By James Ogunjimi
“Only a crisis - actual
or perceived - produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that
are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around. That, I believe, is our
basic function: to develop alternatives to existing policies, to keep them
alive and available until the politically impossible becomes the politically
inevitable.” – Milton Friedman
"Power concedes
nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will." – Frederick
Douglass
In my interaction with people and numerous
engagements on social media, I have come to realise that when it comes to
changing governments in Nigeria, majority of our people think we are limited to
just two options: Vote PDP or Vote APC.
I have had cause to hold discussions with people
and I realised that the prevalent notion is that as far as changing governments
is concerned, we think it is a case of being stuck between the devil and the
deep blue sea. Others are of the opinion that we are expected to choose from
the list of aspirants and parties and choose the perceived lesser devil.
But then, we aren’t stuck between the devil and the
deep blue sea, our options aren’t limited to all these old and recycled
political parties and their flag bearers; we only have an illusion of being
stuck because we have not thoroughly studied the situation of things. We have
based our assertions and thought pattern on what everybody else thinks; we are
yet to form individual opinions that emanate from a thorough study of our
situation, a critical look at our leaders over time and the body language of
the ordinary people.
During electioneering, Nigerians scrutinise the
aspirants and realise that they are the same, but then, they dig even deeper
and choose to vote for the one that is ‘less bad’, but it doesn’t take more
than 6 months for their eyes to become clear to see that they have made a
mistake whose repercussion they will suffer for 3 years.
What I call the ‘third’ option is perhaps the
hardest and that is why most Nigerians find it easier to collect one congo of
rice and sachet tomato and suffer for 4 years rather than rise up collectively
to reject this flawed system. The ‘third’ option is an option to either
continue year in year out to elect leaders who do not care about the masses, or
revolt against a system that paints such leaders as the only option and
glorifies looting and plundering of the national treasury. The ‘third’ option
is an option that takes away power from greedy and quarter-to-dead leaders that
have turned public office to their birthright and place it in the hands of the
ordinary people.
The ‘third’ option is an option to wrest power from
those who have turned it to a money-making venture and meal ticket and place it
in the hands of the collective. The ‘third’ option is an option that stops the
blind trust and misplaced loyalty of the people to the flawed political parties
lying around and in the failed political system being operated. The ‘third’
option is an option that encourages the masses to ask questions on matters of
governance and demand accountability rather than stifle them.
The ‘third’ option is an option that establishes a
system that makes heroes of hardworking men and women rather than
light-fingered politicians. The ‘third’ option is an option that builds cells
and platforms relentlessly as a viable alternative to the political parties who
have no clear plans for the masses and no clear direction on how to lift the
nation out of the quagmire of corruption and insecurity, in preparation for the
‘crisis’ that will pave way for a challenge for power by ordinary people.
Considering and giving the ‘third’ option a chance
helps the Yoruba man understand that the Igbo man isn’t his enemy. It helps the
Hausa man understand that his enemy isn’t the Yoruba man. It helps the Muslim
understand that the Christian isn’t his enemy. It shows very clearly to all
that the masses have a collective enemy: This anti-masses government and it
helps them unite to fight their common enemy.
The ‘third’ option is an option to revolt rather
than sit in the corners of our rooms grumbling about how bad the system is. It
is an option to be brave enough to do something about our situation rather than
go through life suffering and smiling. It is an option to go beyond criticising
government and analysing heated political situations to change that system that
overheats the polity to achieve its selfish purposes.
True, most people think this ‘third’ option is
impossible, but then, if anything is possible at its first attempt; it hardly
lasts. We have had our chances to overturn this system, but then, we have
spurned the glorious chances and have almost taken power from one devil and
hand it over to another devil. In 2012, the uprising could have toppled this
government, but then, those who would have power today would be the same crop
of leaders, because we would only have succeeded in toppling the government;
the system would still remain.
Before another chance presents itself, we must
build, we must engage, we must take the work of enlightenment religiously. We
must build platforms that would serve as alternatives to these known political
parties, we must stop the bad habit of distancing ourselves from the
downtrodden and have-nots; we must engage them in discussions and stir
political debates towards system change.
Like Beautiful Nubia sang, “The people
are ready...they are tired of promises.” When we move close to the people, take
interest in them and hear what they have to say, we would realise that the
people have always been ready; they just need the right push in the right
direction, undiluted political education and reliable and ideologically-clear
platforms to lead them.
They want to be sure that when they finally arise
and move powerfully against this system and successfully overturn it, they will
have better lives, they would have food to eat, they would have shelter, their
children would have access to quality and affordable education, and that power
will not somehow find its way back into the hands of the people they fought.
The ‘third’ option is possible and we must keep
that hope alive, remain vigilant and await the ‘crisis’ that will be our ride
to power. Like the Christians continue to prepare for the coming of Jesus
Christ even though they don’t know when it will be, we must continue to work,
plan and build in anticipation of another chance that will allow us to
challenge for power with the right people, under the right conditions, with the
right orientation and marching under the right banner.
Follow me on twitter:
@hullerj; Google +: James Ogunjimi; Email: ogunjimijamestaiwo@gmail.com
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