Taking back Nigeria from the clutches of cannibals

I was reflecting with a friend over the Easter holidays on a video making the round on social media of some youths shouting at the gates of the National Assembly that the top leadership of this country are all criminals.

I then noted that the masses of the country can make a change except for the fact that the number of illiterates won’t allow such to happen easily since the money bags are in control.

I then asked what he thinks of the likes of Kingsley Muoghalu, the ex CBN governor who just declared for president and he responded that there is no need wasting the votes since the current political landscape cannot give them victory despite their good intentions.

Atiku we noted remains the most formidable if all we want is for PMB to go but PDP has settled for Tambuwal who my friend thinks has less baggage, though I saw him as the same establishment cabal!

With our resignation to fate after I’ve suggested we even engage Trump, I stumbled on two articles that same day that looked like they were just listening to us with ready answers to our prayers.

First was the one in ElombahNews titled “Elites/Political Capture: Reflections on Character & Potential for Transformation” by Jaye Gaskia, director Paxis Center and convener Take Back Nigeria Movement.

Gaskia noted that some fundamental circumstances created the elites who consequently have a hold on the political structures that guarantee them better access to the privileges in the society.

He noted that the wider the gap between the masses and the elite the more difficult it would be to dislodge them since the common man will be mostly interested in his stomach.

He suggested that a change and reversal of the process can only happen with “concerted citizen” action often led by a disgruntled part of those elites.

Then comes the second article about the wailing OBJ!

In the article titled “Don’t reinforce failure by re-electing incompetent government, Obasanjo warns Nigerians,” Samuel Awoyinfa of PUNCH narrated OBJ’s advice to Nigerians when Chima Anyaso, the convener of New Nigeria 2019 Group paid him a courtesy call in the company of Moses Siasia at his presidential library.

With OBJ’s recent wailings it appeared to me that he may be the typical disgruntled elite Gaskia was talking about.

But that will have to be if he is serious about galvanizing and supporting the youth of this country to effect this latest change and not get yoked with his past friends and folks just like Oyinlola and co who have made people laugh at his so called coalition.

As this catalyst, he must support independent youths with no links to the establishment.

Finally, back to Gaskia’s take in relation to the recent Bill Gate’s visit and advise, Gaskia noted that in the Nigerian context the citizens action require a movement that can engage politically, this rang a bell given my earlier take that the number of illiterates in Nigeria will not allow such to happen.

This is in direct relation to Bill Gate’s advice that the government should be focusing more on education and health while not leaving out infrastructure.

Bill knows that the kind of change we all deserve in this country can only happen when the people are literate enough to decide and not succumb to the inducement from politicians who steal their money in the first place.

Only in such situation can we demand independent candidature and be sure that such can be voted for outside the current establishment that throws up the likes of twin brothers PDP and APC whose only performance result is about whose looters’ list is authentic and longer.

Same brothers that glorify themselves even though they know the baggage they carry. They award themselves national honours, match the red carpet, clapping hands, smiling and waving back at the masses and “oh yes members” as they call them “your Excellency, your Excellency.”

They attend colloquiums where they take swipe at their twin brother for stealing Nigeria dry while at the same time indulging in the same thing in a more sophisticated way.

They raise taxes with their companies as consultants, creaming off percentages and still swearing that they will die for Nigeria as we all clap that this one is really in love with his father land!

And finally I wrap this up with my childhood song that says:

“Onye wu onye oma?, Odighi onye wu onye oma ma otu!, PDP wu onye oma? Odighi onye wu onye oma ma otu!, APC wu onye oma, Odighi onye wu onye oma ma otu!,” (Who is a good person? no one is a good person, not PDP, not APC).

To make this change happen is not in a year or a 2019 thing, it must start with our ensuring free education for all Nigerians. Only then can we be on the right road, otherwise we are going nowhere!

Obidike Peter wrote from www.peterobidike.com and p_obidike@yahoo.com.