Of garrulity, vituperations and Nigeria’s politics

The 2015 electioneering has brought out the best in Nigeria’s politicians: garrulity, cantanker­ousness and lack of restraint. Past elections, no doubt, had their own doses of these anti-democratic elements, but the 2015 stands tall above the rest. Tune in to any channel of communica­tion and what you see will make you wonder if this is a 21st Nigeria of our dream. All kinds of trash in the name of advertisements rule the airwaves. And it seems the regulatory agencies have gone to sleep eternally.

The situation is made worse by some of the barefaced lies that are churned out on daily basis by politicians just to outdo one another, as if there will be no tomor­row. If the advertisements had centred on issues it would have been somewhat toler­able. But what is dished out is what can best be called ‘garbage’ in the journalistic parlance.

It seems all of us politicians are neck-deep into this self-destruct adventure! Are there no other decent ways to sell our mes­sages to the millions of Nigerians eager to hear them? Must we resort to pouring in­vectives and vituperations on one another in order to win the attention of the elector­ate?

The situation has become so sicken­ing that, if not checked, it could mark the death-knell of our young democracy. I find it hard to understand why even those who should ordinarily show the way are the people engaged in this act of intolerance. Why must all of us show feverish despera­tion as if our lives depended on politics? Does it mean some of us cannot survive without politics? Why should politics be made so attractive that some people have found safe havens in it?

Answers to these questions have be­come imperative with what is happening in our polity. The political space has been so heated up that I fear for the actual elec­tions. Name-calling, angry outbursts and bad blood have become the order of the day.

I cannot fail to ask: from where did our politicians learn these dangerous acts in politicking? Could what they practice actually be called politicking? I doubt it. Politics to the best of my knowledge is like a game of chess. It does not require the player to exhibit an uncanny attitude or desperation. What it demands is tact and diplomacy to outsmart your opponent.

But in Nigeria politics is war, which must be won at all costs. Everybody is guilty and has come short of the demands of the electoral act and the constitution. Who does not know that our politicians are overheating the polity with their hate mes­sages and vitriolic?

We denigrate one another and cast asper­sions on one another – forgetting we have a tomorrow ahead of us. Have we suddenly forgotten that after thunder comes calm? Will we not have a cause to seek the sup­port of one another in other enterprises in future? Why must we destroy the bridge after crossing it when we are expected to take the same route back?

Our politicians should wear their think­ing cats and do what is proper. There is no way we can fight our common enemies – insecurity and ethnic disharmony – by quarrelling and calling one another un­printable names. We may see some of our actions as right now, but later we will have cause to regret.

I have never seen anywhere in the whole wide world where bitterness and warring have produced any dividends. Rather they have succeeded in setting nations on fire and destroying the foundations of democ­racy. It does not matter whatever reasons anybody would like to adduce to justify the unruly behaviour of our politicians. In my opinion no reason can be sufficient to justify what our politicians do at present – mudslinging.

We watch how the developed nations we aspire to be like practice their own politics. They allow everybody – no matter your social stature – to aspire to any office of your dream. They also run decent cam­paigns, and every participant has access to any media of his or her choice. But such is not the case in Nigeria. Media that are owned by government are used as if they were personal properties of the governor of the state. Nobody from the opposition can have access to such media. This is clearly against the spirit of political sportsmanship and the regulations that govern the oper­ability of such media.

Sadly, this trend has caught up with the entire nation without an exception. Why is it so? The reason is not far to get: Politics in Nigeria has become a huge money-making venture, attracting all manners of people. Like the honey pot, everybody must have a taste of it. Have we paused and asked about the welfare of the bees that produce the honey. People hardly ever remember the bees. All they want is the honey. This is the tragedy of our national political life.

The struggle for Nigeria’s independence succeeded the way it did mainly because of the altruism of our founding fathers. Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Oba­femi Awolowo, Dennis Osadebey, Akanu Ibiam, Aminu Kano, and others sacrificed their lives to found the modern Nigeria. They carried themselves with dignity and candour, and played politics without ran­cour and bitterness. I recall with deep pain the Apostle of politics without bitterness: Ibrahim Waziri of the then Great Nigerian Peoples’ Party (GNPP). He had some dis­agreements with Nnamdi Azikiwe over the founding of the Nigerian Peoples’ Party (NPP). Instead of rocking the boat he opted to found another political party. That was how GNPP emerged.

I cannot forget the period leading to the 1979 general elections. Politicians went about their business without fear of mo­lestation. They traversed every nook and cranny of the country without any harass­ment or intimidation. Security was mini­mal at political rallies as people saw it as a game. It was always an exhilarating spec­tacle then watching politicians speak from the soapboxes. Their speeches centred on issues that shaped the destiny of the nation. What about Zik and Ozumba Mbadiwe and their bombastic and highfaluting lexicons? These things added colour and fun to the campaigns.

What do we have today? The opposite is the answer. When Nigerian politicians mount the podia their messages are al­ways very predictable. They spit fire and threaten the heavens will fall if they failed to win. They spend precious time calling their rivals all kinds of insulting names as if they themselves are better. This is what I call hypocrisy of the highest order.

