—My Birthday Reflection

By Dr J. O Azubuike

In several posts, I have made this point that Nigerians do not hate themselves based on tribe or religion, but the politicians made us to believe so.

An average Nigerian does not care who repairs his car, wrist watch, leaking roof, etc. An average Nigerian does not care of the religion a medical doctor who saves his life practices. Igbos attend churches own by the Yorubas, Igbos employ Hausa boys as stewards, Igbos buy Onions grown in the north, and so on without ethnic sentiments. The Yorubas and the Houses patronize businesses own by the Igbos, everyone has good laughter by seeing entertainment staged by youths of various ethnic groups. We all enjoy music dominated by Igbo and Yoruba background, and we wouldn’t have qualms with it. All we need is satisfactory service, no matter who renders it. This is the behaviour of everyday Nigerian. This is the love and solidarity of an average street person in Nigeria.

But it baffles me however, that politicians could change this narrative to suit their selfish agenda. A politician would tell you that Hausas will not vote for Igbos, and that Yorubas do not trust Igbos, that an Igbo man is not fit to become the president, and I ask why? Why should there be ethnic fault lines when it comes to politics? If ethnicity is not potent enough to do the damage for the politician, he would change the narrative to religious segregation. When will this hypnosis that has held us bondage for too long stop? When are we going to regain our brain and engage the politicians base on capacity to deliver the job?

A politician who lies to you that you should have nothing to do with Igbo man during election, would not mind engaging an Igbo man to save his life if that is what it will take to make him live. In their private ventures, they engage the best man for the job no matter his ethnic background, but in public ventures they bring ethnic colouration, nepotism, and put everybody in ruins.

The earlier the masses realize that these men do not mean well for us the better for us. Our education system has collapsed, but their children are graduating abroad where there’s a functional system. These men are a people with no iota of shame. They are cultist who feast on the pains and sufferings of the masses.

The earlier we realize that we are the employers while the politicians are the job seekers, and that the power to hire and fire lies in our PVC, the better for us. We must begin to ask fundamental questions like: what are their track records? What are their motives? Do they mean well for us? Is he fit for the job? Can we trust him to be fair to all Nigerians? Is he able to deliver us from the precipice of collapsing into the abyss?

Remember, hardship and poverty do not care about tribe, religion and region. The same way an Hausa man buys palm oil in the market, that’s the same way an Igbo man and Yoruba man would buy same oil. The 5k you have received to sell your vote would not last you for eight days, let alone eight years.

We must be deliberate this time around in choosing who would pilot the affairs of the nation, the candidates must be under thorough scrutiny if we must get the best. We must say no to them that have been part of the rot we face now since 1999. We must say no to them that have been dancing around power with zero report card. We must say no to them that lay claim on this atrocious regime that has brought us so much pains and hardship.

Nigeria is complex, and whoever that must lead us must have both physical and mental energy to do so. He must be of sound mind. He must be a good manger of resources. We have entertained wastage and leakages over time that the scarce resources are no longer enough to solve our basic needs. The leakages are percolating in few previledged pockets while the rest of the populace look on in penury and hunger.

Enough is enough. We must reject their cash, we must jettison tribe if this nation must succeed. 

May our LABOUR never be in vain. Nigeria must succeed. 

— Dr. J. O Azubuike wrote this on his birthday anniversary, 20:07:2022