One of the encouraging fact recently is that we are gradually moving past the era of denial. The common illusion of portraying Nigeria as “a first world nation” enjoying the full economic and social incentives, has now reduced drastically even among the career jonathanians. Overtime these retired praise singers have transformed themselves into groups of “centrist”. Hence, they unveiled a new form of argument; while they agreed that the present administration might have performed poorly, they also maintained that credible alternatives aren’t readily available. Demand reasons for the failure in governance, and they will always dive into the cover of their usual “distraction theory”.
Before I proceed, let’s firstly clarify what exactly does good leadership entails???
• An exceptional leader:- will always utilizes the available resources to confront squarely, any challenges or plague threatening his people while also accepting responsibilities for any setback recorded under his reign.
• An incompetent leader:- will translate every single challenge or threat faced by his people into a perfect excuse for abruptly failing his duty and such leaders aren’t known with the culture of accepting responsibilities no matter the situation.
If we were to officially accept their justification that the woes of this current administration was all due to detractors and haters, rather than their own inability. Then we don’t need rocket science to decide which of the two categories of leadership (above) this crop national leaders fell into.
On a more serious note, the main reason Nigerians trusted the Jonathan-led administration with our Federal authority, wealth and influences in 2011, was because we needed someone to lead us through the mucky water we were already plunged into. Even as he was filled with confidence that his team are well equipped with the intelligent and effective tactics to make the nation great again. Majority were then convinced, so we decided to trust him and his team with the ultimate national staff. Only for them to utilize all the advantages (offered by the power) to boost their private net worth and inflate their bank account, while abandoning their promises to the ordinary man on the street.
Yes, they did promised to put our interest first, didn’t they? They promised stable power supply, right? They promised to reduce unemployment drastically, isn’t it? They promised to secure us absolutely, didn’t they? They promised to raise our education standards to international level, didn’t they? They said transportation, pipe borne water, social security, poverty reduction, better foreign image among others will be a priority, right??………They did promised all this and many more back then, only for them to turn around after wasting another 4years to start complaining bitterly (to us) about those challenges they were suppose to have solved (or to be solving).
Worst of it all is how they keeps telling us that our federal authority, wealth plus the influences wielded by them have all been completely vanquished by some “unnamed detractors”, detractors who have sabotaged all efforts to provide social developments and to grant maximum security (i.e neglect all their duties). Even though they had never made any clear attempt to avert the evils caused by these invisible disgruntle elements. Rather they capitalized on the self-acclaim distraction (from no one in particular) to divert several democratic dividends into personal hands.
However, we didn’t realize that there was anyone within our borders, who is powerful enough to defeat our collective mandate in such a flawless manner. (I doubt if the much dreaded US can even vanquish our mighty mandate without employing series of allies). Assuming their words was even any fact to go by, then its surely on record that; Never has these level of weakness been demonstrated (by the FG) in our history. Nor is it even logical to be seeking reelection on one hand and feigning helplessness (to succeed) on the other hand. This show of confusion on its own should have proven beyond doubt that; is either they (Jonathan & team) are chasing shadows with our collective mandate or they are just too weak to lead us forward while carrying the heavy burden (our mandate).
Which is why people are getting really frustrated with the level of insolence being displayed by them, even after a long period of failure. If after 6 years a set administrators can’t even boast of tackling at least, a single challenge among the numerous pack they promised to overcome. Nor were they even capable of maintaining the problems at the level they met it. Then one will be force to ask, what exactly is their business in leadership or remaining in power??
A while ago I was lamenting the degeneration of our mighty security force as one of the main failure of this administration. And one of these ‘centrist’ was quick to point out that Nigeria isn’t the only country facing security threats, insisting that Kenya, Angola and Sudan were also finding it hard managing their crises. Hence Nigeria leaders have been vindicated, according to him. I couldn’t help but shake my head vigorously on this one. Angola?? Kenya?? Sudan?? are we really serious with such comparison??
We all could still remember, if it were in the 80s, 90s and early 20s, Nigeria’s mighty armed forces will have already intervened, restored sanity and stabilized all those African nations infested with crises or unrest without foreign aids. As at then, Our “crises management capacity” around Africa and the world in general was comparable only to US, China, Russia and other international bigwigs. The world powers back then will always thread carefully never to intervene (physically or verbally) in our personal issues. Then, smaller African nations will rush to heed our calls and implement any suggestion we offered with extreme determination. That we almost wipe out Chad in the 80s when we discovered that they play host to invaders ravaging our nation. Did we know all these facts??
But here we are in 2014, We can’t even curtail our own made problems, let alone intervene anywhere else. The foreign nations have also grown wings, to now intervene in our intimate issues uninvited and sometimes even firing verbal insults at our highest office without restrain. Surprisingly, we now need the help of “Paris” to register an appeal for mere border supports with our neighboring nations. To add to the insults, our “crises management capacity” have now degraded to the level of comparing it to nations like, Angola, Kenya, Sudan and co. As smaller African nations now take turns to mock our mismanagement and impunity culture.
Now looking back at where we use to be and where we are now. What other proves does anyone need to deduce that; we have spent the last decade and half speeding backward???
Perhaps, the only aspect that have witnessed tremendous increase since the advent of democracy (that is very glaring) is the bank account of crook politicians. For a public office holders who are not being prevented from looting and embezzling public funds by “the detractors”. But met with staunch resistance from the “supposed detractors”, only when it is time for them to deliver their duties. This revelation is really laughable.
The distraction theory is but a lousy excuse to preach right now, especially when 6years isn’t enough to device a plan to subdue the detractors and commence the promised development. Since this large scale of distraction appears to be peculiar to this administration, we must navigate on the safer side by removing this ant infected administration immediately. In order to be free of the torture vented on us by they and their unbearable visiting lizards (detractors). That’s the only lasting solution to a group of people whose detractors, protect their interest but always ruin our chances of progress.
The people’s mandate and the tale of distraction
