Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra state, a renowned professor of economics and former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) is very fond of this Igbo proverb, akwobeghi beans akwo, moimoi ana esi everywhere, which loosely translates to beans has not been grinded for making moimoi, yet everyone is smelling moimoi. However, Soludo used it to emphasize that his best is yet to come and the people are already jubilating over his achievements.
This proverb can also apply to the way our politicians are approaching 2027 poll which is still over two years away. To our politicians, the election is here already and they are scheming on how to go about it. It is in our usual Nigerian style. There is nothing excessive or extra-ordinary about it. It has been our political culture since 1999. It is not even going to change so soon. Our politicians are wired like that. They think always of the next election.
Our career politicians see election season as market where they will sell their goods to the willing buyers. Nothing will change that attitude. As we move towards 2027, every discourse is themed around the 2027 election and what and what will happen. That is why there are talks about alliances and groupings to dislodge those in power. The current APC did it in 2015 or before then to win the election against President Goodluck Jonathan.
It is still part of the political game. In politics, there are no permanent friends but permanent interests. They credited this to the great Zik of Africa, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. The Zik’s quote above is still relevant today. Unfortunately, our politics lacks the quality of debate of Zik, Awo and Bello. It lacks the oratory of KO Mbadiwe, a man of timber and caliber and even caterpillar and juggernaut. It lacks the tact of Sam Mbakwe and others. Remember also Jim Nwobodo and Abubakar Rimi. We shall reorder our politics and infuse it with the needed philosophy and ideology. We must take it away from amala and egusi politics and go for politics of issues and reinventing the country and making it great again.
It is sad that because of 2027, governance is at abeyance in the country. It needs not to be so. Our brand of politics is peculiar to us. We do things differently. Our democracy has local touch and colours not known outside our shores. We fight for election. We do everything to win elections. We don’t even observe the copy book from America and Britain. We even play outside the rules of the game and challenge people to go to court. That is why ur politics is peculiar.
Some people are saying that the rumoured gang up against the ruling APC behemoth is about 2027. Others even say the emergency rule in Rivers State is part of the dress rehearsal for 2027. But nobody is cocksure. It is all about permutations for 2027. In our country politics is the biggest business. It is the biggest investment with higher ROI. Politics everywhere is business. It consumes a lot of money. Imagine what Musk did in US poll with money. Imagine his influence in US and other places. Money and politics go together.
That is why everyone is engaged in the political business. They say it is part of the state capture strategy. If Nigerians had not condemned the emergency rule in Rivers State, a few other troubled states would be the next victims. They should thank their stars that they have been saved that trouble of emergency rule and dismantling of democratic structures. Those in Rivers are not finding it funny. They have learnt their lessons the hard way. Do our politicians ever learn from history? They do not.
That is why history will always repeat itself in the country. They will always make mistakes and resort to self-help as usual. Let ours be a true federation where every state should be allowed to be the way it chooses. If any person says that our democracy is not working, they accuse him of having 2027 ambition or whatever they may like. If a politician says APC lacks internal democracy as El-Rufai said recently, he will be accused of ‘bad belle.’ He will be reminded that he is saying so because Jagaban didn’t make him minister. They will even add salt and pepper to it.
If you say that things are hard in the country, they will retort that things are getting better, that the prices of rice, yam, beans and other food items are gradually coming down. They will tell you that the El Dorado is near. Some are even saying that the exchange rate is moving in favour of our almighty naira. What of jobs? They will say that government has created thousands of jobs since it came in. What of prices of petrol? They will say that the price of petrol is coming down.
Some say that Dangote has slashed or crashed the price. When Olusegun Obasanjo, Peter Obi, Bishop Kukah, Aminu Tambuwal and others said that our democracy is not working as it should, they called them unprintable names. Even Wole Soyinka condemned the emergence rule in Rivers which he described as excessive punishment, he too was not spared. Those hired to defend the government in power should do so with decorum. They should respect the rights of other Nigerians and their freedom for self-expression. Democracy thrives in an atmosphere of freedom of expression and criticism. Democracy dies when criticism is stifled and opposition not tolerated.
People should be allowed to speak their minds and feel free to criticize the government in power and make those in power accountable. While those grinding the beans for moimoi are busy working, those already smelling moimoi, elele or even akara should not be blamed. They should be appreciated. Democracy allows plurality of views and not a monologue.