Can a basket hold water?

With less than six months to the next nationwide elections, several pertinent issues need to be examined in view of their impact to our nascent democracy. These issues, if not properly resolved, may spell a doom for our collective existence. Without sounding like a doom’s day prophet, it is obvious to all and sundry that the days of watching like ‘zombies’ while a few elite dictate the destiny and fortunes of this country is gradually coming to an end. The people are becoming more politically literate, able to discern reality from illusion.

Permit me to reason like a layman who wants some radical changes that will impact positively in his life. Who are those that will practically benefit from the conduct of a fresh election next year? Who are those that have been benefiting from the subsisting lopsided system of governance we have been practising in this country over the years?  Who are those truly profiteering from governance in this country? Again, who are those that will continue to grow fat from seeds of discords being sowed amongst the populace? Let the truth be told.

Right from our independence, the leadership, be they politicians, past military governments and their associates have continued to benefit immensely from our ‘forced alliance.’ For the masses, it has been ‘suffering and smiling,’ according to Fela of blessed memory. Conveniently, they drum it hard on the populace that we are one Nigeria while their actions in practical terms say otherwise. They keep on selling us hope of a better tomorrow that we never see. Now that we are getting set for another rounds of election that will consolidate their holds on our fortunes, they are assaulting our intelligence on daily basis.

One does not need to be a political scientist to know that things are fundamentally wrong with our country. Ab initio, a solid foundation was not laid for our sustenance. What we had was a quick marriage of convenience fostered on us by the colonial imperialists for their selfish interests. Many years later, and with so much pain to show for it, is it not time that we go back to the drawing board and renegotiate our forced marriage? I know this message may sound sour to some, but it is the truth. We can do far better than we are doing.

We can achieve far more than we are presently accomplishing if we take time to recharge our batteries. When the engine of a car is worn-out, it is taken for servicing or the engine is replaced for better performance. Same can be said of a supposedly great country that is under-performing. Why do we keep on telling ourselves lies that cannot stand the test of time? Why do we play God in the lives of men we cannot create? Democracy is supposed to be effective when it is practiced in tandem with the will of the people. Are we truly practising such democracy or authoritarianism? Are the wishes of the people truly reflective of the numerous policies being implemented across board, or those of a handful of people?

Nigeria, at present, is like a basket being forced to retain water. No matter how you mend it with quick-fix remedies, it will continue to leak. That is why the issue of restructuring the country is one important subject that cannot and should not be thrown overboard. The time for it is now!
• Very Rev. Msgr. Osu, Director, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.