All Rise...
Distinguished Citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Oh
how exhilarating it will be to be recognized for who we are and what roles we
play in Nigeria's polity!
As a child growing
up at the onset of the political dispensation as we have it today, I remember
my mother was an election officer. Being a School Teacher, she was assigned to
one of the polling units in Wuse District, Abuja. It was from her tiny wooden
desk and table where she perched that she dutifully marked the thumbs of voters
to signify that they had casted their votes in the secret ballot box hidden
behind a curtain.
I knew this for sure
because at about midday, I was sent over by my aunt with food in a flask to
trek a few 100 meters to serve my mother her lunch. Half walking and jogging in
the scorching sun, flask bouncing encased in the polythene bag, I hurried on my
way. I remember being amazed by the large crowd huddled around the shade
provided by a big Gmelina tree, under which her royal majesty, my mother and
her colleagues sat.
The crowd was civil,
calm and patient, though I could tell most were hungry because their eyes ogled
when they saw my mother open her flask to dig in. Yet, they waited to perform
their civic duties.
That was the year
1999, and I remember a few of the presidential candidates vividly. There was
talk about Chief Olu Falae being the preferred candidate for a large section of
the Yoruba nation, while Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (who later won as
substantive Head of State), was the choice of the core North and other
parts of Nigeria. The latter gained such popularity mostly because of his famed
fight against Abacha's authoritarian government and as a result his being
thrown into jail, from where he after his acquittal, ran for office.
All through the years
and elections that followed, one thing remained a constant; Nigerians always
demanded that their rights be upheld. They demanded to be given equal
opportunities to operate their businesses, to go to school, to aspire for
political positions, to receive the right wages for work done, to have access
to equity and justice and the right to freely choose who to elect into office
without coercion, whether through force, bribes or empty manifestos and
promises.
But as the elections
for 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 swung in, I found two things to be true. Half of the
population of voters were more interested in the handouts of rice, wrappers,
umbrellas, brooms, a paltry sum of N2,000 and face caps to sway their votes
than they were about actually exercising their duties. The other half were more
interested in sitting back at their houses unperturbed, watching the
events unfold via the Media.
I remember in 2007,
the crowd that gathered beneath the trees in the green area that
surrounded my street. There was a horde of voters lining up to receive gifts
from campaign organizers to vote certain people into office. What amazed me was
that on the day of election, less than half of that crowd showed up to cast
their votes. And those who did, consistently bragged about their choice because
they received a bigger gift from the party than the other contesting parties- how sad.
Permit me to
paraphrase from a speech given by USA's former First Lady Michelle Obama in the
follow up of the 2016 presidential campaigns
I absolutely believe
her, and so must everyone. After all, haven't we in this nation been
consistently blindsided with past campaign promises that do not hold water? Or
of deafening silences or ill-timed and insensitive comments that rouse tensions
instead of douse them?
Do you realize that
without we the voters, the whole process of Democracy is null and void? We are
left with no other option than to get involved or at the very least throw our
collective weight behind those who are brave enough to stand up for equity and
justice, youth and female inclusiveness! If not for any altruistic reason, then
to put an end to the hopelessness, poverty, unemployment, brazen killings,
strike actions and the likes.
I have registered to
vote. I wield my power come 2019. Do you?
for information on
the continuous voter registration and the Registration Area Centres Nation
Wide.
#QuiteFranklyOurMumuDonDo
#OnwardNigeia
#Youth
#We'reTakingOver2019
I endorse
#NotTooYoungToRun
