THE PLACE OF CENTRAL IN CROSS RIVER STATE POLITICS: REVIEWING THE PERFORMANCES OF POLITICAL OFFICE HOLDERS IN CENTRAL
BY
EDOR J. EDOR Ph.D
ON THE OCCASION OF:
CENTRAL SENATORIAL DISTRICT POLITICAL SUMMIT
HELD AT:
NOGAK POLYTECHNIC, IKOM, CROSS RIVER STATE
ON THE 27TH OF MAY, 2024.
PROTOCOL:
It gives me great pleasure to be amongst you to present this piece on an auspicious gathering which will shape the political thinking and organization especially of the youths of Central Cross River State. This is a gathering I must suggest of like minds that is, a gathering of Leaders as well as emerging leaders from the Central. This is indeed the right time to deliberate on issues that mostly affect our senatorial district. It is the right time because we are off political seasons per say, nevertheless that we are all political beings in Aristotle’s parlance.
For emphasis, Central Senatorial District comprises of the following Local Government Councils; Ikom, Etung, Boki, Ugep, Obubra and Abi. Central especially Ikom is regarded as the business hub of Cross River State. With the presence of Cocoa and other business activities, Central has emerged the fulcrum, the support system of Cross River State. Could this have contributed to why the youths have no motivation in participating in active politics?
The most pertinent questions to be answered in a political summit such as this are; who is a Politician? What are the duties of a politician? Why participate in politics? Can we hold our politicians accountable? What are the causes of political apathy? These questions and many more will form our discussion as we progress. These questions I am sure when elaborated in vivid terms, perfectly captures the thrust of the topic under discourse. As we answer the questions, it shall become clearer what the purpose of politics is.
Before we proceed into our discussions, I made some interactions with some youths, asking them what the aim of politics is, and all they could tell me was that “if not to make money, what will take them into politics? Is it not because of that, that politicians go extra miles to gain or regain their political positions?” I was perplexed by their answers, because they reflect the wrong notion of politics, and this is exactly why this political summit becomes important and inevitable.
Arising from the questions above, a politician is one who from amongst the people takes up the responsibility of leading others through a democratic election. In a loose sense, it can be said that everybody is a politician, just as Aristotle commented that “we are all political animals”. Aristotle’s statement means that every human being has the driving force for leadership, because it is through leadership that the society is formed and developed. When we shy away from politics, we allow the election of leaders into the hands of few, a few that do not care about the welfare of everyone but of their own pockets. They rather choose leaders according to the desires and satisfaction of their pockets, rather than the demands of the society. So, from the loose sense of who a politician is, everyone is supposed to be involved in the process of choosing a leader, that is, everyone is supposed to be interested in politics, because politics is the determining force upon which the society grows. This is so because when leaders are elected, the policies and laws they promulgate shapes the economy of the country upon which our life is dependent on.
From the above, we can deduce that the functions of a politician who has now been elected into an office for the purpose of leadership, is simply to provide and take care of the needs of the individuals in the society, to protect the lives and properties of individuals in the society, and to make laws and policies that are relevant to the growth of the society. These are not all the functions, but these are the most common a leader is supposed to provide. He is supposed to provide the basic needs of the people ranging from good roads, electricity, good water, security, education, employment, etc. The politician is to hold unto what is the common good of the people. You may choose to ask yourself if this is the case with the Nigerian politics.
Furthermore, the failure of leaders to provide the basic needs of the people is the springboard upon which people go into politics. But how well do they perform when in office? Many politicians perform so well in enriching their pockets, forgetting that the driving force of their becoming a leader was to serve the people by providing their needs. The failure of leadership is what should motivate youths especially from Central to take politics seriously. Why will you as a youth take so much interest in other things and forget about politics? Many youths are not interested in politics because they erroneously feel that politics is devilish or as the usual saying goes “it’s a dirty game”. Such aphorisms are meant to scare people away from politics, so that a few group of individuals will continuously occupy positions of leadership. But let me say it today in this summit that there is nothing devilish about politics, there is nothing dirty about politics, its only dependent on how you play it, and no one can choose for you how to play politics.
