Chapter 2 (4): Creating Your World

Creating Your World

The most powerful form of protest that citizens can engage in is during the election season itself. This involves not only voting but actively participating in the discovery, nomination, and sponsorship of candidates with proven integrity and a track record of service. These candidates should be held to clear terms and conditions before the election, ensuring they are accountable to the people, not to hidden agendas.

However, what we see today in Nigeria, and indeed in many other African countries, is a citizenry that lacks the patience and willpower to shape its own leaders. The saying goes, “What you don’t create, you cannot control.” This is evident in the way many of the politicians we have today were crafted by powerful godfathers and cabals. These politicians are beholden to their creators, taking orders from them while treating the electorate as mere rubber stamps during elections.

It is disheartening to see citizens fighting or arguing over politicians, forgetting that most are cut from the same cloth. Whether we vote for one party or another, we often end up voting for candidates who are products of the same political entrepreneurs. These figures belong to the same ruling class, emerging from the same school of thought, and are loyal to the same godfathers and sponsors.

Take the case of Nigeria’s political landscape, for example. The system is largely under the control of individuals and groups who have little to no genuine concern for the common man. Their interests lie in maintaining the status quo, preserving their power, and ensuring their continued dominance over the political arena. The recent elections in Nigeria illustrate this point vividly, where despite the fervent desires of the populace for change, the outcomes were largely determined by the influence of these entrenched powers on divided citizens.

Consider the historical protests in other parts of the world, such as the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. The success of these protests was not merely in the numbers of people involved, but in the clarity of their demands and the strategic, sustained pressure they applied to the political system. Similarly, in South Africa, the fight against apartheid succeeded not just because of mass mobilisation, but because the people remained united, resolute, and clear in their objective to dismantle a deeply entrenched system of racial injustice.

For real change to happen, citizens must take ownership of the political process. This means being active before, during, and after elections, ensuring that those who seek to represent them are truly accountable. Without this, the cycle of disappointment and disenfranchisement will continue, with power remaining in the hands of those who are indifferent to the needs of the people. The populace must realise that the power to change the political landscape lies within their collective hands, and it is only by exercising this power wisely and persistently that true progress can be achieved.

For if you don’t put your house in order, you cannot win the external war.

Wrapping It Up

As we look to the future, it’s crucial that we shift our approach to how we hold politicians accountable. Rather than seeking personal favours or billing them for individual needs, we must establish performance yardsticks to measure their effectiveness. If we continue to demand personal benefits, politicians will be incentivised to siphon off our common resources—not just enough to satisfy our immediate requests, but also to secure their own wealth. This vicious cycle only deepens corruption and weakens the integrity of our governance.

It is essential to recognise that it is not the duty of politicians to address our personal needs. As election seasons approach, we must exercise discipline and present the broader needs of our communities and society as a whole, focusing on the common good. This shift in focus will help create a more equitable society where public resources are allocated for the benefit of all, rather than a select few.

Moreover, we must invest in raising and supporting our own candidates—individuals who are closely aligned with our values and committed to serving the public interest. When we help elevate a candidate, they become accountable to us. They will know that if they fail to perform, we have the power to hold them accountable. A candidate who rises to power through our support will continue to rely on that support to sustain their position, as our votes become the source of their strength. With this in mind, it is time to consider the sponsorship of candidates into elected offices, ensuring that those who represent us are genuinely committed to our collective welfare.

Waking up every four years to protest against a government we had no hand in creating is akin to a child throwing a tantrum, hoping to be heard. True change requires more than sporadic outbursts of dissatisfaction; it demands a structured system for the emergence of our leaders. We must be vigilant to ensure that this system is not hijacked by those with selfish interests.

John Philpot Curran, an Irish lawyer and politician, famously said, “The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime, and the punishment of his guilt.” This timeless quote, often paraphrased as “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,” reminds us that freedom is not guaranteed—it must be actively protected. Many of us are merely spectators in the political theatre, observing events without becoming true stakeholders. Until we assume our role as stakeholders, our voices will carry little weight in the candidacies of politicians.

In the Western world, citizens hold power over their politicians because they fund their campaigns and elections. This financial support gives them a strong voice when their candidate wins.

As of the 2024 election season in America, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are heavily reliant on grassroots and high-dollar donations from the masses to fuel their campaigns. They have significant support from the base. This means that regular citizens fund campaigns in the advance societies of the world.

In contrast, in many developing nations, citizens often take from their politicians, thereby selling their birthright and becoming subservient to these leaders. This dynamic renders them voiceless, and their protests are often ineffective. As a people, we must recognise that our tendency to be easily swayed by inducements is a significant barrier to meaningful change.

The most important task before us is to embrace a new kind of protest—one that begins with changing ourselves and spreading that spirit of transformation throughout our communities. When we do this, we will not only be capable of influencing the political process but also of achieving the true and lasting change that we so desperately seek.