War Against Opposition, Corona Virus and Perpetual Political Inertia in Kogi State

Our world needs positive change. The kind of transformation we need desperately will not come. It will not manifest from a system of government which abhors opposition even from the same political party. The more we tried to annihilate opposition, the greater we are not ready to inherit the world of change we need.

Gone are the days the biggest opposition staring at the face of Kogi State is ghost workers, and the likes of Dino Melaye, Friday Sani, Austin Usman Okai, Natasha Akpoti and so forth whereas billions where expended to expunge them from making heard those who cannot speak. And now, we have an adversary -COVID-19 with no human beings face, flesh and or blood. The same bipartisan sense of cooperation needed at that time  for peace to reign is seriously missing now at the helms of  affairs. If it is not so , why will a  state government like Kogi have a running battle with the frontline health workers - Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) accusing the federal government body of a ploy to ensure cases were recorded in the state through fraudulent means. And  here we are with the loss of a known victim to coronovirus - Justice Ajanah

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in a swift reaction described the attitude of the Kogi State government as both ignorantly meddlesome and irresponsible, and a demonstration of undisguised hatred against the people it swore to protect and nurture.

 It is only in an unfair democratic dispensation we lack leaders who have the practical policy of putting first thing first. We lack aspiring leaders who can act beyond themselves and think about what is possible for another person irrespective of party affiliations.

 It is only in an unfair political ecosystem people finds it difficult to separate or divorce their emotional intelligence from conventional leadership principle. Those who are bent on painting Kogi  government black through constructive criticism shouldn't be ignored, chastise, maimed or killed. They are aware managing, directing, controlling the affiairs of vulnerable masses is not an easy task. They simply have a burning desire to keep their leaders, accountable for people to feel safe and warm. They are invariably saying you have no right to manhandle the live of a human being. You did not help to create. We should consider such opposition as strong instrument of positve change . However,  we are in a political world where suffering cannot be dehumanized except fellow human being which will not take us far. 

 The law of motion states, every right action has equally opposite reaction. It is only when the pains and hurts of others especially those in opposition begins to matter to us especially successive leaders ,that is when we begin to succeed with our lives.

What is opposition if not a condition which exist when two persons or group of people have alternate world views, different frequency of thought registered through protest or criticism. 

It is only in an unreal world of politics, opposition cannot be classified into two. 1. Preemptive opposition and 2. Preventive opposition approach. These are the two main category of opposition, a leader whose mindset is prone to trouble can never see. The third one is fence sitting opposition approach which is self explanatory. 

In the world of the blind one-eyed man is always the King. Such is the life of exponents of preemptive opposition approach. Those who practice preemptive opposition in politics or otherwise are like Prophets. They cannot advance a course of action without catching a vision from God, sometimes unknowingly, unwillingly. Such people are enigmatic leaders, warm and all  embracing. From their antecedents and exploits in life a careful study of politician or leaders who hold the world view of preemptive opposition dearly are  the first to spot problems, vulnerability, anything which will put the lives of people in danger. Such leaders are the first to see it and voice it out and spark improvements on it through dialogue, even if the danger never comes.By this means everyone enjoys every day living buildings a world from being victimized by it and constantly learning. 

. No society have ever made any tangible progress employing preventive opposition approach. It is a face to face , fire for fire attack used to dehumanize or impugn fellow human beings. It is a  Hitler gestapo strategies designed merely to satisfy ego, boost fame and achieve success with no lasting value. Most leaders who utilized this singular approach are living with the consequence of their action especially outside the office they were privilege to hold today. They finds it difficult, that is if at all such leaders live long to  reintegrate themselves back to the society peacefully. Because people mocked, jeered or look at them with disdain in Public places from the day their draconian style of leadership expires.

Preventive attack reigns in an unfair world, to deprive people of their entitlement, rights and privileges and expose everyone to shame disease and death. No compassion. It makes people to close up vital economic activities and withhold vital information for the fear of the unknown.

 An eye for an eye always make the world blind. The hall mark of a true leader from God is the potential to be proactive in divorcing party sentiment or personal hatred from the position of authority he or she occupies. Such a leader is  progressive in soliciting advice from people opposing or condemning his or her world views through bipartisan cooperation.

 The aim is to pragmatically empower him/herself with vital information-not at hand – to chat a new course for physical and infrastructural development. And preemptively address the primary needs of  the people without any hitch is exactly what correlate with a society that values democracy. 

 In fact nothing makes your perceived adversary championed your course than seeking the way out from him or her. Recognizing that preemptive opposition approach can easily turn a potential enemy into an advocate. Having a huge bank account or running a populist government is just a tiny part of life compared to popular votes. You remain a popular nobody until you begin to extend a hand of fellowship to intellectuals, observers, critics, protesters around your leadership and see how such tiny gesture will add up to something meaningful.Believers of preemptive opposition operates based on the productive mindset of God, actionable intelligence devoid of emotions and personal interest.They are gifted in spotting imminent problems, threats or dooms day, then send a report, signal or voice out alert to the appropriate authority with suggested forensic solution to it before the anticipated scenario raises its ugly head. This no doubt gives room for improvement where a person or leader is  imbued with listening ear and practical policy of putting first thing first.

 Paradoxically, we lived in an unfair world where good people or leaders are living the consequences of the life lived by the bad eggs with an undisciplined heart simply by voicing it out to everybody. The ones who have the divine connection to voice out problems and sport vulnerability are always subject to hoodlum attack, subject to abduction and condemned to imprisonment through the power at their disposal. They are often times considered as detractors and a thorn to be plucked off.

We are really in an unfair world where our leaders cannot change their mindset about opposition from foes to friends, partners in progress and the fulcrum of growth and development. 

 There is no leader who can succeed alone with “I CONCUR” people around him or her. 

You cannot succeed by desiring to succeed and growing with the fesr of failure. You cannot succeed by pursuing success or fame through viewing anybody disagreeing with you as enemy of the state. Because a leader is not the same thing as leadership. The wisdom to separate this two will take us to a fair world, for now we are really in an unfair world where those with functional robust ideas cannot dare aspire any leadership position but those with undiscipline heart and brain lacking substantive knowledge and relevant experience about the many issues we face are appointed into power creating a society that goes against human nature. Exactly what creates the suffering which makes everybody to live in a completely unnatural society, that actually tramples on what it means to be a human being. That’s the essence of suffering, and there are so many ways in which our society does that. 

What an unfair world!’

No evil deed will go unpunished; any evil done by man to man will be redressed; if not now then certainly later; if not by man, then by God for the victory of evil over good is temporary’ 

– Dele Giwa (1947-1986)

 – Inah Stephen Eyiene, Lokoja