After every storm, a glimpse of calm is a soothing sensation. This indeed is the reality at the moment.
Life in a bit is getting back to normal and everyone is a little at ease, after the menace of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier in the year.
Coming out of a worldwide lockdown, even, as the virus is not yet defeated, the global community is trying to put pieces of shattered economies and businesses together, while battling with containing the further spread of the virus and eventual development of a vaccine.
In the meantime, while counting our losses, assessing the damages and proffering solutions to the challenges posed, by the pandemic, it is expedient to carry out a reassessment of underlying issues. That in one way or the other aided the deep sting of the pandemic and its ripple effect on us, as individuals and the nation, as a whole.
Only then, will history not repeat itself, if we agree with Dema Chocron’s words, that; “nothing ever goes away, until it teaches us what we need to know”.
In developing countries, taking Nigeria as a case study, a truth that must not be shelved away, is the effect of poor infrastructure and poor governance, in the course of containing the spread of disease.
These are evidently visible, as unveiled in ailing health care systems and facilities, poor government response and emergency management measures.
The despicable way in which palliative materials were shared and the discrepancies in distributing them, in spite of the huge amount of funds received budgeted for these, to manage the pandemic is nothing to write home about.
Like a soap wash that temporarily itches the eyes, but leaves behind a clearer vision, the pandemic has become an eye opener, to expose the inadequacies in the Nigerian political arena and the loopholes in our politics.
It has exposed the setback that, a long period of poor governance has left in the country.
Unmasking the Dilemma of Political Deceit and Corruption
Year in year out, a recurring allotment of funds, for the building and development of infrastructures, (Hospitals, roads, schools, etc) and basic amenities, are provided for, in the national budget.
Project commissioning events, keep getting to the press, as well as documentaries, showing state-of-the-art hospitals, schools, roads, etc., from present and past administrations, are circulated in the media.
A question well asked, though, left unanswered, or probably purposefully ignored, is the failure of the same politicians in putting their faith in these, so-called structures they built in the nation, as they ultimately, avoid using them.
This action of theirs raises doubts about the quality of infrastructures they put in place, if these are ever completed.
It is an irony, and most amusing, to see how politicians that build ‘state-of-the-art hospitals’ in the nation, fly out of the country, to undergo, just a simple medical checkup or treat minor ailments.
Politicians build and run schools in the country, yet they send their children to choice schools abroad.
They boast of successfully executing road projects, but avoid road travels at all cost.
While it appears like bias to criticize their choice of these services, notwithstanding, these choices point to the that, these projects are questionable.
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the truth is now staring us in the face! Foreign coasts are not just closed, but they are not, even, as safe as most parts of the African continent.
We all, politicians and the masses alike, are grounded and forced to turn to our dilapidated structures and poor services that we have built for ourselves in Africa.
If the pandemic will leave us with something good, it will be the exposure of the real state of our facilities; how far behind African politics is, in contrast to the western world and the political deception in governance.
It is an avenue for our politicians, to take a bite of the cake of their deceit, as they helplessly turn to the hospitals they abandoned, in their bid to get quality health care.
They are now at the mercy of the neglected health facilities. of which funds for building, they diverted for other purposes, as well as plying the roads they left not repaired.
With nowhere to hide, the evident deceptions, made open now, only agrees with Graucho Marx’s words: “politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies”.
In light of these events, one is forced to ask some questions. Are we getting better each day, or are all the political agenda of our politicians, aimed at the exploitation of the masses and the looting of the national treasury?
We will be in for more trouble as a nation, if John Quinton’s description of the politicians were true, for his words painfully reads; “politicians are people who, when they see light at the end of the tunnel, go out and buy some more tunnels”.
Exposing the role of the electorate in abating political exploitation
We can cry so hard, or complain so bitterly about bad leaders, however, the silent, yet most potent enemy of any nation, are bad followers.
In the world of democracy, we all, as the electorates, help every politician get to attain the offices they occupy and so, are somehow, responsible for any crime, or abuse of power they carry out.
We, in one way or the other, are collaborators and fellow perpetrators, in the crime against the well-being of the nation, for according to George Orwell; “a people that elect corrupt politicians, impostors, thieves and traitors, are not victims, but accomplices”.
This does not apply, only to those who, by reason of greed, or selfish interest, through vote selling, or other forms of irregularities, directly, or indirectly support and help bring fraudulent politicians to power, but applies, also, to the politically indifferent individuals.
Mahatma Gandhi rightly said; “Anyone who says they are not interested in politics is, like a drowning man, who insists he is not interested in water”.
While the pandemic showed us the true colour of our politicians and the true state of our nation it, also, spelled it out, in black and white, what we have done to ourselves, as a people, through our actions, or in-actions, while bringing politicians to power.
Our failure to partake in politics, or our attempts at doing it wrongly, has grievous effects on our nation and her future.
Pandemic: A Tide That Brings About the Change
If the lessons are well learnt, every experience is a blessing in disguise. We, as a nation, might not be able to do much about our past. We, however, can change our future.
Having seen the lapses of our system and the electorate, we will do well, in subsequent electioneering periods, If we:
- Participate in the electioneering process, not leaving the fate of our country in the hands of just anyone.
- Choose with integrity, men of credibility, to occupy government offices, putting the future of the nation, above personal gains and ethnicity, in the face of vote buying and other electoral malpractices.
We have the power to choose men of reputation, or replace and push out non-performing politicians, if we utilise our votes and make audible our voices.
Mark Twain, rightly puts it this way; “politicians and diapers must be changed often, for the same reason”.
Revive patriotism and consider nation-building the essence of politics, as opposed to the general, but the wrong belief that, politics is a means for self-enrichment and an avenue to grip and wield power, unrestrained.
Let us remember to stay safe, as this discuss, comes to a close, with a quote from John Adams;
“Government is instituted, for the common good: for protection, safety, prosperity and happiness of the people and not for the profit, honor, or private interest of any man, family, or class of men”.
Featured Image: knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu
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