If you are neutral in matter of party politics, you can have no complaint if thugs and crooks decide your destiny
This is a story of party
primaries. This is why and how many idle men and women will never emerge from
the shadow of criticism they perch. And why we have Jonathans, Buharis et al as
major political contenders despite having better and more acceptable individuals in the country. Hate if you like, but don’t take away their
victories at the party primaries from them. Ponder on what you did and what you
did not do to contribute to the emergence of these people. And whether you like it or not, one out of these people would govern you in the next four years.
In politics, there are three steps
to your goals... Your mind, the party and the people....
Everything man ever achieves
started in the mind. So many people
died many times in their mind even while still breathing and walking among us. They
however gave the impression that they are still politically alive by throwing salvoes
at the men in power and aligning with the voices of discontent to win the
battle of the wailers. Some smart ones however, turn themselves to AGIP (Any Government in
Power) in a bid to maintain their political relevance. So many had to survive
the battlefield of the mind only through aid of the external and existential
force of desperation, encouragement and necessity... but still many survive and
go to step two- The Party.
In passing through the party
machinery, candidates will have to demonstrate trust, capacity, and stretch their
wits before securing the trust of the party hawks. Many people assume
all that is needed is a single godfather but forgot that the godfathers, more
often do stand on the shoulders of many obscured party loyalists who are
equally powerful but are content with the low profiles. You don’t become a
godfather because you will it, or because you have money, or because you are
the elected leader of the party: you become a godfather because the people surrounding
you, the people who matter in decision making and the real actions in the party
trust you as their leaders and are willing to follow you anywhere everywhere As
long as you fulfill your obligation(s) to them. Godfathers don’t just wake up
and found themselves as leaders.
Whatever the outcome of the
primaries, whether there were hands of godfather(s) or it was stomach infrastructures
that decided the fate of the contestants, one thing is always clear, the winner
is more trusted by the “majority” of the party loyalists who are "qualified" to
vote. If you don’t like what they are doing, go form a new party and build your
own political structure or join them and build your own group within the group. The bottom-line
is that someone must win the primary no matter the kind of political intrigues that play
itself out and that person must have done his homework to earn the trust and loyalty of the party majority.
We know of many activists who harped
on godfathers and money influence that tried their luck in politics, by
becoming sole candidates of their parties, yet failed woefully to even win their streets.
They learned in the hard way that politics is not about making noise or
registering a political party. It is about having a dedicated pool of loyalists
and your ability to know what your people wants and how to make them follow
you.
John Maxwell wrote in the laws
of Leadership: ”People have so many misconception about leadership. When they
hear that someone has an impressive title or an assigned leadership position,
they assumed that he is a leader. Sometimes that’s true. But titles don’t have much
value when it comes to leading. True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed,
or assigned. It comes only from influence and that cannot be mandated. It must
be earned.”
The third and the last is the people. After winning the party
tickets, you still have to face the people and convince them by fair or fraud
on your ability to deliver your promises. You can do all you can. Feed them
with rice like Fayose or Tinubu or pool wool over their faces by launching into
religion or tribal campaign like Jonathan, build free schools for them like Awolowo.. or intimidate your opponents like Obasanjo. Whatever you do, it surely may or may not resonate with what the
majority of the people want. Don't get me wrong, majority is not always right. We know that our people have mob mentality. But still, in democracy, majority determine the victory.
The axiom, "people get the leaders
they deserve," hold true. Democracy is a game of number; it is not a game of
morality or righteousness. The man who is able to corner the majority votes is
the authentic winner. The saints can always find their ways into churches and
mosques to preach or they can become conscience of the nation and join civil
right movement. Whether one like it or not, the civil right movements are the reason
evil men did not completely overturn this nation into a land of complete Mugus
and indoctrinate everyone with MUMU-ism. Yet, it is how much education, propaganda or awareness the followers and voters receive that determine where their votes swing.
I am @isqilnajim
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