There is a generic quote in the classic novel, Animal Farm by George Orwell published in 1945. “The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which”. Upon removal of human farmers, and successful takeover of power by the animals, they institute Seven Commandments of the Farm. In it, the animals are not to interact with any humans or imitate their habits, forbidden from sleeping in beds, wearing clothes, and drinking alcohol, while solidarity and equality among every animal is sacrosanct. Not long after, Napoleon (the pig) successfully usurps power and begins to rule the farm like a tyrant. Under Napoleon's reign, pigs enjoy special privileges while the other animals toil endlessly, working round the clock with only hunger to show for it. Gradually, Napoleon and the other pigs break every tenet and alter each of the commandments. In chapter 10 of the book, the pigs begin walking on two legs, carrying whips, and wearing clothes. The final straw is when the pigs reduce the Seven Commandments to one: All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. If you are a Nigerian – at home or in diaspora, I am sure you can relate. Our beloved Nigeria is not different from the scenario painted above.
In the sixteen years before the democratic year 1999, we the people of Nigeria wished for a time when our country will join the League of Nations as a Democracy. Add the thirteen years between 1966 - 1979 of a previous military interregnum, Nigerians had every reason to be optimistic that the happy days had come effective May 29, 1999. Arriving at destination 1999 wasn’t a stroll in the park. It was achieved by sweat, blood and tears. Many of our kit and kins paid the supreme sacrifice along the way. May all their ‘sacrificial souls’ continue to rest in Elysium - an eternal home in both Greek and Roman mythology for the blessed after death.
Fast forward to the year 2023 and into our 24th anniversary of democratic Nigeria, there is a dark haze of cloud occluding the silver lining on our nation’s firmament. Like the Animal Farm, our stable has become a magical territory of abracadabra. The numbers are not adding up. Our `leadership train` has been hijacked by men of questionable wealth and character at all levels. The citizens of Nigeria cannot breathe. The mass of our people is gasping for breath. The last national `cylinder of oxygen` is missing and there lies an uneasy calm over the land. The engine of the train - the youths are aghast. Some are trooping out in droves to climes unknown for survival. Those unable to ‘japa’ are fighting a race against time for survival. Like a drowning person in the middle of the Atlantic, they are holding on to straws to keep afloat until maybe help eventually comes.
The drivers of our national train - the political class have veered off the rail track and are heading towards anarchy and destruction. The ruling political class are making merry, frolicking, and flexing on our commonwealth unmindful of the catastrophic looming dangers ahead. Many Nigerian citizens are living below sub-human standards. Over 133 million (67% of the population) are in multi-dimensional poverty. Over 92 million have no access to electricity and 60% of citizens are not in the banking system. Unemployment rate is over 40% and youth unemployment at 60%. A large chunk of the population has no access to quality education and basic healthcare. The political class are so detached from reality that it is as if they were living in Pluto or Saturn. Nigerian citizens wonder if our political elites are human at all. Even the Dean of the Satanic Domain, Lucifer would marvel at the mountainous height of callousness of the Nigerian politician / ‘ruining crass’.
How on earth does the Nigerian politician sleep at night? How is it possible for them to steal and loot so much? How is it that statutory government institutions and agencies are incapable of protecting, serving, and delivering for the common good of our society? These folks must be mentally deranged vampires feasting on the blood of hapless citizens. Apologies dear reader for the gory description. It is what it is. These demonic politicians must be suffering from psychosis. In medical practice, this is a condition where people lose contact with reality. It might involve seeing or hearing things that other people cannot see or hear (hallucinations) and believing things that are not actually true (delusions). I really do not think there is a better expression to describe Nigeria`s ‘flesh-eating’, `blood-sucking` political class and their accomplices. Are they really humans or devouring humanoids? They certainly are psychotic.
Yes, they are psychotic. It is the reason why they lounge in their mansions leaving basic indices of human life and living that are present in other climes to be absent in Nigeria as they act like history’s Emperor Nero who fiddled as he watched Rome burn. Criminal men and women of questionable wealth and character are given accolades and adorned with coloured thrifty garlands. They buy their way into politics and force themselves into plum political positions using dubious, sinister underhand methods. Did you just heave a sigh? Please heave no further. The nation of Nigeria lost a golden opportunity for a reset during the last General Elections, especially the Presidential election. Not wanting to sound sub-judicial, I would not delve into that pot ipso facto. An election where more than 24.9 million voters exercised their civic rights is just now being decided by a panel of five jurists of the Temple of Justice. Is the ballot box no longer sufficient to decide who leads us? Why is our election process so monetised to favour criminal moneybags right from political party primaries to campaigns down to rigging and manipulation of election results. The moral currency and value lost by Nigeria as a result of the charade of the February 25th 2023 presidential election is incalculable.
To even think that creepy INEC told Nigerians they have 93.4 million voters in their ‘magic register’ before the flawed elections is shocking. Three elections were conducted same date, same time, yet the institution (INEC) saddled with the simple responsibility failed woefully, destroying the entire process, and shattering the will and choice of citizens for the presidency. Public trust and confidence in elections has been eroded due to the shoddy performance of INEC. After spending over 300 billion naira for the 2023 elections, INEC malfeasance in the February 25th presidential election is a stab in the face of democracy. The accompanying State elections (Governorship, House of Assembly) then had an easy template to follow on March 18th, 2023. The criminal, corrupt political establishment in Nigeria in connivance with INEC ensured that a `promise` made was not kept. The promise of the use of digital technology and transmission of polling units results in real time to iREV using BVAS. The manipulation and rigging of election results will not stop in Nigeria if manual collation continues. Imagine First bank, Zenith, GTbank, FCMB, and other financial institutions doing manual banking. Would that not be a recipe for disaster? If democracy must strive in Nigeria, the power of the people to freely choose those who lead them must be guarded with all intents and purposes. The current democratic psychosis needs to stop and be cured. As things stands, the hopes of millions of democracy-loving Nigerians rests in the hands of the hallowed chambers of the Temple of Justice – they now hold the cure.
Dr Tony Osakpamwan Agbons is Lead of the Institute of Leadership and Good Governance