NOW THAT THE POLLS ARE HERE...

WARNING!!! THIS POST IS NOT SHORT


Fellow Nigerians, the much anticipated March 28, 2015 is few hours away. Few times have we had periods that have dire effect on the destiny of a nation, of the Nigerian people as much as this date. However, I dare to say things need not become as heated as it is.

If you are in the Northern part of Nigeria, you’ll be amazed at the exodus out of this zone by natives of other tribes and I do not blame them at all, the events that greeted the election results after 2011 is why we are here. This country is undoubtedly a blessed nation, but our blessing is almost if not totally our curse. Nigeria must be the only country in the universe with so much un-actualised potentials. And this is sad. Very sad.

Frankly, I don’t see why things should get this bad if as a nation we have always had our priorities right. Alas we never have been able to manage this small feat and we have certainly not been helped by the kinds of leaders we have been having for nearly over 4 decades.

According to Sam Oye, a pastor, writer, analyst and motivational speaker based in Abuja, there are 3 kinds of people who can fix this country. They are;

• ·     A visionary Leader
• ·     A Servant Leadership and
• ·     A sacrificial Citizenry.

You’ll notice that of the 3 kinds as listed above, the first two has to do with leadership and leading style, attitude or disposition while the last category bothers on the citizens. It must be noted that the seriatim arrangement of these categories is not accidental, it is in fact deliberate. It is almost a graphical representation of how the priority must be had. There has to first be a visionary leader before such a leader can effect a servant kind of leadership which in turn will ensure sacrificial kind of citizenry which I cannot but state here is alien to a typical Nigerian still caught in the foggy haze of non-progressive thinking.

I seek to state here without mincing words that so far as it concerns the respective presidential candidates of the major political parties, APC and PDP, Nigeria is yet to have a visionary leader a necessary precursor to servant leadership and until we do have such kinds of people vying for elective positions in this country, I may have to politely decline casting my vote for anything less.

I have read books, I have heard teachings, I have seen movies and documentaries and I can say I know for fact what visionary leadership is. I can identify one when I see one. Through the things as aforelisted and more, I do not doubt my ability to recognize what one looks like as it does not in any way bear semblance with any of these desperate politicking I get exposed to daily in my country.

Visionary leadership is like a tree planted by the riverside, it generally brings forth its fruits in the right season. Visionary leadership understands that growth and advancement is a process not an event and starts planting structures for the actualization of his visions and dreams. I shall attempt to illustrate few examples of visionary leaders here under;

• ·         Between 1959 - 1988, ‪Singapore was transformed from a third world to first world nation under the servant and transformational leadership of Late Lee Kuan Yew with a network of an incorruptible Leadership Team at all levels and a citizenry that was willing to work very hard to see the birth of a new nation. Singapore is today what it is because of this vision as birthed by Lee Kuan Yew.
• ·         On the 18th day of February 1968, the United Arab Emirate (‪‎UAE) began a deliberate journey from an uncelebrated desert region into a global tourist destination. This was made possible because Sheik Zayed (Ruler of Abu Dhabi) and Sheik Rashid Al Maktoum (Ruler of ‪Dubai). Under their combined leadership and sacrificial support of the citizenry, a new entity called UAE in the valley of Al Samha was born. Although their economy, education and health care was weak, they have since emerged as a world economy and a wonder to behold in the arid desert. They attract millions of tourists every year, millions of revenue.
• ·       Switzerland has no natural resources of repute. Her survival as a nation and people is based upon its ability to package truth and production of cheese and manufacture of wristwatches. Its little wonder that every nation of the world banks with Switzerland not to mention the Location of World Bank and several other international organizations as can be seen here
• ·        Paul Kagame of Rwanda is another man worthy of mention here. After the genocide of 1994, he has prioritized national development and launched a Programme to develop Rwanda as a middle income country by 2020. He is regarded by many as the man who has ensured the emergence of Rwanda as a model for economic growth in Africa with Kagame as the face of African leadership. Through his leadership, Rwanda, though lacking in the levels of reserves and mining opportunities of countries like Nigeria, is growing at an average of nearly 8 percent over the past five years preceding 2013. As well, Kigali, the venue of the genocide is undergoing massive transformational switch to a city of splendor and tourism center as reflected in the Kigali City Master Plan of May, 2013 download here. For more on the growth and continued advancement in Rwanda click here and here.

The above and more are very good example of visionary leadership, the type that has strangely been far from the contemplation of the recent leaders being churned out in Nigeria. It is rather disheartening that neither of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) nor Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (GMB) has convincingly shown how visionary they are.

