by Abiola Akintunde
Every politics is local which suggest that all strata of politics has a deeply rooted structure at the grassroot, the grassroot is very critical in the evolution and the becoming of any polity. The local context of politics in the mental conception of malicious gladiators is perpetual retrogression which makes them weaponize poverty and ignorance in their political landscape.
With the weaponization of impoverishment and ignorance in the polity, the gladiators exploit the vulnerable and mentally feeble electorates with tokens during electioneering seasons and the politics of underdevelopment and retrogression is perpetually sustained, the deeply rooted poverty in the political terrain makes the electorate sacrifice development for underdevelopment on the altar of tokenism. For the Nigerian polity to develop, the politics of tokenism must be ejected and the electorates should give preference to development rather than monetary and poverty– enriching inducement from ignoble gladiators. If the politics of tokenism is not eliminated in the Nigerian state the polity will continue to move at a snail’s pace or be in a state of immobility on the pedestal of development.
The electorates should rate gladiators based on political deliverables and sound policy statements not watery political contestation and verbalization of idiocy. The Nigerian state is not beyond redemption, Nigeria is redeemable but the redemption of the Nigerian polity will be an illusion if there are no attitudinal changes in the disposition of Nigerians both the political class and the electorates towards governance. We don’t need to spiritualize the existential challenges in Nigeria, the problem in the Nigeria polity is humanly induced not demon induction, declaration of a national day of prayer or intercessory prayers for Nigeria will be an effort in spiritual futility if the Nigeria character which is inimical to development is not changed. When the people of biblical Israel were obstinate, God silently allowed them to pay the price for their character flaws and deficit, God can’t be brainwashed with hypocritical prayers, he is a God of process and order, when Israel was ready God showed his mightiness.
When Nigerians are ready for change divinity will change the political narrative in the Nigerian polity. Those who encourage pettiness just because of monetary inducement are the real demons in Nigeria, those who encourage whether latently or manifestly are the real demons in Nigeria. Those who sacrifice merit on the altar of mediocrity are the real demons in Nigeria. Those who circumvent due process because they have access to power are the real demons in Nigeria. When you look
inward you will agree with me that Nigerians are the real demons praying against themselves, if God should answer such a prayer it will come with consequences.
When next you are praying against the demons in Nigeria, critically examine yourself, you’re likely to be in the frontline of the demons you’re praying against. When we stop worshipping the god of small things in Nigeria, the development of Nigeria will come to fruition. The god of small represents everything wrong with the Nigerian polity. The god of small things has corruption, nepotism, mediocrity and malfeasance among its numerous disciples which almost all Nigerians are among. There is a strong connection between the god of small things which we canonize in Nigeria and underdevelopment. We monetize the gospel of the God of big things in our temple of deceptive worship but our reality reflects everything the god of small things represents.
The Nigerian polity has an unholy affinity with tokenism and pettiness, if we can change the configuration of our national thinking we will experience transformational changes in the polity. The development we are desirous of is possible and achievable but the only limitation is our disposition and character.
Great article