During our conversation at the
formal inauguration of Oyo state branch of Movement Against Corruption and
Injustice (MACI), commending Barr. Bankole Solomon's initiative, I
remarked that "his is a disruption to the elitist face of human rights
activism". MACI is directly relating with the masses using the language
they understand, and its activities are self-funded. I submitted, in a later Facebook update, that "it is by
similar disruption that we can change our political process and
landscape".
Just as Uber and AirnB, and
many other technology products, have disrupted the traditional and conventional
approaches to social services (Uber disrupted transportation, and AirnB
disrupted hospitality), there must be a disruption in our political engineering
process before the desired result can be achieved. The present process is one
of profiteering, political patronage, and nepotism, oiled by prebendal
political culture. This current system must be torn and rebuilt.
The failed Buhari experiment
has further cleared any illusion of hope from PDP, APC, among others; their
political architecture and the products they will continuously be delivering.
What we can have from this present crop of political groups (not parties, of
course) are tokens in the garb of SURE-P, N-Power, while the children of the
elites and power brokers will continue enjoying preferential treatment and
access to public vault.
None of the present power
actors will deliver inclusive political institutions that will devolve power,
equitably distribute political rights, and ensure fiscal federalism. None of
them will engineer prosperity through inclusive economic institutions where
accessing loan facility will not be exclusive privilege of the legal rogues
called Senators, while genuine enterprises are killed with obnoxious interest
rates.
It is against this backdrop
that I vehemently believe that there must be disruption -a non-conventional,
anti-status quo, anti-traditional approach -in our political engineering. It is
on this basis I am giving Tope Fasua's Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP) and Onyeka Nwelue's Progress Party (PP) a benefit of attention, as possibly the long-awaited disruption.
However, the basis of this mobilization must disregard age stratification, and
transcend our justifiable anger against the Buhari's government. Also, we must
deeply understand the "long walk to freedom", in Nelson Mandela's
words. There must be a creative
disruption in our current political engineering process, a redefinition of our
political culture, a remodel of our political architecture. This is the only
path to real democracy and economic prosperity.
But in toeing this path, age is
never a unifying force; the propeller must go beyond Buhari's failure; and
lastly, we must acknowledge the thorns on this long
walk to freedom. These are what I summarised as (a) Age, (b) Beyond
Buhari-induced anger, and (c) Our Long Walk to Freedom -gathering my thoughts.
Political parties are formed on
the basis of ideals, policy direction and sociopolitical and economic ideology.
Never on age. It is ageist to dismiss older Nigerians in this revolutionary
cause, and petty to think the young ones are exclusive demography of
progressive elements, thus have the magic wand. Even though we might leverage
on the larger population of the youths, for political advantage, our political
agenda must not deride the elders, nor must it wear arrogant apron. As a
cultured Yoruba, I know too well that "the source of Yoruba civilization
(Ile-Ife) was founded by the wisdom of both the old and young".
Again, even though our
punctured hope by the hitherto saint and anti-corruption czar, Buhari, is
enough to invoke anger that will fell Jericho's wall, this emergence of a
political disruption must go beyond Buhari-induced anger. We must transform the
agony to organised movement that will permeate all strata of the society. We
must understand that our desired Nigeria is by structural and systemic change,
not by replacing who wears the tag of "C in C".
Lastly, this journey is a long
walk to freedom. Wrestling power from the organised elite group armed with all
state apparatus, and deep pocket, will not be a walk in the park. It is a
journey for the strong-willed, not faint-hearted. Its yield is not low hanging
and will certainly take time.
All the same, we have started.
I have registered for ANRP!
You can also register here!!
