“Mr.
Tortoise, Mr. Tortoise, when will you return from your senseless journey?” he
replied “Not until I have been disgrace, not until I have been disgraced; disgraced,
disgraced!”
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I have been reading about people
writing on why someone should not contest election and why someone should
contest. As much as I am fully aware that democracy allow freedom of
expressions, opinions and in fact freedom to be sane and insane, I am wondering
why some of us enjoy moving round the circle like hungry Caterpillar that does
not know when to stop circling a cylinder while its food is just a few minutes
away from the cylinder.
The idea that some people have
imposed on themselves to advance the logic for morality or immorality of
someone vying for political office, while mounting aggressive public campaign
to stop that person is outdated. Ineffective and in most cases useless energy
sapping. . I once committed that folly during the IBB's attempt at coming back
to Aso Rock. The result was UMYA and subsequently GEJ. We are still paying for
the lack of our insight today while IBB is enjoying his loots peacefully in his
mansion--away from mass poverty in the land and away from insecurity challenges
that is overwhelming a section of the country… I have since learned that the
only way to stop someone from foraging into political adventure is to team up
behind a credible candidate and then humiliate your target at the poll.
The habit and practices going at
one another jugular while advancing supports or opposition to a candidate is
nonproductive, and sometimes counterproductive. Often, the person(s) who
benefited from such actions are those we later regret.
Mr. White and Black were fighting
one another over who should has the right to prostitute wardrobe, bother of
them ended up as handkerchief while the prostitute went for the red and green
to make her costume. That is the way the politics system often play out.
While a section of supporters are
busy mounting public pressure on Mr. White and Black and working to frustrate
both of them from winning the Primary slot, Mr. Red and Green are busy working
on the minds and hearts of the electorates. Then come the election day, none of
the warring factions made it to government house.
The time spend on aggressive
opposition to any political aspirant is best spent on looking for better
alternative and then mount aggressive publicity in the favour of the preferred candidate(s).
As 2015 elections draw closer in
Nigeria, it is my optimism that people would have learned from the past and
channel their energy and resources into what they want instead of campaigning against
what they want. In the first instance, they work toward gaining acceptance and
making it easier for electorates to decide. In the second instance, they wasted
valuable time and resources on what they don’t want while their target
continues to focus on those that matter.
Of course, nothing is etched in
the wood. Every good plan and rules would encounter someone who would be
exception to the rule. He will either break the rule or take advantage of the
loops in it. A good strategist would
always keep an eye on the road for the opposition and think on his feet to neutralize
any treat that may come at any hour.
As for those politicians who have
become permanent “investors” in every election and are making career out of perennially
contesting for posts they have no chance of winning, I can only draw a verse
from late Ola Rotimi’s Drama “Kurumi”. It goes: “Mr. Tortoise, Mr. Tortoise,
when will you return from your senseless journey?” he replied “Not until I have
been disgraced, not until I have been disgraced; disgraced, disgraced!”
Reflectively yours,
Wizard of kalamakato