The drafters of the current constitution and the electoral act did not anticipate the kind of behaviour being exhibited by poli­ticians. Otherwise they would have made clear-cut provisions to arrest it. The situa­tion has almost got to a point that politicians with naked power can always do whatever they like and go scot-free. What other conclusions could I have drawn when it now seems the National Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Broadcast­ing Commission (NBC) and Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) can no longer enforce discipline and order in the industry they regulate?

I am aware of the stringent provisions in the laws that established these regula­tory bodies and this leaves me wondering why they cannot evoke such regulations to call any erring person or institution to order. I am particularly worried about the reckless manner the advertisements for the print media are packaged. I know there is a panel in APCON charged with the respon­sibility of vetting every advertising copy to be used in the media. What has become of that panel? Does the panel vet every ad copy that goes to the media for use as an advertisement?

The NCC and NBC seem to have sud­denly disappeared from the radar in the discharge of their duties. And this is why decorum and commonsense have taken flight from our political space. The elec­tronic and social media have gone haywire with hate messages and offensive adver­tising, yet nobody seems to be doing any­thing to restore order.

The most worrisome part of this whole saga is the assault on the psyche of inno­cent Nigerians and the charging of the pol­ity. Politicians should not underestimate how far their messages can go in creating disunity and bad blood among the peoples of Nigeria. The current state of insecurity in the country can be made worse by these hate messages. We all know how restive some parts of the country have been and how such incendiary messages can fuel the embers of hate and insurgency. Un­fortunately our politicians care less. What bothers them is how they will get power. Whether the people they aspire to govern are alive or dead means little to them.

How I wish the presidential elections had held on February 14. At least by now the airwaves would have enjoyed some sanity and quietude. With the postpone­ment comes increased tempo of politick­ing and sickening messages from political gladiators. We have another 5 weeks of listless and mindless noisemaking by the political class. Are we going to have some changes this time round? Are the regula­tory bodies going to step into the foray and restore normalcy?

To continue to maintain relevance and attract the respect of Nigerians these reg­ulatory agencies must sit up and do their jobs. They should not engage in primordial considerations before evoking their pow­ers. Nobody or political party should be treated with kid’s gloves when it comes face to face with the law. The essence of the laws is to regulate behavior and con­duct, ensuring that every player subjects himself to the tenets of the contest.

But it seems some animals are more equal than others – a sad portrayal of George Orwell’s The Animal Farm. Our political landscape has unfortunately be­come a centre of the absurd – where naked wielding of power has become the name of the game. The weak have been made vul­nerable and shut out of circulation. Who then will speak for them?

In many states of the federation tension is very high as politicians canvass votes. They muster whatever is in their arsenal to make their impact felt – even if it runs contrary to the statutes and decency. This is where maturity and candour come into play. We are all witnesses to the lawless­ness being displayed by politicians across board in different parts of the country. They do this unmindful of the law. There have been cases of bombing of offices of opposing political parties and rivals. This is not a good sign of what is to come.

As a matter of fact, the resort to self-help by politicians has been elevated to prepos­terous heights. They even go about with private security men dressed in military uniforms as if our official security agents are inferior. These fake security men are used for illegal operations to cow oppo­nents and create a state of panic and inse­curity in the land.

And so, who will bell the cat? Who will save us from the impending cataclysm? I am usually encouraged by assurances from the security agencies that they are on top of the situation. However, that insecurity should persist after these assurances is what baffles me. This is the time for the se­curity agencies to redeem their image and reassure Nigerians of their preparedness to provide cover for the elections.

The political class has a big role to play in ensuring the success of the forthcoming elections. It is important for them to con­duct themselves in a manner that will fos­ter national unity and cohesion, and pro­mote healthy political rivalries. It will not do anybody any good if Nigeria is set on fire. We have more to benefit co-existing as one, indivisible nation in which love and trust will blossom.

I urge our politicians to vet the content of their messages to remove vestiges of hate or rancour. They should see one an­other, first, as fellow Nigerians and, sec­ond, as brothers and sisters. Engaging in provocative utterances against one another is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good.

The horizon, though charged, looks hopeful. It holds promises for free, fair and credible elections. And I pray God to make it happen.

BISHOP EZEONYIA: PASSAGE OF A TRUE MAN OF GOD

The news of the death of the Catho­lic Bishop of Aba Diocese, Bishop Vin­cent Valentine Ezeonyia, came to me as a shock. He never betrayed any sign of im­minent death. In fact, I had spoken to him a few days before his sudden death and he exuded his usual vivacity and camaraderie.

So, you could imagine the grief when the news of his death was broken to me by one of the priests that served under him.

For the period I knew Bishop Ezeonyia, especially during my stint as executive governor of Abia State, he was a huge source of inspiration to me and many of my associates. His wise counseling, charm and fatherly disposition distinguished him from the pack. He will be sorely missed.

As we prepare his final burial on Febru­ary 27, I pray God to console the Church in Aba and, indeed, the whole federation, on the loss of this erudite and holy shep­herd.

May God grant his soul eternal rest, and let His light shine upon him and be merci­ful unto him. Amen!