In the Absence of Good, Choose the Worst ! By Abimbola Lagunju

Nigeria’s political system, dictatorship through democracy has an uncanny way of throwing up not the best among us to lead us. The leadership is consistently bereft of ideas, vision and has no project-nation in mind. The Nigerian system is programmed to incessantly move the live-clock of Nigerian citizens backwards. It does harm. It is toxic to the people. It reverses progress of individual and collective endeavours. It preys on the well-being of the people. It corrupts the mind of the citizens. It is political pollution.

And because, one can only reference and copy from what surrounds one, the toxic political class has corrupted every aspect of Nigerian life. Nothing is spared. We read sordid stories in the press of how leaders of Nigerian institutions have turned their charges into own businesses where they rule like lords and pillage. No untended or tended till is safe in Nigeria.

Corruption in Nigeria is multifaceted. It comes as outright stealing of our commonwealth, betrayal of public trust, moral corruption, behaviour deficits, impunity and attitudinal depravity. If a checklist were to be created from this corruption list, and each Nigerian politician were to be scored, not one will pass. No one will pass because the rules of the test are different and more stringent as it involves the destiny of a country, the fate of about 180 million citizens. Unlike in other exams where you are scored according to the number of passes, the leadership that Nigeria needs demands that those aspiring to be leaders should not fail any of the listed items. If you fail one, you have failed the test. It is not sufficient to say that you have never stolen public funds and then score poorly in other aspects to be eligible for leadership. The current administration of President Buhari likes to portray him as a man who has never dipped his hand in the till. Yes! This may be true, but how will he fare in the other aspects listed above?

Were the same checklist be applied to religious leaders, the judiciary, the press, civil servants, leaders of the industry, traditional leaders and you, the reader of this article, no one will pass. You the reader are also implicated, not because you made the choice, but firstly, because, your lifestyle and world outlook are modelled after those you see around you who determine your life pattern and secondly, because corruption has become an existential strategy for you. You have been made to understand that you cannot be a lone herbivore among many carnivores. And just like you, the totality of Nigerian followership is corrupt. Nigeria is faced with the challenge of absence of good in its political, social and economic climate. But for a few failed states, there are not many countries in the world that are confronted with such a dire combination.

Soon, in this climate of absence of good, Nigerians will need to make choices for next batch of leaders to manage the affairs of the country at all levels. The choice will not be between good and bad; neither will it be between bad and worse, it will not be a choice to save the country from the abyss and certainly it will not be about the people. It will be a choice between the worst in some aspects and the worst in other aspects – the “Devil’s Alternative”. Either way, you lose. The ultimate election battle will be between Mr. Buhari, a self-confessed man of integrity, who presented an affidavit for a school certificate and Atiku, who lays no claim to any moral rectitude. The man, whose face Nigerians like better will win. It will not be about sloganeering or campaigns.

It is doubtful that Nigerians will be expecting any significant changes in their lives after any of them wins. Unless a miracle happens (which is unlikely) electricity will continue to be spoken of in invisible megawatts, we will continue to read of monumental corruption on the pages of newspapers, road construction will be a political vengeance tool, lawmakers will continue with their phantom community projects as they enrich themselves, women and children will continue to die of preventable illnesses, there will be less food on the table for many families and many children will be out of school.

And we the people will continue to offer prayers in our corrupt places of worship chaired by our corrupt religious leaders.