I was hoping there would be a presidential debate where both of them would state facts, statistics and details different from reckless politicking that we have been regaled with so far. Either contestant is more focused on working on the Nigerian emotional angles or nipping the heels of the other to show how different he is to the other person. However, in areas of significance which may go a long way in convincing some of us and the world at large, they are both found wanting. It begs a question what kind of a leader either of these contestants seeks to become if the best way to show how ready they are for leadership is how well they can expose each other's dirty laundries but no further.

This is increasingly annoying and insulting because I believe the Nigerian people are smart enough to see beyond the ruse. We are tired of empty slogans like transformation and change without accompanying statistics, strategies, structures and master plans to effect the acualisation of these slogans.

Barring this, transformation and change are just words, as empty as any word can be without any good backing. I have been opportuned to interview different proud members of the respective parties, so far none could tell me what their party ideologies are, none could tell me what plans are in place, in incubation, or being structured to address all the important issues crying for address in Nigeria. My study of these parties has revealed that sentiments, religious affiliations, tribalism and personal aggrandisement are the driving force of these political parties but no further.

In Nigeria today, everything is being politicized…the sheer insensitivity of it baffles me in no small measure. Each of the parties as mentioned above is seeking to outdo the other in its display of insensitivity, calumny and selfishness. It is easy to see why anyway as neither party is different from the other save in their nomenclature. The core of their being, their respective display of silliness at one time or the other says as much. Both parties lack ideals, neither stands for something worthwhile save umbrellas and brooms. Such banality! No wonder it has been so easy to move (cross carpet) from one party to the other and back again to the initial party. In the United States of America, we know who a democrat is; we know who a republican is. This is real identity not broom touting, not umbrella wielding debacles. Either of these American parties has its own ideologies and international affiliations different and removed from the other. These ideologies by which they are guided strictly informs their governing style, their decisions and judgments as well as the kind of laws they struggle to promulgate for the good of their people. It often also depict the personality traits of a candidates of either party. One interesting thing about all these is that it affords the American voters of the opportunity to vote these parties interchangeably as both parties in their uniqueness affords them a chance to have a different taste of the pudding the governance of respective party if you get my meaning. For better understanding and the voting patterns of the American and some other details click here.

I need not delve into the ideals of the Conservative and Unionist Party, the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats, all of the United Kingdom. These parties also like their American counterparts are known for their ideologies, structure and beliefs. You will agree with me that none of the political parties in Nigeria, major or minor comes within a thousand miles of these structure and belief system. This of course accounts for why people like me would never find a reason to route for these political parodies posing as parties. They certainly do not worth my undying support, belief and loyalty.

Let us ask ourselves a question, can GEJ or GMB fix Nigeria, I certainly think not.

Neither has shown he is astute and visionary enough to achieve this. It is plain that their respective ambition is driven by lust for power, relevance and influence but no further. Neither wants to lead, both of them wants to rule Nigeria. We want more than this. We have had enough of this type of rulership. We want true leadership. We are past due a leader, the kinds we had with late Pa Adekunle Ajasin, Chief Lateef Jakande, Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Late Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe, Late Emperor Haile , Late Nelson Mandela to mention but a few. In fact, it is the era of young leadership and innovations. We are tired of old men passing the baton of rulership amidst their selves. It is high time we left here oh Nigeria.

However, the polls are here, by this time tomorrow votes may have been casted. I wish to implore every eligible voter who has identified his/her candidate of choice to exercise their franchise wisely while having in mind that this country is bigger than any political party or any personality. No one is worth dying for. Let us all ensure that we do all in our power to ensure that this country remains after the polls. Let us ensure that Nigeria survives beyond March 28, 2015. We all must embrace peace whatever the language the polls may speak.

Fellow Nigerian, remember the words of Sam Oye that Great ‪#‎Leaders don’t ‪#‎Sacrifice their PEOPLE To Win ‪#‎Elections, They PERSONALLY Make Great ‪#‎Sacrifices To Build Their ‪#‎Nations. No single individual, religion or party can fix Nigeria. As a people we need The Right Leader + The Relevant Associates + A Ready Citizen. It takes a person to lead a change, it takes a selfless people to build a nation. Nations become great because they have a ‪#‎Sacrificial Leader with a‪ #‎Selfless Leadership Team and they are a Sincere People.

We must all become ‪#‎determined to see the birth of a new Nigeria and‪#‎dedicate ourselves to the ‪#‎process. The real change begins in you, with you, and through you.

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!! 

#BeyondMarch28

#NigeriaMustSurviveThisElection

#NigeriaMustLiveLong

#NigeriaMustBeGreat…

 Oluwole.

Photo credits: google images