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Themes

The Change we all need

Brampton, Ontario, Canada
yemiadegbite@nigeriahorizon.com
November 10, 2008

Change has finally come to America; the election of Barrack Obama has proved that, the only permanent phenomenon in life is change. This election will bring far reaching effects on the psyche of African Americans in particular and all Africans in general. Obama himself said that, it is only in America that his story is possible, for an obscured boy brought up by a single parent who once lived on food stamps to become the president elect of the strongest nation on earth.
With his message of “Hope and Change”, he has rekindled the American interests in politics once again; young people, old people, white people and people of colour all went out in droves to cast their votes for hope and change.

When this race started slightly less than two years ago, many people including myself saw Obama as the underdog that will soon crash out of the race, as the race progressed, I then felt that, at best, it will be a remarkable fit if Obama ended up as Hillary’s running mate. But alas! The race is neither for the swiftest nor the strongest.
Obama has made history, not only that, he has become part of history and many history books would have to be re-written once again. One remarkable thing about Obama is the way he has handled himself and the way he comports himself before, during and throughout the campaign and election period, not even a single scandal could be linked to him. Up till now, nothing in his past that has come to hunt him; it is very rare for a relatively young man to rid his cupboard of any skeleton! Many candidates have fallen by the road side because of one scandal or the other. A lot of people are waiting for the bomb shell that will shatter Obama’s hope of becoming the 44th and first African American president of the US, every effort made by his detractors came to nothing.
McCain and his fellow adventurers tried their best to hunt him down, all the name callings, mud-throwing and fault-finding mission never materialized. They searched far, wide and near, they came up with nothing. This is a testimony to the fact that Obama is a virtuous and brilliant young man who has handled himself very well and therefore worthy of the highest honour bestowed on him, as many people have prophesied, he could become one of the, most successful American presidents in history, the humongous tasks ahead of him notwithstanding. I join millions of people around the world to wish him successful tenure as the strongest man on earth!

What are the implications of Obama’s election for Nigeria and Africa?
Nigeria has come a long way, I personally think that Nigerian leaders and indeed all African leaders could now relate very well to this man and may be learn lessons in honesty, moderation, virtue, uprightness, dedication, and humility. That means our social and public institutions should be set up for success. To whom much is given, much more is expected. The way we choose our leaders must change; they should be diligently and meticulously scanned and vetted before they can scale through. Past records and achievement should become part of the qualifications. Nobody should attain the exulted office of the president just because his father was a retired General or his uncle was a minister during the first republic, or just because his father was a retired Supreme Court Judge. It should be based purely on merit, dedication, track record, personal credential and hard work. Public offices could not and should not be based on inheritance.
Every public institution should and must work as it should, INEC must operate, free of intervention from over-bearing politicians in order to restore people’s confidence and sanctity of elections in Nigeria. The Police Force must rise up to the challenge in the country and curb the wave of violence in the community, eschew bribery and illegal “toll collection” on the high way, the police must work hard to earn the respect of our the populace, serve with integrity, civility and dedication.

The military must give due respect to the civilians, see and treat an average civilian with utmost respect. In the west, an average civilian is seen and given respect due to a Four Star General. That reminds me of many years ago when I was riding in a public bus in New Jersey, USA, I was standing up because the bus was full, somebody tapped me from behind, I looked back, I saw a gentle man in the US Marine uniform, and he stood up and beckoned me to sit down. I cannot believe my eyes, and then I cast my mind back to Nigeria and remember what our soldiers do on the street of Lagos, and how civilians are rough handled, horsewhipped and dehumanized with impunity. I sat down and said thanks to the man. For so many months and years, I cannot but remember what a fine officer that guy was. How do our soldiers treat us in Nigeria? Many times, our soldiers terrorize, molest and dehumanize people on daily basis with no consequence what so ever. What it takes to take away their humanity and turn them to monsters is the uniform.

The Okere saga is still fresh; the shameful event is seen and read by people around the world. The humiliation suffered by that young lady in the hands of the naval ratings attached to Harry Arogundade is an act of brigandage that should not be tolerated in any honorable society. It is good to know that, the Senate is doing something about it, but the whole Nigerians should ensure that justice is served. The Senate is taking action may be because the lady involved is the daughter of the Sergeant-At Arms of the National Assembly, a lesser citizens would not be so lucky. It happens every day in Nigeria much more so in Lagos, some of the men and officers of the military are no better than hooligans and area boys. Lawlessness, indecency and lack of respect for civilians reign supreme in the military. There should be a severe punishment for these men and officers who use the power at their disposal to torment and unleash mayhem in the society. A standing rule and or law that stipulates very stiff penalty for those who are found guilty of such offence should be put in place. Being a military man does not and should not put anybody above the law.

People have lost faith in their leaders because they careless about the people, once they are elected or may be selected, the people are no longer relevant in the ground scheme of things. That is why some people sell their votes knowing fully well that, after election, no more contact. The politicians engage in selfish acts that only benefit them.
The system we have on grounds all over African can never give room for the emergence of any “Obama” in our system, only the same kind of leadership can always emerge. Leaders that are obsessed with wealth accumulation, self aggrandizement, frivolous actions, spurious pronouncements, and compulsive behaviours, indolent and reckless individuals are always the winner in our system. As Plato describes those types of leaders, “their lust makes them to do what their intelligence forbids”. i. e, they buy cars for themselves in the National Assembly every year, they increase their personal emoluments every year, money exchange hands freely and government give away is organized during every season such as Id El Fitri, Ester period etc. they feed their lust at every flimsy opportunity. What s shame and reckless actions from people who are ruled by their appetite rather than their reasoning faculties!

The various institutions are ineffective, leaders are power drunk, nothing is getting done, no wonder we cannot feed ourselves nor ensure uninterrupted power supply, many years after independence, despite the huge resources invested in all these sectors, no single institution functions as it should, many of the people that are trusted to effect change are the winners, emerging as millionaires at the expense of the people.
Corruption is rife in every sector of our national life; yet, the best guy (Ribadu) to ever emerge to fight corruption and its perpetrators in our society was removed with ignominy and razor-sharp hostility before been sent on a charade called NIPS. Now Ribadu is fighting the fight of his life, he is now been tossed around just because he dared the devils in our society and tries to bring change to the way we do business of government in Nigeria.

There must be change; and change must also come to Nigeria. If there is anything to be learned and taken from the generational change blowing over the USA, Nigeria must learn how to change systems that aren’t working. We have done things the same way now for over 40 years with no acceptable, appreciable and measurable change, what we have to change now is the way we do things. The resources are there, the manpower is there, what is missing now is the will power to change the system for the better. We need a Nigeria where everybody will perform his or her duty as if his/her life depends on it. Plato defines justice as when everybody acts his own part in the overall interest of the collectivity. In his own words, “justice is the virtue of the soul as a whole; of each part never failing to perform its own function and that alone. To ask, now, whether justice is the more profitable becomes ridiculous”
I take solace in one incontrovertible rule of nature, that the only permanent thing is change. Just like the season of the year cannot but change in due season, change will eventually come to Nigeria and indeed Africa!

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