Friday, March 18, 2011

Traditional Rulers on 2011 Elections

Who hasn't seen the beauty of our natural institutions - chiefs, obas, emirs, obis, baales, district heads, et al? Who could dare them in the past? Who wouldn't attempt to dare or ignore them now?

We've had the good, the bad and the ugly. Fair. But we must not diminish or desecrate our traditional rulers and our heritage. Neither education nor religion, travels nor civilization, expects us to. So, when we see our fellow compatriots do things other people/nations won't do to our royal fathers we shudder. Now we must act.

As we prepare to act, let our fathers act. Let it not be said of them that the nation burnt and dissolved under their care and guidance. Let our traditional rulers be, well, traditional rulers - fathers of all. To do so successfully, they must be apolitical. Once they get affiliated to any political party, they compromise their natural neutrality, and become overly partisan. In which case, they become fair game for disrespect, inducements, and political attack!

If I were our Traditional Rulers, I will stop sharing chieftaincy titles and turbanning ceremonials like cookies. Let the honour be earned, hard-earned. I will be in the vanguard of moral rearmament, sustainable development and good governance. How? By backing the electorate, damning the selectorate, by promoting and dutifully defending popular democracy.

When? This April. This 2011 General Elections.

Why? Because without true democracy, no-one can defend and revere tradition, its institutions or leaders - especially our royal fathers. As our elders say, the peace of the tree is the peace of the bird! We saw it all during our tortuous military misgovernance. Never again! 

Thursday, March 03, 2011

The Media on Nigeria's 2011 Elections

I have a secret wish: I hope all the friends of Nigeria will help her confront all the enemies of her democracy! And do it fast and furious, faithfully and fearlessly, with pride and honour, as once and future. Oh, I pray for the total routing of those brigands, those unbelievers, those barriers, those barracudas, who have sworn to keep her down for aye! Una don fail this time.

If I were the Nigerian Media, I will be doing what our forebears did in the beginning: they fought the colonialists to a stand-still, and won! The media should be fighting the enemies of state, the enemies of our democracy, the enemies of The Press, the looters and launderers of the nation's treasury. Deny them space and spin. Elevate the just. Celebrate true patriots. Fight, folks, fight the good fight!

Why? Why not - isn't that our constitutional role, out patriotic duty? See how horrendous it costs to consume media products in Nigeria, including ICT which is its modern backbone! Deliberate strangulation to keep the press impotent, and the people ignorant, isn't it? But dem go fail this time.

If I were the Nigerian Media, I no go gree o! We will join the battle to free the land, again. This time, for good.

Our tool? 2011 General Elections.

Expose 'em! Period.