By Abdulrahman Yunusa
Upon all the existing factors that are enough to be the reasons for one’s resignation as an elected leader in Nigeria, I don’t know what often shields them from towing on to that path. Despite the gruesome killing, kidnappings, molestation and other unfavourable crimes thriving in our localities, they remain in power.
There is no “Resignation” in the vocabulary of Nigerian leaders. Because you hardly see them making resignations when things tend to go out of their control. Sadly, they prepare to die in power than live outside the power.
Unlike our shabby mentality, those who have tried and failed in saner climes mostly took the most honourable decision by relieving themselves of the burden threatening their yoke. Some resign for reasons which we might eye as petty ones. Some quit for being unable to deliver the political promises they have made during the campaign. Some leave for failure to secure the lives of their people, which is one of the best reasons for one to vacate.
That silly mentality should be tamed with immediate effect. Else the next generation will suffer at the hands of evil beings who will soon assume the mantle of leadership and keep subjecting the lives of millions of people to excruciating pains.
Enough is enough. Just tender resignation whenever conditions warrant that. Don’t subject the lives of millions of people to jeopardy for political greediness. Instead, learn to relinquish your position for the sake of your people. Maybe that will be the only positive impact you will ever make for your people.
The social, political and economic vicissitudes we are facing incessantly in Nigeria are the result of our leaders’ greediness. It’s simple to get that when you analyze and evaluate the current scenario in the country.
Recently, Zamfara State Governor openly admitted that his govt has failed to discharge its primary responsibility, which is the protection of the lives and properties of its people. He urged them to pick firearms to defend themselves against bandits.
That pathetic scenario is enough to tell you they are more concerned about their political seats than the lives of their people, which are ideally more worthy than their useless thrones. So they can’t tender resignation later to let the better hands have the chance to try their luck. Instead, they rather remain there and keep watching their people dying mercilessly in cold blood.
No wonder, as the saying goes, “Da na gaba ake koyi“, people learn from their elders. Buhari is the president who enjoys more power than any other person within the polity. He should therefore be the best object of emulation. But, no, he too does not care about the lives of his citizens. Hence, the governors follow suit, despite the sheer incompetence and ineptitude, coupled with the I-don’t-care attitude they exhibit at the extreme. Yet, they don’t mind resigning or taking any proactive measures. God is watching!
Until we console our greedy minds to do away with that uncultured culture of political greediness by learning how to vacate position when things tend to get out of our control, we shall find it difficult to scale through the dark ocean.
May we scale through the dark ocean soon, amin.
Abdulrahman Yunusa is a social and political affairs analyst. He writes from Bauchi and can be reached via abdulrahmanyunusa10@gmail.com.
