The Power Of Change

The wind of the revolutionary change from the turpitude of administrative ineptitude and rudderless leadership as exemplified by the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria makes common sense revolution of changing from the old ways of 'doing it' without any meaningful result to a progressive approach, which the All Progressives Congress (APC) with its change slogan provides, as the catalyst for a new Nigeria. Though tough, daunting, tortuous and requires a whole lot of sacrifice, the proponents of a wholesome change in the custodianship of our common patrimony take solace in seeing light at the end of the tunnel giving the enormity of the human and natural resources the nation is endowed with. Nigeria is too rich a nation to be poor and too blessed to lack! The most constant phenomenon is change. Change from the negative to the positive. Even positive state of affairs must be cosseted of complacency and developed to higher pedestal. That is the elasticity of change. Irrespective of economic strata, gender or demography, change is desirable. Nations with visionary leaders don't relish stagnancy. Change can come in many forms in our lives. It might come forcefully like a tidal wave, or creep along incrementally like a glacier. It might come in the form of devastating tragedy, difficult choices, broken relationships, or even new opportunities. Even though change is often difficult, many times it is also for the best.

It is not surprising that, having seen the embrace and enthusiasm shown to the change exponents, based on clear direction and purposeful leadership, the ruling PDP is surreptitiously abandoning its campaign slogan of 'Power To The People', for change! The power to the people mantra was misconstrued by the PDP hierarchy to mean having power for the fun of it and as a means of enriching political acolytes and business cohorts. In retrospect, PDP leaders would have come to the reality that power is not everything. Power is nothing if the people you superintend over cannot have access to dividends of democracy. Power is nothing when poverty pervades the country. Power is nothing when new and old university graduates continue to roam the streets jobless. Power is nothing when the populace cannot access qualitative education. Power is nothing when the people cannot have access to potable water. Power is nothing when ancient locomotives are being glamorized as transformation of the transport sector. Power is nothing when corruption and impunity reigns in the polity. Power is nothing when the whole country is unsecured and people live in fear and trepidation. Power is nothing when our once revered army is rattled by some rag-tag insurgents. Power is nothing when our image in the comity of nations continues to nose-dive. Power is nothing when the nation's currency continues to lose value.

In a veiled attempt at not being seen as engaging in anti-party activities or using the slogan of the opposition, PDP campaigners are shamelessly cloning the change slogan of APC with defeatist coinage like: 'Change The Changer', 'True Change', 'Real Change', 'Change For All','Positive Change' and the more recent campaign of President Goodluck Jonathan in the social media 'Forward We Go, Let Them Not Short CHANGE Us.' As the yorubas will say, Ise lo n'je tani mo e ri, owo lo n'je mo ba e tan( Success has many families while failure is an orphan). It is soothing and gratifying to see the PDP identifying with change, as projected by APC, just as it will not be too late for many of the PDP profiteers to attune themselves with reality and embrace the needed change our dear nation crave for at this moment. On November 25, 2014, former PDP members like Governors Rotimi Amaechi, Rabiu Kwankaso, Aliyu Wamakko, Murtala Nyako and Abdulfatah Ahmed of Rivers, Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa and Kwara states respectively, were smart enough to see that the rudderless PDP ship was heading towards wreckage and quickly embraced the progressive train. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a founding father of the PDP and former Chairman of the party's Board of Trustee on Monday, February 16, 2015 openly shred into tatters his membership card of the 'biggest party in Africa'! That move, signals the imminent demise of PDP in Nigeria. With former President Olusegun Obasanjo out of PDP, who then are the leaders left in the party? Tony Anenih, Ahmadu Alli, Edwin Clark, Bode George and Diepreye Alamieyeseigha! For obvious reason, the PDP needs to reexamine itself if these names are the best it can offer as the leaders of the party.

As we earnestly countdown to the change of baton and direction of governance in Nigeria, kudos must be given to the political egg-heads and strategist that formulated, signed and sealed change, as the catch phrase of the most vibrant and indissoluble opposition party Nigeria has ever produced. From February 2013, when the party was formed, the change slogan has reverberated across the length and breadth of the country, cutting across all the geo-political zones. From the South-West to the South-East, South-East to the South-South, South-South to the North-Central, North-Central to the North-West and North-West to the North-East, people have imbibed the change mantra with the broom symbol. The change message is further given pragmatic meaning with impressive antecedents and integrity of the Presidential candidate of APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, whose cult-like followership, frugal disposition and incorruptible records of public service have helped in driving-home the much desired change Nigeria deserves at this crucial juncture in our evolution and developmental trajectory. In the words of the immortal preeminent leader of Indian independence movement, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, more commonly known as 'Mahatma' (Great Soul): “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”The time is now, for us to put our thumbs were our minds are, by marching our words with action on March 28, 2015. Let's brake away from indecisive, faltering, lame-duck and bulk-passing governance and say Goodluck to Buhari with our votes.

This is Nigeria's turning point; the point where we must collectively carry the cross of nationhood and banish redundancy, incompetency and mediocrity once and forever. Change is here.

Ibrahym Mojeed-Sanni wrote from Agboyi-Ketu, Lagos. Twitter handle @conne_lagos