I don’t know if readers saw one video that trended last week in the social media, in which one Bishop Samuel Olumakinde Alawode prayed a prayer most of his congregants were unable to say a uniform, loud affirmative “AMEN’” He started quite innocently and his church members apparently were caught unawares by the content of the prayer their pastor rendered. They sat numbed, stunned.
The Bishop started by saying: “Those of you that are going to vote, I want to pray a prayer for you and I want your loud amen. That man you want to vote for, may your children have his character in Jesus name.” The church erupted in palpable silence, disturbed. Then a smattering of tepid “amens” and guilty smiles and indecipherable noise stole the air. Some of the congregants can even be seen rolling their hands over their heads in the traditional way of saying “I reject it!” in rejecting the prayer of their Bishop.
Undeterred, the Bishop continued: “you perhaps didn’t get it. That man you want to vote for, that man you are rooting for, that man you are shouting on Facebook about, may your children’s children have his destiny in Jesus name.” Silence. “May they act like him.” Silence. “Behave like him.” Silence. “You are not saying amen? If you don’t want a leader that your children will look like, why do you want to vote for him? If you know you don’t want a leader that will be the future picture of your own children, why do you want to cast your vote for such a person? I want to pray again: whoever you vote for, may their destiny, good or bad, come upon your children.” Murmurings; shifting chairs and muted voices disagreeing and rejecting the Bishop’s prayer. A few unsure amens, however, are heard.
He continues and concludes thus: “I say this because I want you to take the election seriously. Don’t put your vote on anybody your heart cannot tell you this is a picture of our future. If you do it, you are bringing a curse upon your children.” There was rumbling and great discomfort among the members as the Bishop’s prayer rounded off. Which is not surprising.
This unusual prayer generated a lot of discussions in social media. Typically, self-righteousness rules the roost. Everyone is ventilating their biases, condemning the congregants who could not say a loud amen to such an audacious, soul-checking prayer. Everyone is a patriot on social media while the next person is considered a devil. But truly the Bishop’s prayer should serve as a warning shot, a call to self-love, to destiny changing decisions about who the average Nigerian should consider casting his votes for. As it is, the coming elections is like an open wound that only the right treatment and medication can heal.
The choice before Nigerians next month and the month after is one in a life time to turn personal and the nation’s fortunes around. It is a time to be self-centred, a time to put one’s economic, social and political interests first. It is a time to put the four front-line parties and their candidates on a scale, measured against one’s self-interest. It is the time to ask ones self: of the array of candidates, who among them best serves my interest for a better life for me and my children? Who among them has the pedigree, the policies and vitality to ensure that the past eight years of the locust do not repeat themselves? Who among the candidates best approximates a new start, heralds the possibilities of a better tomorrow for us and our children?
There is the critical issue of our destroyed economy exemplified by the destruction of the Naira and the hunger that is ravaging the land. There is the wanton killings and insecurity walking about with raised shoulders all over the nation. Over 63 percent of the population is stewing in unimaginable poverty.
Yes, there are no saints among the candidates. This is why perhaps the church members, referred to above, were unable to say “amen” to their children being endowed with the character traits and destinies of their preferred candidates. Candidly, the candidates are like the same-faced, three edged coin. Who to choose is a tricky problem. That is why, Nigerians, hungry for a good leader, need to put each of them on a scale, and because their pear fell next to a smelling excreta, they need to pluck a leaf to cover the offensive pooh, in a bid to pick their pear. In simple terms, Nigerians need to put aside all the religious, ethnic, and other gimmicks – the smelling excreta – which has held them down in abject poverty and shame among the comity of nations. They need to take the bold step of not falling to the trickery and pranks of the politicians in picking who they best think can liberate them and Nigeria, currently at the precipice and near tumbling over.
Let’s take a passing glance at the top three candidates, one of whom is most likely to emerge the president-elect after the February 25th Presidential Elections. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, from book makers point of view, appears to be the most prepared for the job having been a two term Vice-President with a huge financial war chest, a known employer of labour and educationist who has a large body of studies he commissioned on the Nigerian economy and state and how to tackle the many hydra-headed problems which bedevil the Nigerian state. But he is very old and tainted with massive corruption allegations. It is also feared that like President Buhari, he might treat the threat of Islamic jihadists with kids gloves. That is apart from the fact that he too, like Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has the inordinate belief that the Nigerian presidency is his birth-right. Until the Governor Nyesom Wike led Integrity Group, a band of political renegades called his bluff, he was already parading himself as a president-in-waiting.
Then there is Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the acclaimed Jagaban of South West politics. A former Governor, and some claim builder of modern Lagos, is one of the known patriots who fought on the side of the people during the heady days of General Abacha fear-induced rule of the country. Back by the ruling party, APC, he is believed by some to be the front runner. His party controls more states in the federation, especially in the north. He has the South West wrapped up and believes the north is his for the taking. The Governor Nyesom Wike-led group is said to be looking in his direction too. He believes it is his turn to rule the country. Promoted as a man who carefully selects and build men, he believes he can slay the many problems of the country through a careful selection of men and a frontal attack of the problems. Were it to be 10 or 15 years ago, there is no doubt he would have perhaps made a very good president. But he is a man of many baggages. Little is known about his background, source of his humongous wealth and true state of health. He is old and showing it. The Muslim-Muslim ticket he is running with is a huge baggage.
Peter Obi, like the one eyed man in the city of the blind, appears to be the one the elite and youths are building their hopes on. Relatively “young” at 62 years old this year, he comes with a message which resonates with the people especially in the South and Middle Belt. A simple and easy going wealthy billionaire, he has been able to cast himself as a prudent handler of public funds, a solution provider who will build productive forces and abrogate the consumption mentality which is the ruin of the country today. His claims of managing the resources of Anambra State where he was governor, exaggerated in some places, is designed to position him as a nonconformist who, though was part of those who descended into the pigs-sty, came out squeaky clean. Of course this is not entirely true but Nigerians hungry for redemption appear to be overlooking a lot of his known faults. He represents the Obama moment in Nigerian politics. His major drawback has been his inability to penetrate the north and the so called lack of structures to run a nationwide election. His state governor, Prof Charles Soludo and some critical South East leaders, are against his ambition. Some of the people think too that he will not win enough states to be crowned the president-elect. Constitutionally, he needs 25 percent of the votes in at least 24 states of the federation. His opponents use that to urge voters not to “waste” their votes on him.
Of course each of the candidates have their good and bad characteristics but the question remains: who do Nigerians think is better positioned to tackle the many suffocating problems making Nigerians to begin to eat from the rubbish bins. Who they think can bring the country from the precipice of implosion which the terribly clueless and incompetent Muhammadu Buhari government has pushed it? And like the Bishop prayed, who among them do you want your children to have his characteristics? As for me, I have made up my mind. I will vote for the one who will best serve my interests and rescue the nation.
Mideno Bayagbon: [email protected]