Some People have started disturbing us again about politicians owning Private Jets as if this is news... it seems we don't mind them owning those jets except when they use them to assault our sight by gathering them together in one location that serve their social interest.
The story of Nigerian politicians and pastors buying private jets is a stalled news.. We have read this many times over the years and had made and a lot of noise over it. All talks and no actions. Despite all these, most of us still worship them. We voted them just as we pay tithe into their churches (in case of pastors).
So I wonder why the outcry over their packing their wonder machine side by side in Minna where majority of their roads are in deplorable conditions as with many part of the country.
To me, there is nothing new and nothing special about this. The private jets were purchased for that purposed and since we don't mind them buying them... we can't complain. If we object to their buying these machines then we know what to do...
However.. the Minna gathering of the political affluent offers a completely different lesson that only few people pointed out. Not that it is new or news as well but as least it is worth reminding our friends and brothers who are still busy counting the Private Jets' and throwing verbal missiles at each others over politics. Some are still on behalf of the same politicians who are sharing table and drinking wine together when opportunity presents itself.
1. As some of us have repeatedly said before: politicians don't take their political fights as destructive as many of their supporters. While the politicians may jaw-jaw and take each other to courts over stolen mandate or avoid each other in public or criticise each other, they do not turn their friends to permanent enemies over it. At least not for forever. Ironically the supporters who merely get crumbs from the political table do all the physical battles including emotional battle. They cut off their friends for disagreeing with them on policy and do crazy things both online and offline. Many never met these politicians they invested so emotion on and yet they wreck more havoc on their personal friendships and family on the name of politics. The joke is on you.
2. Tribalism and religion are just for the citizens who can't differentiate between their right hand and the left hand when it is time for elections. They are open weapons with which the politicians armed their supporters to fight their cause. But politicians themselves don't deploy it against each other in personal capacity. That is why they can gather together under neutral banners as that of Minna wedding ceremony while the supporters are still holding grudge against each other years after the elections are won and lost. All because some people did not support their candidates. You still hate that guy for not voting your man? The joke is on you!
3. Many people asked for what the politicians did to amass such wealth that even after getting out of public services, they continue to live large. The general conclusion is that they looted while in office. While I cannot authenticate this claim and I cannot generalise either. Because many people deployed their network toward tying up business deals after their tenure.
I have observed, however, that when a politician is in dock for mismanagement of public funds, looting or undeclared assets, the majority of supporters would rally around their man and call the trial witch-hunting. . Their reasoning is always like: Is he the only one looting? Is he the first person to steal? Or why don't you try/jail your own brother and family first? Sometimes.. they will say it is because one is in opposition or "telling the truth". In short, the case will suffer from public pressure and will eventually dies naturally while the man at the centre of fraud will go home and retire with the loot. Years later.. These same supporters would see them flaunting the wealth and then question the source. The joke is on you!
4. Finally, as at the time of writing this .. I can say there are three political parties in Nigeria today. (1.) the politicians across all the parties-including the smaller parties. (2.) the activists and civil society community-including Unionists. (3.) and finally, The masses.
The first two are united albeit in different ways. Politicians only have platforms to win election but they are always open to crossover and dine again after the elections are won and lost. Ask Obanikoro et al and they will offer some guides.. Even the talkative FFK knows. The civil society also have become a kind of united family as they tend to rally around their loyal and illustrious members who find themselves in trouble no matter the offence. While the masses are divided and follow both the politicians and civil society around like sheep whose destiny is tied to whatever decision the owners made.
So when I read some educated folks argue and fight along APC-PDP dichotomy; and debate among themselves which party destroyed Nigeria and who can fix it among the two.. my silent laugh is always animated and sometimes...mischievously suppressed.. The joke is on you.
2019 is near.. we shall see how many more of us would compete against each other in throwing ethno-religios missiles and probably campaign for balkanisation of Nigeria when their political sponsors or godfathers or tribal champions lose after a bloodied election that claimed innocent people's lives. As always, the joke will be on you!
I am@isqilnajim
I am
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