PERSPECTIVE
Banji Ojewale
One of many fascinating political marketing campaign traces of MKO Abiola has been immortalised in a seminal work by Professor Tunde Ope-Davies (Tunde Opeibi) of the College of Lagos. Titled, “Discourse, Politics and the 1993 Presidential Election Marketing campaign in Nigeria,” the e-book paperwork the drive of the gladiators to safe the mandate of the citizens. Ope-Davies’ uncanny nostril for hidden particulars smokes out Abiola’s rush for nearly each trick within the promoting books to outwit his essential challenger, Bashir Tofa, of the Nationwide Republican Conference (NRC), main Abiola to create the well-known punchline on the transformer as a metaphor for abiding management. MKO, as he was fondly referred to as, was of the Social Democratic Get together (SDP). He’s quoted by Ope-Davies (then often called Tunde Opeibi) as saying throughout his seek for votes that every one Nigeria wanted to beat its age-old statehood issues was “one transformer”, one singular and enduring character within the saddle whose beam of integrity would permeate all of society for salutary ripples in his days and past.
So, Abiola had an advert with the kicker, Countless Energy Interruptions, adopted by the rider, All Nigeria wants is one transformer! In between, you may have the semiotic message of a lit lantern within the midst of darkness ‘’depicting poor energy provide or the failure of … authorities to ensure regular and common energy…to Nigerian properties.’’
Ope-Davies recollects how the topic of failed and flawed management is then broached within the physique copy: ‘’This nation has the assets to make sure steady energy provide. All it takes is one achiever who can rework what appears unimaginable to be potential. M.Ok.O. Abiola has the braveness and honesty of objective to unite us in a daring transfer to resolve our issues… All Nigeria wants is one transformer… A transformer is the tools that generates electrical energy in each neighbourhood. And not using a transformer, there can’t be energy provide. Usually, officers of the corporate liable for energy provide blame lack of excellent or ageing transformer for his or her incapacity to make sure good and regular energy. Whereas suggesting that he would deal with the issue by offering the management that may guarantee common power provide, he presents himself because the one transformer who would ‘rework’ the society. One may see the creativity in the usage of social facilities to advertise political candidate’s marketing campaign messages. As an alternative of constructing guarantees in plain language, he appeals to the visible senses of the folks.’’
This e-book on the June 12, 1993 ballot was written in 2009 to chronicle the trajectory of a politician’s victory by ‘’efficient marketing campaign methods’’. It salutes the folks’s overwhelming belief in Abiola as their freely chosen chief. However, alas, Abiola’s triumph was aborted by the conspiracy and infighting among the many army authorities and their civilian co-travellers. He wasn’t allowed to remodel into the transformer he promised us. We’ve needed to constantly mourn a doleful political management underhandedness that has adopted Abiola’s loss. As an alternative of a “transformer”, we’ve have had pall-bearers giving us abyss darkness. Every departing gloom at all times gave start to a blacker dimness, till lastly, in Muhammadu Buhari, we had been hit with a somnolent blindness that despatched all of the nation of 200 million plus to sleep for eight years. He reminded us of Rip Van Winkle, the character in Irving Washington’s quick story who slept for 20 years and missed the American Revolution in 1776.
Nonetheless, sitting at Abiola’s toes wasn’t a wasted time. We obtained the lesson of all time: a nation that slips on the management stage is certain to journey and fall. It’s essential to get it proper on the level the place you’re selecting who to guide you. He’s the transformer who provides you and the whole society the sunshine that leads you away from the pit of perdition.
You don’t have her or him, you don’t have mild. You will have all of the assets of this world, as our beloved Nigeria has; they’d all come to zero if there’s no hero of a “transformer” to indicate the best way to use these belongings for mass profit. However in case you have “zero” or restricted assets, a hardworking, progressive and selfless chief would bond along with his or her folks to readily create a mass of wealth surpassing the so-termed riches or minerals of an endowed nation bereft of a superb chief, a transformer. It was the purpose Nigeria’s late novelist, Chinua Achebe, made within the e-book he printed in 1983, The Hassle with Nigeria.
We should start to work tougher at selecting our leaders, whether or not on the centre or on the wings, outposts or grassroots, seeing that’s the make-or-mar stage of the method of effectively administering a society, its folks and assets. That’s what additionally decides if that society can be successful or failure, if it will march right into a affluent and steady future or if it will simply be taking unsteady child steps with fears that it will be a matter of some years for the legs to break down and forestall additional motion altogether.
Greater than 60 years after so-called Independence, Nigeria remains to be shady about its standing: to remain collectively or break up, to shred its structure or retain it, to run a presidential or parliamentary system, to be below an association during which the bulk grow to be poorer and destitute whereas a minuscule steal state wealth with impunity or work for a very simply order, to create extra states or not, to carry again the regional system or let it stay previously? The weak and detached leaders we’ve had over the a long time have been defeated by these demons, such that they’re recurring little devils that function below each administration and in all ages. Lay maintain on the newspapers of the 70s by the 80s, 90s and the present century and also you’d discover the imps in every single place. No sturdy chief has emerged to rock the boat and alter the order. Warped faith, corruption cronyism (nepotism), ethnic concerns, compromised (stained) management and so forth. mix to dam such makes an attempt.
We want leaders with character that emerge from a crucible of fireside. They need to cross the unbending integrity take a look at. Of their 2011 e-book, Segun Osoba, The Newspaper Years, Mike Awoyinfa and Dimgba Igwe, relate how late Babatunde Jose, a large of Nigeria’s newspaper journalism, recruited his reporters who went on, not solely to grow to be the best within the business, but additionally exterior their self-discipline. Jose was unsparing and disruptive in his search for individuals who would mildew the society by their reviews.
At an interview session, Jose needed to know what a younger potential reporter would do if, whereas he was making love along with his spouse, he heard a bang exterior adopted by a scream. One fellow stated he’d disengage and bathe earlier than going to cowl the occasion. One other stated: ‘’I received’t bathe. I’d simply placed on my pants and trousers and go.’’ That’s the reply that made Jose’s day: Forsaking private pleasure to serve the general public. The e-book additionally data the case of the one who has an pressing journalistic project. However then right here comes his pregnant spouse; she is groaning, needing to be taken to the hospital. What’s the poor journalist going to do? Our fellow says he’d take his lady to the well being facility and depart for the project after his spouse delivers. He missed it, based on Jose. He stated he’d inform the younger man since he wasn’t a nurse, why would he wait on the hospital after taking her there? Jose stated: ‘’I used to be that harsh in my evaluation of individuals’s perspective to work… (I regarded for) those that had been impersonal, who confirmed that the love for work transcends private conveniences.’’
Nigerians should be harsher than Babatunde Jose. For, our activity is to decide on one who, having been seen to have reworked himself, can be entrusted the duty of exuding mild to some 200m+ compatriots. Certainly, far more of Spartan self-discipline and impersonal propensity can be required of him and his authorities than of journalists.
Nigeria hasn’t had such leaders. It’s the rationale challenges of a long time previous are nonetheless right here within the twenty first Century. Nations that began the race with us have left us far behind. We had been destined to have a shot on the moon. However our leaders didn’t envision a dream and a future as a John Kennedy had for america. A few of my compatriots say that it’s late to dream once more of a transformer waking the large, that there are not any new territories to beat.
As an invincible optimist, I disagree.
* Ojewale is a author in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria.
