LAST BATTLE; BY CHARLYBOY
My affirmation goes thus; the battle has just begun. Many would say that the battle is over; yes, from the surface, the battle is over, but deep down the enclave of our transformation/reform, the battle has just taken its first step. More battles, denials, acceptance, justifications, attacks, supports and protests have just begun. I said this because of what I personally witnessed when history took its formal shape at the last WEpresidential election. I saw crying faces struggling to cast their votes, I saw pregnant women on the queue struggling for the future of their unborn children. I saw angry and frustrated faces in the sun sweating profusely. I saw tired faces even in the rain at the last hour of the day. Then I saw the youth standing, waiting patiently till their votes were counted to their satisfaction. Most of them took pictures and figures for live broadcast via their blackberry messengers, twitter, facebook and a host of other socal networks. I watched in all keenness. Some of them took that little opportunity to ask me if they were making mistakes by voting for who they assumed was the best candidate. I wouldn’t disclose my advice to them; after all, the election survived on secret ballot system.
But, do not misconstrue my assertion that the last battle has come. The last battle will not be fought by just the masses; it will be fought by both the leaders and the led. You appear confused I guess. Even as someone emerges as Nigerian leader for the next four years, he will be under serious pressure, ensuring that Nigerians are not disappointed in him; he will ensure that what he promised at the poll are effected in due time. He will understand that this four years is not a period of procrastination, he will bear in mind that much is expected from him. Our leaders must understand that the battle for their enthronement was fought collectively by the giant masses, and they must also understand that the same masses will call for insurrection if they couldn’t get what they bargained for.
As the various leaders whom we voted for mount the podium to address the well meaning Nigerians who have decided to remain adamant in the face of threat, we want to feel their heartbeat. We want to see and feel the sheer determination in them. If there is anything short of these expectations, they will pay dearly for it.
The other battle that every well meaning citizen like me should lead is the battle to sustain this democracy, as many out of their personal rancor have instigated violence having seen that they could not incarcerate the nation in their usual corrupt manners. They are sad that democracy has come to stay and the wide road to looting and corruption will soon be locked permanently. They are in a messy state having realized that trial awaits them. They have come out with knives, grenades and bombs to pester and intimidate all of us, but will the selfless Nigerian youth give another woe a chance? Like the barb wire coiled together, they are linked together in great ideas to stop these people from exasperating them and the rest of other Nigerians.
When the rumor of the unnecessary post election violence hit me, I stood in awe asking myself some mind bulging questions. Who is in disagreement with the outcome? I asked no one in particular. It was a rhetorical question that kept me thinking. Why should anyone be so myopic and turning his deaf ears to an election result that is capable of redeeming the national stigma of corruption? I ask why some people who know little or nothing about their problem, some people who have remained the society outcast for over thirty years now will want to truncate a democracy that has come to rescue them from their frustration? I ask why some individuals who know little or nothing about the working system of our flourished democracy continue to ignite violence? Where are their wards? What have they done to curb this violence from escalating? They should understand that no individual political ambition can be exchanged for human blood.
You may have your grudge; no doubt. You may have noticed some shortcomings and anomalies in the last concluded elections. You may have seen it differently. You may have spent so much while you embarked on different campaigns for your candidates; you may have lost valuables at the process of these campaigns, but you deserve to live in peace, we all deserve to live in peace, we want peace. We must all imbibe the culture of the sportsmanship. Peace is synonymous with democracy. Change is what democracy sort after, and if what we have gotten at the moment is a political reform, then we must embrace it with no grudge. As for me Charlyboy, I will continue to work for change, not minding religion and ethnic sentiments. Let’s all work for this change. Join me, my friends and the Bikers Association to congratulate all those who called for this change through a keenly contested election. We are all winners, we have got no looser, so no grudge.
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