THE CHANGE WE REALLY NEED

Like we all know the presidential election in Nigeria is getting closer and there have been a lot of campaign going on here and there, promises flying over the air, agenda upon agenda, and most importantly the masses are also clamouring for a change but I must say it’s a little bit sad and pathetic that as Nigerians we still don’t know the kind of change we should be yearning for. Yes I know we need a government that will create jobs, provide electricity and most importantly provide security but let look at it critically I think there is one issue that is more important and we if don’t address that issue trust me we might just remain stagnant as a nation.

I know you will be wondering what is this issue that is more important than providing the masses with portable water, conducive environment for small and medium scale business, good health care service and lot more that we are currently lacking but not to worry am going to tell you but first I need you to answer this question for me with all honesty “what do you look at when you vote, is it the party or the flag bearer of the party or the tribe of the candidate?” let the answer be on your mind as you continue to read further.

Since 1999 when the military finally decided to leave the running of the country in the hands of we civilian there has been what I call a circular system of government or better still let me say a zonal system of government in our country. This simply means that the head of government has been rotating in zonal manner whereby after a particular person from a particular zone finish ruling another person from another particular zone would take over. No matter the party once it is election time it is all about which zone is next to rule before we even talk about the candidate or the party. For example after Obasanjo who is from the south west zone left office, late Musa Yar’adua (R.I.P) who was from the northern zone came in and if not for his untimely death am pretty sure that after his tenure it would have been the turn of another person from Yoruba land. It was his (late Musa Yar’adua) untimely death and the interference of Obasanjo himself that broke the circular/zonal system of government which saw the emergence of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan (a south south man) become the president. We all know that if Yar’adua didn’t die Jonathan won’t become the president at least not when he did and this brings me back to the question I asked earlier and to the main point of my argument. Left to me I would vote for whoever I feel is the right man for the job, be it from the north, west, south or even the east (that was why I voted for Jonathan in 2011 because I felt the change had began) but that isn’t the case with my fellow Nigerians as most of them believe running the country should be a turn by turn thing. The people running our government has buried this mentality in our head that once an Hausa man finish ruling a Yoruba man would be next and after that another Hausa man would take over and like that the circle would continue. This is the major reason why am not happy with APC as a party and also feel sad for Nigerians in general. To me I think APC as a party has a better candidate to rule Nigeria but due to the so called circular system of government that we are use to they haven’t provided us with that.  Am not saying Buhari is a bad candidate I’m only saying if they truly wanted to change Nigeria then they should start by breaking this circular system of government not encouraging it. As Nigerians we all clamour for change but I’m sorry to say we are not thinking of the right change. I mean why can’t we have a Fashola who has a very good track record or an Ajimobi who is doing really fine or even an Oshiomhole who needs no introduction when it comes to serving the people, to contest for the Presidency instead of a Buhari. The answer is because they believe that it is the turn of a northern to rule and that why they came up with Buhari. It should be noted that, it is this issue of whose turn is it to run the country that is bringing backwards to our beloved country. After the death of  late Yar’adua and the emergence of President Goodluck the Hausa’s feels cheated because they felt they haven’t finish their turn and it should be them who heads the government and not someone else and this was part of the major reason why they delayed the appointment of Goodluck as the President long after Yar’adua death. Unless we just want to deny it, it is this grievance that has turned this country into part of what it is at the moment. If Nigerians really want a change then I think we need to get rid of that mentality that those that have the privilege of run the country must come from a particular zone or tribe or even religion as the case may be. We need to use our vote to vote in the right person not minding his tribe, his religion or his zone in as much as we feel he is the right man for the job then let vote him in so that we can truly get the change we crave for.