If by chance you ask yourself what the place of Central is in Cross River State politics, you will come to realize that Central is the foundation of Cross River State politics. Central Senatorial district is blessed with a lot of prominent politicians who have not just served in the state, but have taken leadership positions across the country and the world. So, Central has a high place in Cross River State’s politics. If so, why is Central still the way it is? At least, every community in Central has a prominent politician, then why is there no development?
Apart from this current dispensation where the south has produced two Governors equaling the Central, it is on record that Central have produced two Governors in the likes of His Excellency Clement Ebri and Sen. Liyel Imoke. I passionately ask; what lasting impacts did their reign in office create? The few legacies they created, have they not died away as time progressed? Going away from them, can we hold unto any befitting company, hospital, school and the likes in Central and attribute it to the achievements of any politician or office holder from the Central? What really are our leaders doing? Let there be government’s presence in Central, and you will see a turn around or massive change.
The people of Central are natural farmers, they need good roads to transport their farm produce, the reverse is the case, bad roads everywhere. The people needs good water, they need electricity. Electricity in Central have become a huge failure, 80% of the villages in Central have no light, the politicians have brought solar lights to make us forget about electricity. Indeed, from the Central, our complains are more than our gains, our sorrows are more than our joys, our failures are more than our successes. We need more positive energy, we need to re-strategize, we need to have a rethinking, we need to form an alliance to ensure there is government’s presence in Central.
Sited here are all politicians and emerging politicians. The emerging politicians should learn the core of politics before going into it, they should know that politics is not for personal aggrandizement, politics is not a place to go and make money, politics is a machinery for electing credible leaders with the right thinking to lead the people. Many youths who see politics as an avenue to make money will go into any extent ensuring they make the money. This has resulted into them being political thugs, assassins, and gangsters. They are youths fighting against their fellow youths. At the end, they have nothing to show, only to die in a manner they have perpetrated to others. I ask you, I mean all of you the youths, do you want to waste your lives by becoming a political thug? Do you not know that you also have the ability to become a leader? Becoming a leader is demonstrated by the knowledge expressed. Francis Bacon says “knowledge is power”. Socrates is of the opinion that “knowledge is good, and ignorance is the vice”. Do not allow your ignorance to push you into what you cannot sustain, do not allow your ignorance to make you become a threat amongst your peers, do not allow your ignorance to fast forward you into your graves. Seek for knowledge as an emerging leader, consult for wisdom, strive to make a positive difference, learn the rubrics of leadership.
Political apathy is a situation where people find disinterestedness in politics. It is a situation where people relegate politics for other things. It is a situation of becoming apolitical. Political apathy will be the death of politics if the right steps are not taken. The right steps to be taken are for leaders to live up to their responsibilities. Provide the means of livelihood to the people. In fact, “let the poor breathe”. I will not add “do not suffocate them” because they are suffocated already. Now is the time to resuscitate them by doing the right things. Leaders should take up their duties. Many people are political apathies because they feel there is no need wasting their time, as their vote is not been counted. No, whether you vote or not, your votes count. If you choose not to vote, you have chosen to vote for an incompetent leader because if you came out to vote, you would have voted for a credible leader. Let us say no to political apathy. Arising from here, let us carry the message of a new Central Senatorial District. Let us educate others who are still ignorant, in the nearest 2027, let your votes count.
As your votes count into electing a leader, the next thing is to hold them accountable for their actions. All leaders were elected to represent the interests of the people, so, they should be accountable. Ask them to show their achievements and scorecards. It is not enough to just elect a leader, you must do a follow up of your leaders. When you elect a leader and allow him or her to function the way they like, they may go astray. Leaders need our criticisms, they need our advice, they need to listen to the people. With these, they can perform well.
I wish to appreciate the organizers of this event, and I wish to state it that nothing should deter them from what they have started. Though some politicians will try to tear you apart, they will try to divide you, they will try to win you over to their side with juicy gifts, as difficult as it may be to resist, I urge you to stand firm. I want to see or here that this political summit generate the needed awareness meant for a positive leadership change. Amongst you, there will be betrayals, please do not be shaken. This is a vanguard for good leadership that have been formed. Through this means, leaders can be held accountable. This should be a forum to tell leaders the truth, but do not insult them.
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