Pauperized Electorates: Is paradigm shift feasible in 2023 elections?

Andrew A. Erakhrumen

It is unfortunate that the same politicians that always peddle lies to gullible electorates, every election cycle, are not only still at it but also aiming at continuing with the messing up of Nigeria through political offices. Nevertheless, we, all, must persistently interrogate them, and the system, to realise the best for the generality even as we are restating, here, that we have not relinquished our strongly-held conviction that “…..nothing will take us unaware, anymore, in this country…..anything and everything is possible, and should be expected, in today’s Nigeria…..” While we do not want to sound like a broken record concerning the ongoing countrywide intensive looting of public wealth (some of which are already in the public domain) it is really difficult to not talk about it. Today, the amount stolen from public till is unquantifiable and ‘legitimated’ through boldface roguery! People are now either frustrated or struggling to join the ‘winning team’; the politicians and ‘thieving’ servants in government ministries, departments and agencies. This is a time when doubt is rife regarding the possibility of getting leaders that can reverse this disastrous trend! So, hope of solving this challenge is diminishing! Why allow this hopeless scenario?

We will not mention names, here, in order to not be accused of being a ‘megaphone’ for other dyed in the wool politicians presently pretending to be in ‘opposition’. Where was the ‘opposition’ before now? We are still asking for the difference between six and half a dozen regarding these shameless public servants! We are aware that many of the so-called leaders are symptoms of a long-standing deeper societal malaise! This is the main reason why we hardly criticise individuals but the system in its entirety. The kernel of this intervention is to contribute to narratives that will elevate favourable discussions and arguments in setting agenda for those jostling for attention and votes to lead, politically, at every level in Nigeria. Once wrong people are recruited, getting the job done becomes very difficult, if not impossible! Closely tied to the foregoing is to add to the increasing clamour for a ‘real’ people’s constitution as against the militarily-imposed one that has enabled and fortified the criminal capabilities for internal colonisation of Nigerians by Nigerians! Except those that have gladly agreed to be made slaves or serfs in Nigeria; we are neither!

Consequently, neo-colonialism through this type of ‘colonialism’ must be stopped! This can be achieved if and when the people are collectively able to recruit leaders who do not think they are doing the country a favour by being in public offices! We are confronting misfits that act as if they are more powerful than the electorates. But are they not? Sincerely, these quacks do not have all the blame owing to the premeditated contradictions currently surrounding elections into public offices in Nigeria. What else should be expected if a registered voter is willing to part with his/her Permanent Voters Card (PVC) for 2,000Naira before an election day? That is how worthless some electorates see the PVC! They erroneously believe that their votes cannot make any difference! Hence, we do ask some of them that: if their votes are useless, why were they paid for their PVC to be relinquished? Why were they paid for their votes during elections? We are really disadvantaged as we are fighting against principalities that have ‘successfully’ impoverished the majority of Nigerians for long. These shady characters have cornered the country’s wealth and are in positions to wreck other havocs if not allowed to continue the massive heist!

Do these accidental leaders care about Nigeria? Certainly they do not; because if they do, the country would not have sunk this deep into the current mess. Do we even ask ourselves what is expected from ‘leaders’ who do not visit our public hospitals for treatment? Are they not always on medical tourism funded from public purse? Yes, all humans are mere mortals prone to ailments – anytime. Thus, one may spend his/her hard-earned resources for health care services – anywhere. This can be justified if the resources are not illicitly extracted from public purse. Nobody is trying to deny public office holders their legitimate privileges. Not at all! What we are against is the arrogation of illegal perquisites to themselves. These are the ‘perks of office’ that have contributed substantially to the dehumanising pauperisation of many Nigerians. The questions are: why should our public hospitals (hospitals-for-the-wretched) be worse than the mere ‘consulting’ clinics of the 1980s? Why are public higher educational institutions not good for the children/wards of our political office holders? We wonder how political office holders are able to sleep well when Nigeria is now comfortably the world’s poverty capital! These scoundrels are still continuing in the mindless insatiable looting of public wealth. This mental illness is nothing but insanity!

Well now, we will like to place a reminder, here, regarding the stupidity in blind primitive accumulation of ephemeral wealth. Those in government are looting the country’s treasury and, like Sani Abacha (1943–1998), stashing them away locally and otherwise. We want them to reflect on certain comments from a multi-billionaire businessman – Femi Otedola. We stumbled on a video where it was claimed that Otedola, in the last two decades, has donated more than US$20million for the sake of philanthropy. In the video, he was asked, by a journalist, why he has given out so much money to charity. Listen to him: “…..In my life and in my journey; I have taken the risk, I have done the chase, I have enjoyed the thrill, I have achieved success and recognition; what next? You give it back! A lot of people think when they die they will take their money with them; we will see! Thank you! …..” We know that the thieves Fela Anikulapo-Kuti (1938–1997) called “vagabonds in power” looting Nigerians’ collective patrimony, will be very quick at quoting Mario Puzo (1920–1999) that “…..behind every successful fortune there is a crime…..” The messenger (Otedola), like other mere mortals, may have his faults but we want the earlier-mentioned thieves to know that – herein – the message should be focussed on more than the messenger!

*Andrew A. Erakhrumen currently teaches at the Department of Forest Resources and Wildlife Management, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.