Nigeria’s Undefined Change

Nigerians acceptance of the change mantra canvassed by APC could be liken to a
drowning man in Atlantic Ocean who never cares to know about the person, colour, nationality or the persona of the individual coming with a life line to rescue him.

Change is a very broad category which needs definition and narrowing down to a specific aspect .either positive change, negative change, upward or down change. However, Nigerians were very deeply in love with the lyric of change that we could not remember asking APC to specify and define the kind of change she was coming with. One wonders whether PDP’s transformation agenda and APC’s change mantra ‘’were not sleeping on the same mat of metamorphosis.

Change they say is inevitable which could be a progression or retrogression. Since the assumption of office by President Buhari, a mixed kind of change have greeted the public with others fuming with anger and others are fuming with joy.

The over flogged topic of lopsided appointments by Buhari which has left the entire south with hands on the head is part of the change Nigerians never cared to asked for a definition. 

This challenge of undefined change stems from the fact that we as a people oftentimes fails to read in between the line before taking decision or passing judgment, a clear example is former President Obasanjo’s misinterpretation of the constitution when administering state of emergencies in Plateau and Ekiti states respective.

You will recall that the president dissolved all political offices including those of the governors. However, this error was intelligently exposed and corrected on May 14, 2013 when former president Jonathan declared state of emergency in northeast states of Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and Bauchi without interfering with the constitutional right of the Governors and other political office holders in the affected states in terms of discharge their constitutional responsibilities. Many applauded the then president for this action, this was so because Jonathan was able to read, asked questions, carryout wide consultations and interpret the constitution correctly. 

Nigerians inability to demand for the specific change APC as a political party was coming with can be liken to not being able to read in between the line to interpret the constitution like Obasanjo.

Indeed, the change that Buhari has brought can be seen even by the blind in the streets of Kano, the ears of the deaf can as well hear the cries of the southerners over Buhari’s kind of change, one pathetic feature about Buhari’s undefined change now unfolding is that it has only helped to drag Nigeria back to the pit of sectionalism and isms that the nation fought so hard to suppress after the civil war to create a united nation. 

This is so because we failed to intellectually ask the kind of change that was offered whether it was in accordance with the positive change we needed as a nation. Until we understand the important of reading in between the line, asking questions where and when necessary and understanding of politicians tricks Nigerians will not be able to hold leaders to account for their promises and deliver dividends of good governance. Instead leaders will continue to give the people crumbs instead of real fleshy meat.

national lifewatch opinion page.