We still fail this country in so many ways

Two of my biggest loves are people and country. My love of people is the reason why I hate to see people suffer. It is also the reason, perhaps, why I chose to be a journalist. At the Jackson School of Journalism at the University of Nigeria, there were enough books donated on the course. Then, as a student of Mass Communication, I took the time to read these books which grounded me in the fundamental tenets of journalism. These tenets are conferred by God on journalists to watch and ensure that people and the society in general are governed by those who, out of their own volition deny themselves of their individual privacy to go into public office, promise or take an oath to serve.

My love of country derives from the above, because I know that my country is made up of people; people of diverse backgrounds whom God has put on this soil to do good by this piece of earth, working together, helping one another to realise the potentials for the benefit of  all. 

However, my love of people and country is not one that l would like to transfer to falling in love with politics. My hatred of politics and politicians is situated in my love for journalism and my subsequent decision to be a journalist. For in my decision to be a journalist, l appear to have consciously taken a position and the decision that the way l would render service to society was to serve as a voice of conscience, one that is able to prick the minds of those who have been elected to serve in public office, but who end up serving themselves and their egos instead of the people. Maybe it is a Catch 22 situation, but in life we make choices, we live with them, modify them when necessary and abandon or compromise them for the greater good of society and humanity when we get to that crossroads!

There is no suggestion here of the abandon of what l see as a noble cause, the love of people and of country. For the life of the journalist is one of persistent pursuit of truth and looking for how those things that are done to make the life of people and institutions difficult are exposed for possible correction and betterment. It is perhaps the reason why the life of the true journalist is intrinsically linked to a constant fellowship with the whole concept of democracy. Democracy, notwithstanding all the debates and contestations surrounding it, is embraced by a greater number of journalists in the free world because of the freedom it offers; and the enablement and empowerment it gives citizens to actualise their individual dreams. This enablement and empowerment equally allow them to contribute to the general good of society, building a country in which they are all proud of; and for which their leaders who enable all this to happen, gain respect and followership.

This understanding which I have of my journalism and democracy, aided by my postgraduate research experience at Liverpool John Moores University in the days when my beloved Liverpool Football Club was still in the wilderness of trying to come to terms with this commercialised modern premiership, that is responsible for my adult life pastime of always watching and listening to the great speeches of American presidents. The State of the Union address tends to bring out the best in American presidents, establishing their superior understanding of service to the people, of democracy and why people leave their comfort zones to go trouble themselves seeking political office.

There will surely be the likelihood to make the small mistake of getting carried away that democracy does not carry with it some baggage. But these baggage are likely to be the ones resulting from man’s inherent tendencies for deliberate missteps; missteps that often stem from greed and whose consequences have broad implications for society and citizens.

I once watched State of the Union address on CNN on a Wednesday morning between 1am and 3am while in Accra Ghana for the introduction of BusinessDay Ghana. I was up so early watching Barack Obama read his address which was often seen as a key defining speech before mid-term elections in November, that was in 2013, before his re-election. It reminded me of everything that is wrong about our democracy.

There is too much arrogance, condescension and negative individualism (selfishness) at play in our practice of democracy. It is one of the biggest reasons I dislike our politics and politicians. It is the reason why there is crisis in Rivers State, where men and women at both state and national levels, pretending to be democrats, close their eyes and ears to the noble tenets of democracy; and appear to be in wait for an implosion capable of consuming citizens far beyond what the evil men and women imagine would be a confined space. It is the reason why political leaders at state and federal levels feast on corruption, pursuing financial self liberation, acquiring everything in sight, while the people for whom they got out of their zones promising to serve, suffer! But even worse is what I see as the apparent cluelessness that is exhibited by political leadership regarding the condition of the citizens or should I say their pretence not to know, which I consider criminal. Their incapacity to deliver; and failure to properly connect with the different levels of the citizenry.

Nigeria and Nigerians are being short-served by people who put themselves forward to serve. Yet, they pretend, like they say in some parlance, as if “nothing spoil”. The discourse and engagement by our leaders (which have infested the rest of the citizens) do not suggest that there is an understanding of where we are, where we ought to be, and that we are going to do something to try and make Nigeria, the democracy example of Africa and of the black world! Even more painful is that Nigeria is actually being failed at different levels, also, by people who are not elected; who are professionally appointed to serve.

For example, there are awful, awful practices taking place in universities that have nothing to do with elected politicians! And you will find such deliberate practice across the educational system right from primary school. Health institutions are engaged in practices that degrade human dignity and those who perpetrate these acts act as if what they do is normal. In the general business of rendering service citizens are treated as if they do not matter. The police and other men and women who wear uniforms on behalf of Nigeria, debase this honourable calling through practices that show they do not understand the damage they do to Nigeria by these acts. In the media, journalists engage in unwholesome practices that exemplify the whole notion of a country gone totally out of line.

I believe we need to bring this country back to where it belongs. Across the nooks and crannies of this country, with everybody playing his or her part, politicians providing the right leadership and showing example of themselves, the discourse and engagement changing to nobler pursuit of the general good; hearts of men and women that are detribalised, open and able to embrace our differences for the common good of the country. For Nigeria, by virtue of its population, owes the black world a responsibility. Its leaders need to show appreciation of this responsibility by sorting out itself. When the American president understand American position in the world and they take it seriously.  

PHILLIP ISAKPA