BY BENSON OKOBI-ALLANAH
IN as much as some shameless Nigerians adore, worship, idolize, boot-lick, pour encomiums and grovel on feet of tested and failed persons that held (and still holding) offices in public and private offices they were supposed to distinguish themselves but failed to do so, particularly political leaders whose only idea of joining politics is stashing away and looting the nation’s commonwealth, and diverting infrastructures statutorily meant for some places to other places that do not have the need for such infrastructure because they are in power, the country is bound to remain under-developed.
Where politician who are known to have failed the nation in various ways are made consultants and seen as oracles to be consulted to tell them who is to be the next President, Governor, Senate President etc, and others to be elected into other elective positions, or appointed as the case may be, you know that the road to true democratic practice and participation, development and recognition among other developed nations of the world, will ever be far, as the earth is from the sky.
These were some of the reactions from some people who spoke with Friday Treat recently.
They were of the opinion that if the country must move forward, that idle Nigerians, bootlickers, social misfits, stooges, favour-seekers, political errand boys, crumb-eaters, some follow-follow crested individuals should stop hero-singing some near-to-nothing, political nonentities who all through their political tenure knew of nothing else to do for the country than stealing, stashing and looting of money meant for the development of states and the country in general to other countries for their own selfish end while leaving the country in the lurch and economic backwardness despite being blessed with oil and other mineral resources.
They explained it was one of the reasons the country is entangled in the web of borrowing every time, saying, except for the infinitesimal few numbers of leaders that have exhibited good leadership qualities, other leaders at various levels whether in the past or now, believed they have been voted into power and given the license to loot the state and the nation’s treasury, acknowledging the fact that our leaders have woefully failed us all.
Stephen Efe Omonakome, a Public Affairs Analyst and an Asaba-based businessman, condemning in strong terms the wicked activities of some of our leaders (past and present), said ‘we have no reason what so ever celebrating, praising and worshipping these failed politicians, like God, leaders who were erroneously elected and went on to appoint those with same mind-set as theirs into office, or rigged their way in, went there to disgrace their office and position, came back shamed-faced, and instead of being booed and jeered into insignificance for the atrocities they committed, are given heroic welcome and highest accolades by people of like minds. He says dreaming of a better Nigeria under this circumstance will only be a thing of illusion so long as we continue to clap for wrong doers, crowned thieves, tested and failed political leaders and some others in the private sector.
He said today in some states where good leadership, performance, and shame have been thrown into the trashcan, that he is surprised that people without conscience are still strategizing and consulting with some past leaders who ought to have long have their names cancelled in the political diary except for record purposes to account for monies they stole while in office and other atrocities they committed.
Omonakome says for Nigeria to witness any progress, be able to surmount her problems and be able to account before God the various resources she is blessed with how it was utilized when the entire world eventually comes to an end as being prophesized by the Christians, that most of them (our leaders) currently in power, and those that had blindly led us in the past, have to be shown the way out of anything that has to do with leadership, while a new crop of leaders with the fear of God, should be cultivated. He says the country’s stunted growth in her economy would not have been the case today if we Nigerians were rebellious in nature.
‘Though I’m not trying to instigate any one to mutiny, but if we say certain persons should not be elected or appointed into any public office, or say certain persons should not be major determinants of who comes to power or not to come, and we all stand by it, I don’t think most of these so-called leaders and god-fathers will be chest-beating to say it must be Mr. A or B that will be the next this and that. I think we have given them enough latitude to mislead us, under develop us, stolen our money (the commonwealth), enrich their selfishness, and today and refused to change, yet we clap for them, hail them, and entertain them with different dance steps like the fools we are for cheating us and depriving us of our rights.’ He asserted.
