadership of the country away from the usual self-services to one of servitude, where the people remain the focal point. It is a call to reject the blackmail that becoming the country’s leader is on the bases of ambitions that do not align with the cravings of the majority of Nigerians. How do we contend with people who sees the highest political office or anyone for that matter as a birthright, to the extent of declaring it as being their turn or claiming to have paid their dues?

Knowingly or unknowingly, the recognition of revolutionary tendencies have been very rife. Even the front runners in the current political context acknowledges that we are in a revolution. The APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, did remark in one of his campaign tours, that, “we are in a revolution.” All others, including the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Gregory Obi, also holds the same view. No doubts, Peter Obi’s slogan of “Take Back Nigeria”, is totally an inclination towards a departure from the old ways to one of hope and prosperity for the citizens, which itself is revolutionary. Today’s clear handwritings and signals from the majority of the citizens evokes their determination to embrace a new order. No doubts, the desires have been and remains the urgent need to ensure leadership recalibrations wherein fresh breathe would reign in our polity. The type of leadership that would build powerful institutions as against powerful persons. Leadership that should be a clear departure from all forms of rascality, thievery and unworthy dispositions.

Importantly, we must come to the knowledge and realization that leadership choices have, perhaps, the most significant effects on any nation’s development. On this basis, the most critical aspect to ensure and assure the expected revolution is the need for people to use the ballot box as the foremost means to retire the unfit politicians lined up for various political positions under the various parties. The understanding here must be that, parties are mere platforms for people to ascend positions and not itself the driver of good leadership. Only people of capacity, competence and compassion towards national development must be entrusted with power across the various levels. The search for good leadership must not be limited to the presidency alone. And, this should be without such wrong sentiments that caged us previously. Seeking to empower someone because of region, religion, tribe or party affiliations is highly indicative of someone living in the past. It is expected that people must have learnt from the past, that sentiments and ultimate misdirection of votes, is what has kept us in the present deplorable state we are in, as our chosen leaders have continuously failed to make meaningful impacts over the years.

In the history of Nigeria, let it be on record, that Nigerians took their destinies in their own hands by deliberately and decisively rejigging their political consciousness and seeking and ensuring leadership recalibrations towards the institution of a new order. No doubts, there may be no one that could pass for a saint, and there’s no saint anywhere in the world. But, looking at the list of those parading themselves, it is obvious that one particular candidate, in the person of Peter Obi of the Labour Party catches the fancy of the majority of the masses. Interestingly, his credentials are eloquent testimonies that a paradigm shift is possible with him. His antecedents are heartwarming enough to conceive to his absolute qualification, having excelled in both private and public office domains. His records as the former Governor of Anambra state was highly impeccable. He stands out as the only former Governor in Nigeria’s history with a unique trait. Since over 9 months, in the course of this political mileage, he challenged anyone to produce a single proof of financial misappropriation against him, even stating that he would drop his ambition. Till date, nothing has been brought forth against him. His accomplishments leaves no doubts that he is at the current moment the aspirant who the cap fits.

The acknowledgments for the desirability of Nigeria’s revolution have been overwhelming, but with unclear picture and description of what it entails. Obviously, it is now lucid that there’s been a resounding need to picture our future by featuring in the very hearts of matters that guarantees the employment or empowering of those to anchor the new order. And, this is where February 25th becomes a date to be reckoned with in Nigeria’s political lexicon thereafter. With the way things are going, it may pass as the unofficial day of Nigeria’s independence, because it is one looking historical as the day the people awoke to choose a leader and not wait to be given one by the antics of the political class whose belief is that of ‘turn by turn’ in their usual self-serving arrangements, not minding the nation’s deep dip in retrogressions. With one voice, Nigerians should institute a new leadership order, and that is the first step in the revolutionary acts. I come in peace!!!

Clement Uwayah, a Public Affairs Commentator, writes from Edo State.