I have the urge to continue with this topic because of the unfavourable and unfortunate things going on in our country these days.
I have watched as things unfold and I have discovered that the greatest undoing of this generation is greediness. This singular syndrome has been responsible for all the evils going on in our society today. There are greedy people everywhere and this has become so bad that those who should be talking or doing something have decided to swim in the ocean of silence. Why are we the way we are? How did we get to this point? Who bewitched us? Are we cursed or are we the cause of our predicament?
These and many more represent the questions begging for answers, as we take time to ponder on what lies ahead of us. Nigeria is a country blessed by God, both naturally and materially. Nigeria is at the very heart of God and everything about her links to the very existence of the love of Christ, which is evidently manifested in so many activities and antecedents. We cannot think less of the fact that God has graciously kept this country these years for a purpose and that He has continued to make things beautiful in and out in the lives of His people.
Whatever that is happening today amongst us that is not good is actually caused by us. Our greediness and selfishness have continued to push us away from the original plan and purpose of God concerning us.
There are selfish people everywhere, especially in our political system, so much that a lot of evils are going on and people are keeping quiet. It seems to me that because people are so much concerned with what makes them happy personally, they have erroneously abandoned the pursuit of that, which will bring succour and success to others.
Let me say here, without mincing words, that until our leaders learn to put other people’s interests above their own interest, things will continue to get bad. Nothing positive will take place when those whose duty it is to serve the people and bring development to the nooks and crannies of our environment are pursuing their personal and individual goals and dreams.
Our leaders must come to the point of appreciating the reality that nothing will change until they all begin to change the way they do things and adjust their understanding of politics.
Politics that is not inclusive and attractive is not politics at all. People are still desperate to witness the kind of politics that will give them the privilege of being fully involved in the policies and practices of the system. People are still desirous of the kind of politics that will afford them the opportunity of coming to reality with the normal way of politicking.
There are so many things that have not yet been addressed, as far as our political system is concerned. How can we concentrate on what will afford us personal gains at the detriment of other people’s happiness and still think that we are getting it right?
Until we begin to realise the fact that we are still backward in this country, we will continue to chase the wind. Nothing will make the common man to understand that politics is a beautiful thing when he is yet to witness any positive impact in his environment.
One of the qualities of a good politician is the ability to give away his power, in order that his followers will be empowered. You do not become popular by holding tenaciously to your power and personal interest. When you give people the opportunity of witnessing the manifestation of your good quality, then you have succeeded in making yourself popular.
Popularity comes through selfless and sacrificial service. You cannot buy popularity from the market, neither can you get it by being selfish. It is unfortunate that many of our today’s politicians are using force to gain their people’s respect and submission. Gone are those days when a politician wakes up and decides to tell his constituency anything and then people will make no inquiries, but swallow everything hook, line and sinker.
These days, people do not believe anything, people do not swallow anything. Things have really changed!
The worst thing that can happen to any country’s leadership is to surround itself with those who are drunk in their selfishness and greediness, in such a way that they do not have any plans for those whom they represent and lead. Yes, the biggest misfortune that can befall any country is the inability to detach herself from those who are not only concerned about their personal goals, but are practically doing everything possible to make sure that they subject other people to a status akin to slavery in their own land. Individuals who have no milk of human kindness in them should have no business with politics.
Again, those who have not drunk from the well of human kindness, should understand the fact that politics is for the people. It was Prof. Chinua Achebe who once asserted that “those whose palm kernels were cracked by the benevolent spirit should not forget to be humble.” Politics is about serving the people and not serving self. Politics is a pathway to rendering selfless and sacrificial service to the people. Anything that is not channelled towards giving the best to the people is half-baked politics and should not be encouraged.
Those who play politics should be able to realise that power belongs to the people and that the people know this very well. Of course, one of the political parties in Nigeria today has “Power to the People” as its motto.
The question is “how much have we allowed the people to appreciate this reality?” It is not about saying and singing it, it is about letting it have a practical presence and touch in the lives of the people. Those who are looking unto us and trusting us to show them the way must not be disappointed, because of our selfish desire to gather everything to ourselves alone.
We must not sacrifice the happiness of those we vow to protect on the altar of our selfish interests. If we want to play politics with sincerity, then we must be sincere to ourselves first.
It is an established and eternal truth that one does not give out what one does not have. Nobody will render any meaningful service to the people without first and foremost dealing with his or her appetite for selfish gains. It is not possible that a selfish person has anything good to offer to those whom he represents.
That is the reason it is dangerous to give a selfish man any political position. Selfishness and greediness must be destroyed in our country if our political system must have a human face!
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