Last time I checked, it was the
chapter three of the Ecclesiastes’s book in the Holy Bible that said “There’s
time for everything under the Sun.” needless to reiterate that whatever one
intends to do or embark on here on earth, he or she must acknowledge that there
is a specific time such intending action is meant to be taken.
The above assertion implies that every activity, either proposed or
ongoing, is highly and strictly depended on time. In other words, every
thought, action or inaction abides by the supremacy of time. Just as there’s an
apt time for cultivation, propagation as well as harvest of a crop, so do we
have time for birth, growth and death of a human being or any creator.
I have come to realize that the reason we often fail in so many projects
we embarked on is simply because we usually do the right thing at the wrong
time; and that is the basis or rudiments of this piece. Unequivocally, we
invariably tend to fail in our various endeavours owing to the fact that we
take the aforementioned biblical or divine assertion for granted.
It’s not anymore news that in several facets across the federation,
various politicians have already commenced politicking against the next
Nigeria’s interregnum come 2019, thereby making the entire polity seem nauseous
and unreasonable when it is meant to be loveable. How do you reconcile this?
Frankly, it’s really pathetic that most Nigerian politicians are still yet to
contrast between politics and governance.
In Imo State, for instance, in several quarters, people including
government functionaries have started debating or agitating for who would
emerge as the next governor of the ancient state. It’s even more pitiable to
observe that the electorate who are expected to be the main solicitors of
governance happen to be the major actors in the said ongoing melodrama.
To say the least, we seriously
need to reexamine ourselves, both mentally and otherwise. Undoubtedly, there’s
an urgent need for proper diagnosis toward ascertaining our actual plight. We
need to ascertain what prompted the proclivity for such lifestyle; we need to
find out if it is an inborn anomaly or self-indulgence, because we can’t
continue like this. Honestly, failure to diagnose this lingering societal
endemic might cause us a monumental self-inflicted injury.
Right now, rather than constituting uncalled political agitations,
what’s required in every quarter, be it a state or national issue, is a viable
and proactive opposition. A viable opposition would strongly help to ensure
that the ruling party maintains a participatory democracy in all ramifications
irrespective of the circumstance. It’s only a participatory democratic setting
that can yield a wholesome administration.
On the contrary; instead of working assiduously towards forming a
formidable opposition, the politicians are only concerned with how and when to
defect to the ruling party with a view to ensuring that the ‘national cake’
does not pass them by. On a daily basis, what we hear among the political class
remains nothing but outright defection. It’s no doubt an ignominy that an
average Nigerian politician invariably wants to be a member of the ruling
party.
A certain political party cannot rule at all times or forever;
leadership is about ‘soldier go, soldier come’. Besides, if everyone rules, who
would serve or stand in as the opposition? We really need to note that without
a sound and firm opposition trailing a certain leadership, the administration
of the leaders in question would definitely be porous. There are no two ways
about it. It’s indeed needles to state that we seriously need to learn more
about leadership prospects, challenges and crisis.
It’s the opposition and other concerned bodies that are meant to
motivate the followers toward ushering in the desired change. Suffice it to say
that good governance is a product of adequate cum reliable opposition and
genuine followership. The followers would continue to be docile or marred by
apathy unless they are thoroughly informed, educated as well as duly activated;
and such role is the function of the opposition, analysts, civil society,
religious groups and what have you.
Due to lack of active participation by the citizenry, presently you
would notice that implementation of good governance is usually a mirage. The
citizens need to fully comprehend that the leaders are answerable to them; they
must note that leadership and followership are inevitably interwoven. We can’t
sit on the fence and expect miracles or wonders to take place; the leaders are
human, so there’s need for reminder, criticism, and so on, when necessary.
Thus, we must be ready and willing to call them to order whenever they err or
go astray.
The church or mosque, or as the case may be, isn’t supposed to
participate in politics, but governance. It’s obvious that the former begets
the latter; but we need to comprehend that both factors, which are
conspicuously two needed societal recipes, are just like two parallel lines
that have no meeting point. Politics ends at the polls, whilst governance
begins at the polls; hence, where politics ends, governance takes over. But
it’s apparent that in the contemporary Nigerian society, we tend to mix both
tools, thus not unlike an aberration.
Nigerians must understand that this is the time for governance, and not
politics as it’s being observed in most quarters. Thus, everyone ought to live
up to the expectation towards ushering in the awaited change if we are truly
ready to see a changed Nigeria in its entirety. Surely, this is the right time
for the change mantra to be practicalized. Think about it!
Comr Fred Doc
Nwaozor
Twitter: @mediambassador 
