It is their right to demand for leaders that
care, leaders that are humble and leaders that understand the people; they
should also define what kind of caring leaders they want. There is a caring
leader urging them to touch fire and giving them bread after their hands are
burnt and another one barking order to prevent them from going near fire. Both
are caring leaders, your choice is final. …. Isqil Najim
As the election approaches,
emotions were running high and the electioneering at its highest crescendo.
Citizens divided while fear and anxiety became the primary motivation for
assessing who will become their next president. On the other side of the wing
are those who are polarized along ethno-religious sentiment. They came up with
all manner of slogans and catchy phrases and fabrications. It worked, depending
on what side you are. Outside these two boundaries, few bothered to look beyond
rhetoric, and those few had their voices dimmed. They were never heard.
As the alliance between the two most selfish parties in Nigeria swung
between reality and absurdity, the leader at the centre of the alliance, saw
clearly through the scheme of things. The reality down on him: Optimism alone can’t
win the election. Nobody wanted to make personal sacrifice; everything was about
their parties, the leaders and the post-election sharing formula. At that
instance, the welfare of the people and the future of the country took
backseat. They talked about integrity of a single man, about religion, about
fear of one man from dominating the next government and bringing his dirty past
into the alliance, about vice presidential slot. Not a single time did they all
put their selfishness aside and talk about the general interest of the 70% poor
people who are bearing the brunt of misrule of the past. It was as clear as a
moon in cloudless night that they are only concerned about their political
fortunes. There were united by two things, lust for power and desire to wrest
power from their common foe, PDP.
Then it happened. Few days to the
election, the alliance predictably collapsed and the General wept, in public glare.
A man known for his hard-talk and is bravadoes in war-front; a hardened General
displayed his human side. Many thought he was heartless, cold and blood thirsty
but this time, they can see that he is human. No one knew why he cried until
recently.
….and the citizens’ response? Everyone
gave interpretation that suited his perception of the man. . They all competed
for honour in reading the inner working of the General’s mind. Most popular
explanation was also the most ridiculous: He was crying because he sense defeat
in the forthcoming election. His opponents celebrated his pain and his associates
tried elusively to explain away the tear. Muted explanation was that he
was a caring leader who meant well for the country. The election came and the rest, as they say,
is history. He lost convincingly, rigging or no rigging. His tears came too
late.
Fast forward: 2012; at a scene of the clash of Dana airline, the
president who won the election where his major rival wept; who was smiling over
a year ago while coasting to pyrrhic victory is now in the news. No, it is
election matter; He wept openly, when he saw the magnitude of the destruction
that stared him in face. The pain of families and the sorrow and general
mourning that overtook the whole nation becomes palpably visible. He had earlier
declared three days of mourning.
With a power that can be described
as one of the most concentrated in democratic Africa; the president who can
hire and fire at will, who has both the legislators, ministers and the
judiciary in his pocket; the man who can get things done at the click of a
mouse or dial of a phone and in possession of such a intimidating power stood
in front of the site of the Dana airline crash and wept. Standing at the wreckage
of the crash, his failure confronted him squarely in face. His emotion boils
over. Not even the permanent smile on his face could prevent the rain!
I realized that this man could
have saved his tear and instead unleash his anger at anyone found culpable in
the negligence. A truly caring and emotionally loaded man will, at impulse call
for suspension of the minister in charge if not resignation. Action is what is
needed and not downpour of tear that will return to Aso rock as if nothing ever
happened.
Sadly, his supporters and spin doctors
are quick to go on air. Here is “the
president that care” etc. For the first time since the beginning of the year, I
lost my cool. I got angry at the people laundering his image for him… I have
refused to get angry at him in the past despite the temptation. I strongly
believe inside of me that he meant well. But he needs to clear some idiots around
him... Too much faux pas not good for the system. Absent-mindedly, I broke the
nearest bottle around me. I guess that did it.
I was angry at the realization
that some people are always waiting to cash in on the sorrow of others, to make
political statement. Press, media, activists, bloggers, politicians (as one of
my friends, drummed it into me on twitter. He called it cheap political
strategy) and many more; all to show that they are working and to emotionalize
the moment, not because they actually feel the pains and pangs of the victims,
but to ingratiate themselves into the heart of the gullible masses. “Leaders
that care... Indeed.” Fools!
Inside of my mind, I was overtaken
by a serene and tranquil state: My natural element. I can see clearly what is
ahead of me and I can now understand.
The two leaders wept at different
times in our nation’s history. At a defining moment that caught all the by
surprise. I can see two leaders with
good intentions ensconced among super-stooges and sycophants, who tell them
what they wanted to hear and whose opinions they value so highly that all of
their decisions and indecisions depended on it. Both leaders gambled with their
emotions and showcased their weaknesses before the world instead of taking
decisive action which only need their will-power. The two tears are clear
messages to Nigerians. They are neither artificial nor stage-managed., in my
view. They call for sober reflection.
The first leader wept because he
saw his dreams of making a difference evaporating right before his eyes. He
soon realized that it is not in his power to get to that coveted seat. He needs
the electorates and good advisers around him, not noise makers. So he wept for
Nigeria and of course for whatever other reasons he may have in mind; the
second leader wept because he had the power to change things; he has the
mandate to turn things around, but clearly things are not working the way they
should. Something just keeps going wrong. Seeing families plunged into sorrow
is one of the highlights of his administration. We must also bear in mind there was a
bomb blast in Bauchi that same day. I do not see this tear as sign of caring
but as an emotional outburst that aroused after watching the magnitude of his (aviation)
policy failure. This is clearly the reason he promised to appraise all the
ministries within two weeks after seeing the failure in aviation sector.
Another observation; these two
leaders may, indeed mean well for the nation and they are telling two different
stories about our dear country and her people in different languages. Each episode,
coming after the other and each ending/outcome directly proportional to the
kind of advice they get from their advisers and the kind of people around them.
In the final analysis, the people are the ones bearing the brunt of the
miscalculation. Strangely enough, it is the choice that people made that is
bearing fruits.( I will post my thought on this at a later date)
People can talk, rant, curse and
even blame their leaders, but they have no one to blame but themselves. If they
indeed have learned anything from the past history, they will NEVER let ethno-religious
sentiment become the fulcrum upon which to assess the next person who will rule
them. And of course, they will listen to
the voice of God and stop thinking all they need is trooping out to protest, or
calling for change. They must turn to God, and also use their common sense. Yet,
they must realize that God will not do for them, what they must do with their
thumbs. It is their right to demand for leaders that care, leaders that are
humble and leaders that understand the people; they should also define what
kind of “caring leaders” they want. There are caring leaders urging them to touch
fire and offering them bread after their hands are burnt; and another group barking
order to prevent them from going near the fire. Both are caring leaders, your
choice is final.
I pray the Lord console the
nation!
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