As the
political drama is unfolding and the struggle for vote continues to gather
momentum, I remember with “mix feelings” how we mounted our tents and supported
our candidate four years ago. On the
cold Saturday morning of 16th April 2011, I joyfully joined the
queue in my polling unit to perform my civic responsibility and give my mandate
to a man I believed had the potential and will-power to lead our great country.
In
him I saw a man with experience in contemporary government and Nigerian
politics that within a decade he has been a deputy governor, governor, vice
president, acting president and president. Surely he was the best man for the job;
he knows the problems of our country (I thought) and had gathered relevant
knowledge, experience and skills needed.
Using
sentiments, I saw him as one like us. A man bless by God from a humble
background enjoying the benefits his name connotes. I thought of him as the
Moses of our time who will lead us through the red sea away from the domination
and dehumanizing treatment we suffered under the so called Pharaohs.
Base
on his educational attainment, I was over-joy that we will have an academicians
piloting the affairs of our country. I shared in the sentiment that a better
educated person with a PhD can salvage Nigeria and elevate us from the economic
quagmire we were into.
Four
years have come and gone and I will be queuing again to exercise my civic
responsibility. I keep looking for
reasons to place my thumb print the same way I did four years ago but the more
I search for propelling factors, the more I discover inhibiting factors. After
four years I cannot look at myself in the mirror and say my expectations for a
better Nigeria under the man I voted for has been met.
What
happened to the experience? What happened to the academic qualification? What
happened to the man with a humble background? What happened to the man with a
burning desire to change our country? What happened to the slogan if I can do
it then you too can do it? What happened to the Moses of our time? I had hoped
that after four years we should be seeing development and not listening to
promises.
As
been said “the devil you know is better than the angle you do not know” I have
decided to place my hope in the angle I do not know as the devil I know seem
unable to captain the Nigerian ship. I have decided to let go of my bird at
hand in search of two in the bush, I will follow this part covered with
uncertainties but having a ray of hope to ensure that AS IT WAS IN 2011 SO SHALL IT NOT BE IN 2015
Bijimi Daniel Meindous
Twitter handle @Dmeindous
Blog site
www.dmeindous@blogspot.com
