Politics is essentially about struggle for acquisition, control of and utilization of state power. The purpose of this power is to work for and service the good of the people and the society.
However, experience has shown that in Nigeria and some other African countries, political leaders see and utilize power differently. Their operating spirit is very much unlike that which Plato called republican spirit. Plato, elucidating on the republican spirit explained, among others, that the republican spirit defines a clear and people leader. For such a leader, Socrates identified pursuit of public good and well-being of the society as the hallmark. Contrary to the postulations of Socrates, many Nigerian political leaders seek political power principally for personal gains and not much honest consideration is given to public good, even though public good remains the loud chorus of their political macabre dance.
As John Locke explained, the basis of men and women coming together in civil society is to enhance equal right to life, liberty and property. It is in order to pursue these aspirations in an orderly manner that rules of engagement are made and citizens surrender their political sovereignty and call few to leadership. That is why it is said that a call to leadership is a call to service.
Today the major attractions to power, for many of Nigerian’s political elites include glamour, pleasure, fame and wealth. They are in it for the opportunity to exercise dominion over others, to be known and called ‘His Excellency,’ to loom large and terrorize innocent citizens with a convoy of exotic cars and siren. Painfully, these they pursue without moral inclination.
There is on the part of the political leadership in the country today what has been described as mental and physical indiscipline.
Physical indiscipline in terms of flagrant exhibition of greed, too much pleasure for less work, glory-seeking without honor, power without responsibility and self over community. These, the people see in the leaders at various levels, and they also reproduced.
Mental indiscipline is described as lack of conviction to that which is just and honourable but much of habitual indulgence in that which negates general happiness and advancement of the society. This is the reason private Universities established by members of the political class are thriving while public universities are gradually dying. It is obvious that at individual and national levels, sound ethical and social values are not emphasized in Nigeria.
This is the reason a number of citizens have come to perceive our brand of politics as a game of deceit and betrayal. This sad notion of politics in the country, as opposed to its true nature of vehicle for service and development, unfortunately accounts for the sad abandoning of this all too important vehicle of public service to many without vision.
Interrogating what went wrong, Temitope Adebayo, a commentator on public affairs, explained that the hierarchical setup in the society which is aimed at ensuring correctness and alignment with law and natural standard, has departed from the norm. The leadership class that is supposed to be guided by empathy, good conscience and the law, has shifted from these natural principles that govern behavior within acceptable normative standards.
In place of rule of law it is the rule of men. There is therefore the need for a rereading of our history, to remind ourselves and refresh our memories about the pedigree of our heroes past and see clearly how and why they were able to make great contributions to the making of prosperous regions, especially the Western Region under late the Sage Obafemi Awolowo. For Chief Awolowo and his compatriots, the overriding purpose of politics and power was to help elevate society to higher levels of development. Their mode of politics was defined by Papa Awo himself as “the art of selfless service to humanity”. At the launch of his campaign for the Presidency of Nigeria in 1979, Chief Obafemi Awolowo declared that the Presidency of Nigeria was not an office for pleasure but one that would demand the greatest discipline, commitment, hard work, diligence and sacrifice from anyone privileged to be given the mandate by Nigerians.
In today’s very polluted and largely deceptive political climate, are we in anyway guided and motivated to vote and recruit to leadership, people with such qualities as enumerated by the late Papa Awolowo? The answer is certainly no! It is clear that most of the people who get ‘elected’ into political offices, often proved incapable of enthroning Democracy and democratic infrastructures, which are needed to build a nation for all. Not only do many Nigerian politicians lack the spirit of service, but often times also many who find their way to positions of leadership come with such poor community orientation, abysmal pedigree and blurred vision. These make them easily prone to brutish acquisitive tendencies. As we move towards 2023, we cannot continue to accommodate people without record of good community service at any level . We should close the door against politicians without good scorecard in previous offices or in any calling. There is the need for us as a people to begin to lay emphasis on pedigree of good scorecard for anyone who will fly the flag of political parties in the 2023 elections. In the face of enormous socio-economic and political challenges threatening the life of the nation, insisting on previous good score card, is the least we can do as a little beginning, towards National Rebirth.
Men are said to be ultimate makers of history; however, history itself has shown every epoch-making event as outcome of selflessness of very few conscientious people. The time is now to speak against failures and never do well aspiring to political leadership.
My call is to the media, objective civil society organizations, professional bodies, religious organizations and traditional institutions to be in the vanguard of campaign for the emergence of our very best in leadership across board.