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| President Goodluck Jonathan |
(‘But test and prove all things (until you can recognize) what is good; (to that)
hold fast’….. 1 Thess 5: 21)
A critical observation of the current political situation in Nigeria, revealed a saddening and misleading dimension, such that a lot of Nigerians are being misled by news papers reports, politicians and junk papers like Sahara reporters. It is mischievous that some people take pleasure, fame and glory in opposing an incumbent government without facts, as it is a gateway to being famous, especially in Nigeria, where every news paper wish to be relevant by opposition.
Once upon a time, a prominent Nigerian activist claimed he saw a mischievous article in Ebony Magazine, Many, especially the youth believed the article was true, in view of the status of the person involved in peddling the rumours in the society. This rumours caused thousands of Nigerians their lives. Yet, when proper investigations were carried out, it was discovered that such information was not in the Ebony magazine. The famous activist claimed he was also informed of the article by someone else.
In a similar vein, during military era, a soldier was sent to investigate and let the authority know whether some group of officers were planning coup in an officer’s house. The soldier went to the officer’s house and saw so many vehicles parked at the officer’s garage. He then wrote to the authority that he was sure that many officers were in the officer’s house and they were planning a coup. It is after the so called ‘coup plotters’ were retired before the truth was known, that this particular officer the investigator (soldier) went to his house, loved keeping many vehicles in his compound, most of which belong to his family members, wife, children and other relatives. These are some of the effects of judgement, decisions and actions taken without proper investigation and facts.
It is disheartening to note that a lot of Nigerians, especially the youths were being deceived by the Wednesday, 30 mar 11 write up on Sahara reporters, that the presidential debate held on that day was leaked and given to GEJ before the D-day. I took my time to study the supposedly leaked questions and compared them with the questions that were asked but unfortunately, there were no Similarities in the 2 set of questions. This is mischievous, misleading and malicious.
However, the most disappointing aspects of this, is that a lot of Nigerians, do not take their time to find out the facts before jumping into conclusions. Most of these Nigerians often formed their opinions on prejudiced and misleading rumours.
On one hand, it is very easy for any learned fool to draw up acceptable and predictable questions (from the challenges being faced by Nigerians) for the debate. Hence, with all the learned Professionals in Aso Rock, it is easy for the President of Nigeria to have predicted the so called questions. Those questions are predictable and it can be well rehearsed. Nigerians or government officials do not really require Sahara reporters to inform us of the so called expo, if they were really leaked. This is like insulting the overall intelligence of Nigerians, talk less of a whole Doctor of letters like GEJ, who had set many questions while lecturing in University. Therefore, it is pointless to inform us about any expo, as the questions are themselves predictable.
On the other hand, whether these questions are known before hand or not, is irrelevant. Also
whether it is a debate or interview is not necessary. After all, candidates still fail an open book
exams. The most important issue is for GEJ to correctly and satisfactorily answer Nigerians on how he was going to move the country forward. Nigerians would not benefit from his articulate speech but his methodology and sincerity on how he can solve the challenges in the office, as long as questions were asked and solutions were proffer. All that is required from the electorates was to have investigated the authenticity of those solutions. It is opined that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan successfully and honestly proffered solutions to some of the challenges facing Nigeria within the limit of the available time during the debate.
On watching the debates in NN24 and NTA, which also asked almost similar questions, with sound judgement based on knowledge of some of the solutions to the challenges, one could note that some of the Presidential candidates are driven by personal ambitions to contest rather than the adequate knowledge of the current situations in view of new democratic dispensation. For instance, when asked on how he would solve the energy challenges in the country, one of the prominent Presidential candidates informed his audience that he would constitute a Presidential committee to look into the challenges, as if there were no committee before now. Another prominent candidate mentioned what the government was already doing, as a solution, like provision of other alternative sources of energy in various part of the country. A third prominent Presidential candidate, who built a-150,000 gallon of water reservoir, acclaimed to be the largest in west Africa region, could not defend why there was no adequate energy to power the project. He also fails to understand that over a total of 200,000 gallons solar powered water reservoirs had been installed various communities of Ondo State without any energy challenge, except routine maintenance. Such candidates were only waiting to solve the energy challenges by using ‘advisers’, which could mislead and waste time.
Some even fail to understand that the use of force to achieve the desire goal as it happened during the military regime will not be feasible, as the General could not use this same force to stop an unwanted Gubernatorial aspirant in his party. This is a democratic era where one, including the President could be made to account for any action taken in a court of law.
In as much as the country challenges are over-whelming, it is opined that Nigeria should not be used as laboratory archive for trial and error, data collation and collection. This country does not need inexperienced hands in democratic issues but tested hands that have good motive to move us forward, as God judges motives not actions.
The only reservation that can be noted in the debate is the government slow pace in its fight against Corruption, which is the main hub to a successful execution and implementation of most of the govt. Policies. This is because Nigeria main challenge has not always been policies promulgation but Implementation which is often impeded by corruption in high places. From moral judgement, most of the Presidential candidates have not done so well in their fight against corruption. The acclaimed Anti-corruption wizard could not defend his contradictory statements about his party leader’s Corrupt practices. The General also failed in using might to fight corruption in his party during the Party gubernatorial election, as he was defeated in a court of law. These points to the fact that the use of military tribunal as it was obtainable when the General was Head of state will fail in the Present democratic era. Therefore, it is believed that President Goodluck should step up his fight Against corruption, if he is to attain any meaningful height in the execution of his good policies, as he rightly acknowledged that the anti-corruption fight is every Nigerian duty.
However, necessary impetus may be required to make the fight more effective, by personal sacrifice, inform all the party members to end the game and start on a clean slate, provision of necessary social facilities that will discourage government officials from taking the corrupt risk and unveiling all high profile cases without exception. It may also be necessary to change the management of the present anti-corruption agencies.
Nigerians should therefore, beware of paid media who could mislead and confuse them after
smiling to banks. Please base your judgment on facts not rumours when voting for the candidate of your choice. As for me, after critical observations of all the candidates, I have seen the will, good motives, intelligence, providence, humility, honesty of purpose and dedication to duty in Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. It is though opined that, the administration needs to brace up in its fight against corruption if he wants take Nigeria to the promise land.
God bless Nigeria,
Stay blessed President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan,
May God give you the wisdom to manage the affairs of this great Nation.
SELAH!!
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