Minute by minute they live:
The stone’s in the midst of all.
Too long a sacrifice
Can make a stone of the heart.
“Easter 1916” by W.B. Years
IN penning down the above poetic memorial for the Irish martyrs in the Easter Rebellion of 1916, W.B. Yeats, one of the greatest poets in the English language, partly identifies the existence of extreme frustration rooted in injustice as a harbinger of social upheavals that drive mankind to resist oppression of one group of one people by another. A complete reading of the poem provides an insight into the causative background of Irish nationalism which fired the uprising against British imperialism resulting in the death of a number of his compatriots that later attained martyrdom status.
While the Irish tragic ordeals are numbered among the dark chapters of human history, much of those resemblances still manifest in many parts of the world. Yes, the African continent has long attained political independence but it’s debatable if freedom has propelled the development of the various countries in contrast with the faded optimism of yesteryears. Even with the advent of liberal democracy as dictated by Western forces not much had been attained in terms of giving greater expression to the people’s quest for better conditions in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
Without doubt, the series of events that played out in Kenya lately capture the volcanic degree which the prolonged suppression and mistreatment of citizens could generate over time. It took just an ill-conceived Finance Bill seeking an increase of taxes in a country wracked by poverty and misery to ignite a week-long protests, demonstrations, civil disobedience, resistance and online activism activated by youths of GEN Z group. Was the country not steeped in relative stability the virtual breakdown of law and order was enough to take the country down the road of military incursion.
Kenya is full of contradictions despite the respect it had earned for sustaining democracy since independence unlike its neighbours in the East African sub-region, which had either witnessed serial dictatorships or rebellions. A succession of bad leaderships luxuriating in obscene opulence is one of the country’s biggest problems. As noticeable in other African countries like Nigeria, Kenya has a small number of haves in the midst of have-nots and the latter group comprises the youthful population which accounts for a preponderant figure of the unemployment rate of 10 per cent in the country.
Therefore, the manifest symbolism of the Kenya youths’ aggression against the state and its disruptive consequences reflect the interjection between their heroic quest at the present time and the historic valour of their forebears in the pre-independence era. For one thing, Kenyans did not only fight for their freedom from colonialists but have also fought on different occasions to preserve their freedom as exemplified by the turbulent transitional presidential elections between 2007 and 2017. It’s possible that the romanticisation of the Mau Mau Rebellion as a precursor to independence continues to enrich the younger generation with ways they could safeguard their hard-won freedom.
Of course, Uhuru as an ideal is worthy of pursuit beyond the denotation that flag independence gave to Black Africa. One of the best ways to reorder the unenviable circumstances of Kenya and many African countries is to address issues such as poverty, inequality and lack of inclusivity, climate change, weak private sector investment, youth unemployment and the susceptibility of the economy to internal and shocks stalk both countries.
It’s important however for us to seek ways of rousing Nigerians from the dormant culture of not holding the leadership to account. Kenya may share a lot of similarities with Nigeria in many respects, but the social outlook of both countries as gleaned from the capacity of our citizens to walk the path of civil protests differs significantly. Nigeria is not Kenya hence the echoes of Uhuru quest in Kenya are far away from us. Why? The present generation of Nigerians, especially the youths, are enfeebled by numerous factors which include ethnic sentiments, sheer cowardice, and undue religiosity nourished by an expectation of divine intervention in situations contrived by man.
Notwithstanding the long-suffering disposition of our countrymen and women, the Kenya uprising should serve as a guide to the Nigerian leadership to address the economic hardship in the country as quickly as possible. Just as Kenya President William Ruto quickly withdrew the Finance Bill, it would be sensitive for President Bola Tinubu to review as a matter of necessity the twin policies of subsidy removal and naira floatation to stem further impoverishment of the masses before he ends his term in 2027. We are famished and cannot continue along this path of deprivation exacerbated by uncertainty of what tomorrow would bring.
NEWS ‘N’ COMMENTS
Britain’s Shining Example
AS a true example of consolidated democracy, Britain’s latest general election saw the emergence of Labour Party as winners over the Conservative Party which had been in power for 14 years. KeirStarmer is the new Prime Minister. Elections in that country are characteristically smooth, fair, and peaceful because of strong institutions and exemplary conduct of politicians who play by the rules rather than devise ways to torpedo the process. Yes theirs is a parliamentary system, quite alright, but it goes beyond the nomenclature. Whether it’s imported or indigenous, the most important aspect of any electoral system is the human factor which ensures its success or failure. Here in Nigeria, we have had the two dominant Western models yet the notoriety of our politicians embedded in the Nigerian factor had eroded the success of the democratic practice. Neither the Westminster model we inherited from the colonial overlords in the First Republic nor the American presidential system currently in practice had delivered to the expectations of the citizenry. The failure of the system lies with the political actors that not only manipulate the electoral system to suit their aspirations but also promote their enlightened self-interest over and above the desires of the electorate. What Nigeria direly needs is not a change of political system but a category of politicians fired by patriotic fervour to work in the long-term interest of our people.
Delta LG Poll For July 13
With a fresh election of chairman and councillors holding next Saturday July 13, the assurance of Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori that the poll would be free and fair is a welcome development. With 25 chairmen, equal number of deputies and 500 councillors, the election is the first to be conducted by the Oborevwori administration. The last council election in 2021 ushered in the category of leaders that left office in the first quarter of this year. Since the campaign commenced following screening of candidates by the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC), a seeming lull has however been noticed in most parts of the state as other opposition parties are hardly visible in the race. So far, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been traversing every nook and cranny, selling the candidacy of the party’s flag bearers in the respective wards of the state.
While the opposition parties’ fear may have arisen from the predictable victory of ruling parties in local government polls across the country, the governor’s promise of non-interference in the process should expectedly rouse them from despondency to market their candidates ahead of the election. They should go into the field and push for their candidates, especially in their strongholds and hope for the best. They can never tell when victory could come their way. As it’s often said, no right thinking person could expect success when he’s not willing to venture.
