President Yele Sowore: In An Ideal Democracy By Dare Glintstone

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Capacity, will and resources [natural and human] is all a prepared president needs to fix Nigeria. I wish Nigerians can see ‘SOWORE’ from the same prism as they see French president, Macron who has become the poster boy for young and purposeful leadership.

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The eventual split of some Nigerian presidential aspirants under the acronym of PACT- (Presidential Aspirants Coming Together) dashed my hopes and I could not follow them as separate individuals as well as candidates again. This is not the time to fool around when ‘someone’ must give way in 2019!

Fellow Compatriots, let me use the opportunity to draw your attention to the task ahead – the need to dislodge completely our ruling elites with contemporary strategies. I have always being an advocate of good governance, ensuring that all citizens benefit from our commonwealth. Unfortunately, some of our youths are either docile or selfish in the matters of holding our common oppressors accountable in the management of our society. The above-mentioned situation calls for all stakeholders in nation building to firstly and as a matter of urgency, take back our country from incompetence.

No sane being can beat his or her chest to say all is well with Nigeria; our transitory hope in the former opposition and now ruling party of strange bedfellows has landed us in a deeper mess. Inveterate hypocrisy beclouded our sense of reasoning against available history in 2015, all we wanted was the ‘clueless’ and ‘peaceful’ Goodluck Jonathan out at all costs, without considering the best options obtainable and now we are all wailing. I know blind scoundrels would say “no alternative” apart from the incumbent.

We are who we choose to be. It’s time for well-meaning citizens of Nigeria to get involved!

In the last few months, I have read, followed [through online supporters] and listened to Yele Sowore ‘Mr. Take-It-Back’. I have personally criticised him on selected occasions and at some points commended him for his doggedness and radical approach of changing this current aberration. I remember his acts in replacing ex-president, Goodluck Jonathan with the ‘Man of the people’ in person of President Muhammadu Buhari, and I am happy he has joined millions of Nigerians wailing for a change of ‘change’ he once supported.

His history of activism has really helped his campaign and some youths are in love with this – a very usual stance of any youth who is familiar with campus politics. I hear them say, “He is now gearing up to run in the country’s forthcoming presidential election in 2019. We are supporting him to replace this old-fashioned leader.”

Let me quote him, these words will form the premise of my opinion: “I’ve always been in the forefront of the agitation and struggle to move Nigeria forward – first as a student and youth activist during military regimes. Since 1999, my focus has been on improving and sanitising the democratic space. This is a natural progression of my commitment to moving Nigeria forward. This will not be politics as usual. I have always been a part of the movement to move Nigeria forward. I have always played a leading role in that movement. It will be the largest mobilization of Nigeria’s ignored and dispossessed people. It will be the most direct engagement of a people in their own political future. I’ve always offered Nigerians a platform for amplifying their concerns and dreams for Nigeria. I am continuing that struggle. Yes – we will be part of a coalition of parties. These will all be progressive parties – committed to nothing other than the advancement of the Nigerian nation. It is Nigeria’s moment to see revolutionary politics in action!” Omoyele Sowore, in this interview with Musikilu Mojeed, published by PremiumTimes on 8/3/2018.

2019 will be a battle between ‘empty’ and a ‘half-empty’ jar. This will be the every first time electorates will be giving a side of the murderous ruling elites a chance to triumph over another, it is as bad as that – as it’s about survival first before dreaming of an ostentatious lifestyle, we must be hardheaded and be sincere to ourselves.

Presently, Yele Sowore appears to be the only presidential candidate in Nigeria to have commenced a crowd-funding campaign ahead of the 2019 elections. Sowore set a fundraising target of about two million US dollars. This is enough to run a clean campaign in a sane society where plans, ideas and ideologies are considered before voting. Majority of our voters are only interested in vote-buying and nothing more, the highest bidder will get anything as long as he/she is ready to pay more than the other candidates in the election. My opinion is not in defence of any of our political parties, acronyms like PDP, ADC, ADP, LP, APC, APGA to mention but a few are mere platforms to field anyone and they can all host a single politician in 24hours.

In the middle of the entire world’s incessant noise, Sowore’s message is all about justice, and justice is a thing that I had mostly lived my life without. Considering this current situation and the reality on ground, Sowore is intrepid, determined and agitated, and possibly the BEST MAN FOR THE JOB if we are to be in a better-structured society. The process of healing our country has started with the decision of not repeating the mistakes of the last general elections, there has been an increment in the population of those interested in a new Nigeria by changing the type of leaders we choose. If we must consider the recent unprecedented ‘change of promises’ of APC, then we are GOOD TO GO.

Vote buying and stomach infrastructure will be here as much as we desire money politics. Half of our entire population is in support of some candidates because of their ability to throw around some billions, not necessarily because of the expected divided of democracy. The cabals are assembling again, they are colluding against the incumbent not because of his policies which is perceived to be anti-people but their inability to loot or access public funds as usual – my thief is better than your thief is the norm. If we are not zombies, should we be considering another 4 years of pensioners as our best eleven? But off course, leadership is not about the age but the age of the idea which must be progressive and transformational!

Vengeance is never an ideal means to deal with any situation, the reason why we have pseudo-reformed democrats using state apparatuses to oppress perceived oppositions and anyone who would always counter their lies and speak against their lifeless policies. Election in Ekiti and Osun states have shown that not only will our general elections be biased but also systemic rigging is obtainable. How will new political parties make it to prominence? How will young and not-too-rich candidates poll votes in millions?

Sowore has started a movement, a just cause to unshackle many of us from mental slavery; he is calling everyone regardless of age, tribe, religion and social status to be conscious of who the next president is. His approach is what I personally term ‘disruptive advocacy’. Challenging established enemies of development of this sort is new, same way his style of journalism is unprecedented. We must encourage patriots who are unflinching enough to challenge constituted authorities without fear, people who have opinions and a stance against incompetent leadership are highly needed. His obstinacy to declare the truth to power suffices for him to lead, though some of his assertions are controversial but he is on the right track.

This is the time to galvanize those who can aid our development as a country, not those who cannot point to one successful business in their private life, not those who will blame their predecessors for their cluelessness. The ideal has many names and equity is but one of them!

Nigerians have another distinctive opportunity come 2019, just as it was available in 2015 to promote competence over incompetence, raise true character over insensitivity and performance over lifelessness. There are many competent candidates in the forthcoming presidential election running against the incumbent and they are exceedingly and eminently qualified to lead us once more to prosperity.

In Christian Larson’s words, “So long as the man with ambition is a failure, the world will tell him to let go of his ideal; but when his ambition is realized, the world will praise him for the persistence and the determination that he manifested during his dark hours, and everybody will point to his life as an example for coming generations. This is invariably the rule.”

With this current aberration, we are all in a ‘quandary’, so why must we reinforce failure?

Dare Glintstone, [@djglintstone] a trend sociologist, pollster and communication strategist, sent this via phenakiter@yahoo.com.

Naija247news
Naija247newshttps://www.naija247news.com/
Naija247news is an investigative news platform that tracks news on Nigerian Economy, Business, Politics, Financial and Africa and Global Economy.

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