By Obideyi Olanrewaju Lobinco.
A recent research result shared by Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research institute projects that our dear country Nigeria will be one of the 5 largest economies in the world alongside China, USA, India and Indonesia by 2075.
When I first came across this information, I did on an elite WhatsApp group I belonged on, and considering it is a political campaign season, trust the sharer of the news trying to use same news to sell his candidate of choice and as well attacking the pessimism of those who never see anything good about Nigeria, whereas the international world already sees us as one of the 5 largest economies in the world.
Trust me, I was quick to point out that projections only become realities as a result of well applied variables and expected inputs.
In 1960 at Independence, Nigeria sure had her projections for the next 20years, but till date, are we as a country near those projections? We are probably getting as farther as possible from those projections since independence.
Our continuous reverse drive from our projections as a country is something we certainly can link to what I now term elitist conspiracy.
We almost are all culprits, victims and purveyors of this conspiracies, as personal/regional/religious interests seem to always come ahead of national interest in our national discuss and choice of choosing leaders. Unfortunately, it is the sectional elites of these our stratas that mostly guide our choices. These sectional elites are the religious, regional, tribal and professional elites
I have discovered these categories of elites who all draw strength from the supreme elites that some refer to as politicians or power brokers. Truth of fact is politics has probably never been played in Nigeria, rather it’s been power brokerage and negotiations amongst a few, and which rules out the consideration of the majority of people that make up Nigerians.
How long more should we believe we are docile in our only guaranteed role of country building (electioneering).
Our political philosophy is also luminescent on our success philosophy, as Nigeria is a state where success is hinged more on loyalty than on hard work or respect for principles of success as guaranteed by all religious, scientific and cultural principles.
No wonder “the slang who education help” is now becoming an accepted and growing popular maxim. It’s now a case of only the less privileged who compromise can taste success. This compromise is mostly requested of us all at the point of choosing leaders to represent us politically.
2023 Election Series 3: The Elitist Conspiracy
It seems majority of us are not aware of the fact that the political leaders we elect or don’t, and who makes the political seat accounts for at least 50% of our efforts success rate as a result of their policies being empathetic or otherwise.
Elites by definition is supposed to be a select group that is superior in terms of ability or qualities to the rest of a group or society. This superiority is supposed to be born out of finesse, hard work, good breeding and relevant experience.
Our public sector now mostly have elites who are willing tools in the hand of the political elites that have little or no interest for the people they lead.
Let me start with the political elites. Can we truly say the flag bearers of most political parties, especially the two most popular political parties candidates won on merit or by manipulation which is even beyond the system?
Yet, these elites wants to drum it into our subconsciousness, that they won their tickets based on strategy. Are those strategies honourable?
The tribal and ethnic songs are only played every election season, and coincidentally not for our division as a nation, but for our unity. The orchestras are this same politicians.
The elitist conspiracy is upon us all, as the politicians have built a team member within us, and these supposed elite has a strong influence over us.
Maybe not influence perse, but power. Our questioning there directives may cost us the stipends they throw at us from time to time, the patronage they give our businesses, the friendship they in their magnanimity share with us.
We are constantly blackmailed to sacrifice our national growth for their personal growth. At times they promise us steady crumbs, once their permutations helped by our ignorance and gullible support brings in their preferred candidates. A promise they will never live up to, as our system gets more rotten by the day.
How can the religious leaders who’ve always preached Godly love for humanity, now turn around to preach religion, tribalism and ethnicity just because it’s electioneering season. Is God no longer a God of equity?
How can that senior civil servant, permanent secretary be directed to contribute as much as millions of naira as support for a candidate or political party while they are not politicians, whereas their per annum income is less than their contribution in solidarity with a political candidate.
Why should our markets now be a tool in the hands of politicians, the the market leadership a means of oppressing and cowering the poor market men and women?
Don’t allow that your contemporary you know and who’s employed in the civil service commission, not because they are better than you, but because they had enough to pay those in charge of recruitment, or were close enough to get reference letters from godfathers or politicians advice you on who should get your vote because of the bottles of drink they buy you when you seat out. Without prejudice and in fairness in an equitable polity, the sky can contain both of you to fly without affecting each other.
They being beneficiaries of inequity themselves, can’t advice you appropriately to contribute to a country of equity.
Tell me exactly how many people in your family alone, that your uncle who’s a politician turned contractor can change their fortunes for good, when actually he executes sub-standard projects against value for money charged, but remains a slave to his slave masters.
Even the popular agberos we sometimes detest on our roads and bus parks, though regarded as the army of our oppressors rarely make three thousand Naira for themselves daily, yet they deliver as much as a hundred thousand daily to their masters, who unfortunately have no decent organogram which the least of their poor victims, can grow along the ranks with. They are victims just like most of us. The system turned them so.
How will our tribesman who’s never been known with empathy for us, become so full of sympathy for us when at the highest peak where they’d be untouchable and with full immunity? Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The elitism conspiracy is upon us all. We are all woven into it. It is time for us to for the sake of that 2075 projection of our country, shed our conscience of the Elitist Conspiracy.
If you can read this today, you’d probably be long dead in 2075, or you’d be a senior citizen by then. Our acts todays, is the legacy we leave for our children unborn..
Let’s think of where we are as a country today. Let’s think as Nigerians, not tribes, not religions, not ethnics. Once Nigeria wins, we will all win.If it’s a win for just one of the variables, the united country will only continue to be a farce.
It’s nine days to the presidential election, let’s vote competence above sentiments, Compassion above Compatriot, Capacity above Ethnicity.
Nigeria will be great again.
Obideyi Olanrewaju is a passionate Nigerian Youth.