Broderick Achafu Okoh, a big-time poultry farmer at Iyagba, Anwai, Asaba, wondered why some people who knew they fouled the political air-space still have the courage to be facing members of the public instead of hiding their faces in shame. He said, however, that his ratings of most politicians, as it concerns Nigeria, are people without shame hence political jobs meant for their children, younger relatives and non-relatives are hijacked by them even when all of them are known to have grown green hair all over on such political jobs.
He asks: Is it not funny that there are some politicians who served in different capacities in the past and are still serving since Nigeria’s democratic rule began? Does it mean they are no other qualified Nigerians to take up such jobs?
Achafu Okoh said the most annoying aspect is the undeserved honour /award being bestowed on some of our failed politicians and others in other disciplines who use money meant for provision of some basic amenities for improved living standard of the masses to enrich their personal pockets, cart away with the masses money, carry them to oversees to buy mansions and build industries over there, thus, providing jobs for those there which may have few presence of Nigerians working there or none at all; why graduates at home keep roaming the streets of our cities in search of jobs they hardly get and most time reserved for those with the connection when available.
He condemned in strong terms the act of idolizing political failures, taking instructions from them and even seeking their opinion on who returns to power, should be dropped and those not to smell any political seat at all even they know such person is more qualified to deliver. He maintained that if by now some Nigerians are still seeking advice, consulting with those they knew caused this country called Nigeria, great economic injury, many irretrievable and irredeemable losses, then they need to be taken to psychiatric hospitals for medical examination.
‘Substantial amount of money budgeted for projects yearly are embezzled by some of them in power. Projects for which such budgeted money are meant for are most times started and abandoned midway. And such people in that habit get rewarded with awards and countless honours, while some hungry traditional rulers bequeath on them undeserved titles. Believe me, most of our failed leaders and those of them still serving, have no iota of shame. If they have, why will a contractor given, for instance, a road to rehabilitate and such road is shabbily done with the contractor not being queried. It is because they have soiled their fingers by collecting kick-backs, leaving the contractors with little or nothing to carry out the job to specification. It is only recently we started hearing that a sitting Governor now takes the pain to visit construction sites to ascertain whether the job contracted out is going on accordingly, and refused its commissioning on seeing that it was not properly done. At this junction, I think I have to commend the Delta State governor, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori for this because it is the only Governor ever known to have carried out such bold inspection since civilian administration in this state. Many abandoned projects arising from inadequate funding even when huge sums of money had been budgeted for them, abound in virtually all parts of the federation.
That is why today, you see most of our tarred roads not well-laid with crude tars, and when rain comes, the roads are left dotted with pot-holes; many are constructed without drainages; while some that managed to have, are left shallow with little or no capacity to channel such rain water to the designated spot. Most of these drainages that survive the need to be constructed and act as supportive parts for elongated life span for roads, by planners of such road construction, are left open most times with uncovered manholes built on them, thus making them potential refuse dumpsites for some reckless residents. Yet, some money-seeking individuals and organizations bestow these never-do-well leaders offering lip-service with awards of excellence while some finger-licking traditional rulers cap such awards with undeserved chieftaincy titles.
These leaders travel to advanced countries and even to less advanced countries of the world with patriotic zeal to develop and see good things over there, like well-laid out roads, well-equipped hospitals and schools, constant electricity and portable water supply system and fail to replicate them in Nigeria because they know if done, the poor masses will benefit, and instead, send their children and themselves to those places to study, receive good medical treatment and enjoy conducive environments which they consider too much to be enjoyed by the less privileged.’ Achafu Okoh pointed out elaborately.
He called for the need to be shunning these failed leaders and not mingling with them and avoiding them like leper patients so that in their next world when they want to be involved in politics, they will know the reason why they are elected is to serve the masses and not to enrich their pockets, distribute and share cups of rice, N1, 000, wrapper, two tins of tomatoes, salt etc to those who spent time in the rain, in the sun to vote for them, or help them in facilitating their rigging.
All others who spoke on the ground of anonymity said it will be difficult for Nigeria to get to the Promised Land in terms of development with the caliber of leaders we now have.
