#SomberTuesday! Electioneering campaigns are being wrapped up because the elections are upon us. The currency change continues to torment majority of Nigerians with manifold challenges that make navigating routine, everyday life tasks onerous and well nigh impossible. The economy remains in the doldrums. There are also fears of electoral violence, vote-buying, manipulation, and other problems that militate against free and fair elections.
Candidates and their proxies still want to convince the electorate that God, the fates, and providence have ordained them to take charge of Nigeria, and that they will transform the nation. Unfortunately, this is usual practice, and there’s no guarantee that these pronouncements tend to be expedient and manipulative, with scant intention to fulfill, or even remember them. The masses are most affected, being relatively powerless in the political system. Youths and women, as well as people living with disabilities and ethnic minorities face the same the same situation.
Insecurity is part of everyday life. Victims and survivors and their families deal with the adverse consequences and aftermath (including financial and psychological trauma) in isolation. Victims and survivors of natural disasters, ethno-religious conflict, and insurgencies, many of whom are now internally displaced suffer significantly. Their trauma is material, psychological, and existential.
Without addressing these problems and many others, (including the plight of tens of millions of out of schoolchildren, unemployed, and underemployed youths, and overworked, underpaid workers, lack of good infrastructure, failure to implement the numerous good policies that we have made over the years). How can we hope for transformation and possibly reaching out full potential as a nation?
#EndSARS youth protesters decried bad governance, impunity, economic inequality, marginalization and brutalization of youths and other minorities, and political violence. They also protesed against police brutality. The response was state-sponsored violence and brutal suppression. Most Nigerians also expect genuine commitment to democratic principles. They want a buoyant economy, personal and human security, and life more abundant for all our people. They want kidnappings & abductions to end. Two years on, #Nigeria should remember the massacre of peacefully demonstrating youths at #LekkiTollGate & other locations. #NigerianWomenArise #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeriaNOW #EndSars #EndSWAT #EndImpunity
Like the voice in the wilderness, I emphasize the crucial relevance of this statement by Howard Zinn to Nigerian politics: “Civil disobedience, that’s not our problem. Our problem is that people are obedient all over the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity, and war, and cruelty. Our problem is that people are obedient while the jails are full of petty thieves, and all the while, the grand thieves are running the country. That’s our problem.”
Like the broken record, I keep saying: Let the kleptocrats give back our stolen wealth so that we can fix our infrastructure, schools, hospitals, and also offer worthwhile social protection to our people. Let the masses enjoy the full benefits of citizenship in Nigeria. Let the leaders and political class repent and build peace with justice. This is no time for politics as usual. The people elected should be those trusted to bring justice, equity and human security to the entire country, not expedient, unethical and egocentric individuals determined to dominate for self aggrandizement or sectional gain. We don’t need oligarchs’ continued domination. We also need a government that puts the interests of majority of citizens first.
Prof. Mojúbàolú Olufúnké Okome is a professor of political science at Brooklyn College in New York.
