Political gladiators vs. nation’s reputation

Watching Omotola Jalade Ekehinde on Inside Africa (CNN) gave me some level of excitement and relief over the series of activities of our political gladiators in the country.

Omotola, who makes Time International 100 Most Influential People, spoke well of her growing up amid all the challenges but ended up celebrating our dearly beloved country that as so been battered by the activities of the politician or political office holders.

Every day the internet and other media are full of stories of how we as a people disregard one another from little conversation to big shouting as well as shooting of fire arms. What we seem to show on the pages of newspapers and online platform is our huge appetite for self destruct without a little concern for the generation coming behind.

How do we explain the series of open letters flying around when we can have very strategic conversations that will yield more fruitful results than a show of brinksmanship that has resulted in ego destruction, or what do we say is the issue around carpet crossing when we are unable to see the lines of value differentiation among the gladiators.

The ASUU strike kept students at home for six month, now the doctors are contemplating a strike while the issue of the aviation minister is entering some dimension, from the BMA saga to certificate scandal. These celebration or show of lack of shame is eroding what is left of our reputation internally and externally.

Our dear beloved country is on the march towards 2015 election with all the celebrated content on all media (social or traditional) of the gladiators activities to take power from the party in power in the centre without us not stepping on the break to reflect on the state of the nation. The state of the nation, which should be the concern of the gladiators, has been turned to the state of their pockets, the comfort they enjoy and the lifestyle of the Oga at the top when education is on the downward slide, like health and infrastructure.

The state of the nation shows us the scenario of missing money and mismanagement of state affairs, including the abuse of power across various platforms, yet we are having intelligent citizens of the country receiving recognitions outside our shores.

Our shore with all the potential has become a laughing stock among committee of nations, yet we have refused to address the fundamentals of nation building.

Omotola, like Nollywood and sports, is consistently helping to build the Nigeria reputation on the positive side of the scale, but what do we have with our gladiators? Destruction of efforts to sell the same country they are expected to manage.

Ekine is the CEO of Absolute PR firm with headquarters in Lagos