Shall we sit here till we die?

THE essence of celebrating our legends who forever live in our memories even after their demise is because of their ideological sublimation. Some of them left with us certain instructions and ideological orientations, which present to us the best foundation for growth and germination of a gargantuan nation. In the words of  Chief  Obafemi Awolowo, “…a man whose personality is fully developed never fears anything, he cringes not and never feels inferior to anyone no matter the colour, stature or strength of such a one, he is self-reliant and will resist any form of enslavement until the last breadth in him is exhausted. He is what he is because of his three main constituent-his body, brain and mind”. Giving a rational analysis of the above quotation, one would realise that Awolowo was a philosopher; a father whose instruction must be embraced to garner understanding and knowledge for candour. “…it is not all about life, but the courage we bring to it”. Awolowo lived by what he preached, with the way he went about his creative argument and dispositions at different sessions of the house of assemblies both regionally and nationally as the opposition leader.

Professor Itse Sagay also testified that he became an admirer and even a member of the Action Group owing to its ability to conjure and not abjure based on mental exercise. He explained, “as a secondary school boy in the fifties, in faraway Government College, Ughelli, in Delta Province, I, like everybody else in that environment, was a rabid admirer of Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, the charismatic leader of NCNC. This remained so for me until 1960, when I moved to Lagos to work after leaving school. Since Government offices closed for the day at 2pm in those days, I regularly went to observe, the sittings of the House of Representives every day after office hours. There I had my first contact with government in practice.I was immediately struck by the quality of the speeches of the opposition members, who seemed more knowledgeable than the ministers in the subject matter of individual ministerial responsibilities. It was obvious that the Action Group took their responsibility as opposition seriously and were in a position to take over the reins of government without difficulty, if the occasion arose. I found myself progressively being drawn away from my infantile adoration of Zik, towards a more adult, mature and rational admiration of Awolowo and his Action Group colleagues, who were introducing a culture of civilized, enlightened, modern and knowledgeable parliamentary practice and democracy into Nigeria. This fascination kindled my interest in politics and on being admitted in September 1962 to read law at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), I participated in the formation of the students wing of the Action Group and was elected secretary.”

I think the most important question today any sound minded Nigerian should ask is that where lies this strength and ability to creatively re-orientate and re-initiate the mind through rational and liberating ideologies. Even the so-called political parties we have today are mere aggrandizers that have nothing to offer. We no longer enjoy what Sagay enjoyed back then in lagos, because most of our politicians who claimed to be progressives are nothing but mundanes. Our houses of assembly are no longer the place where rigorous and vigorous mental work is done but relaxation centres which every Dick and Harry goes to in the name of representing a constituency which in the ordinary sense ought not to exist. What we have, mainly, even in the organs that constitute the opposition, are lazy brains whose knowledge and understanding about governance matters is shallow. It is known that only the deep that can call unto the deep.

The politicians of our generation lack what it takes to hold unto the doctrines and ideologies left behind by our leaders who neither slept nor slumbered when called upon to deliberate on topical issues that touch the lives of all Nigerians. What we have today in our midst is not the real doctrines we inherited from our political fathers of thought but a pseudo-doctrine which will get us nowhere. My fellow countrymen, shall we sit here till we die? The politicians we need to salvage us from this quagmire are altruistic, congenial, truthful and munificent beings. We need people whom Awolowo described as progressive and radical elements in Nigeria, whose numbers are rapidly decreasing. Let me re-echo it that we do not need charlatans; forlorn, malignant and baleful politicians. We do not need opportunists who have no ideas regarding what, how and when to deliver. An opportunistic politician simply does not care about principles. His guiding and dominant motive in his approach to private or public affairs is self-first, self-second and self-last.

Arise, O compatriots, for the future is bright, if only we would wake from our sleep and slumber; from our slavish mentality—individual and national slavery—knowing full well that in the real sense, we do not have in our possession political and economic freedom. Let our body, brain and mind be fully developed for the journey ahead.

• Oluwaseyi is a public affairs analyst

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