Ayo Baje
“ A true friend of yours would tell you the Truth at the risk of losing your friendship “
To them, our political leaders are always right in their decisions, utterances, policies, programs and projects, irrespective of whether they are carried out quite in sync with the laws of the land, or not. They must, therefore, never be criticized. Not at all. Rather, they should be feared, obeyed and hero-worshipped. That is not minding the fact, that we claim to be operating a democratic system of government, which should be skewed in favour of the wishes, dreams and desires of the larger majority of the people.
“They” of course, refers to the political apologists, supporters of the politicians in power, who may perhaps have belonged to the opposition party a few years back but have since cross-carpeted to the new one. As Alexander Pope rightly described them: ” Some praise in the morning what they blame at night. But always think the last opinion is right. Now they have seen the light or their sins have been forgiven. And it is all because, within the wobbling Nigeria’s pseudo-democratic structure, there are no binding political philosophies. Some call this set of people Any Government In Power ( AGIP ) but they remain one of persisting challenges, or better still cogs in the wheels of the nation’s socio-economic development. But there the problem lies
They are members of the followership that has consistently undermined the delivery of the so-called ‘dividends of democracy’. According to Marcellinus Nlemigho, an Imo state-born politician, who incidentally has experienced the inner dealings in both the People’s Democratic Party, PDP and the All Progressives Congress, APC political parties: ” Our problem in Nigeria today is more of a followership.” Furthermore, he explained that: ” Nigerians need to change their orientation about governance. As citizens, we must force our leaders to do what is right, if we must get it right because the leaders emerge from the followers. Let everyone get involved.” In all honesty, we need such political reengineering intervention now more than ever before
Talking about blind, conscienceless and crude followership, we witnessed it all during the first tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari (2015-2019). Whatever economic wrongs were fingered and highlighted at that period in time apologists were waiting in the wings to lay all the blame at the doorsteps of the previous PDP administration led by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. It was as if Buhari could never make any mistake, or probably his defenders and that of the APC erroneously believed that they were talking to a set of ignorant citizens.
Back then, if one pointed out the outright wrongs of nepotistic appointments overtly favouring the northern geo-political zones, or the rage of the fully armed herders running roughshod over the farmlands of Benue, Plateau and Ondo states, which they had turned into the country’s killing fields there were ready-made answers out to defend the indefensible. But what is wrong has no two names to it.
It is honestly so because we all who are members of the followership stand to benefit from good, transparent, accountable leadership that is driven by pro-people policies. Similarly, we are at the receiving end of the short stick of poor leadership characterized by might-is-right; and the absurd mindset that the leader is always right and must not be criticized even when we become victims of preventable poverty amid abundant, vast and varied natural resources. It is understandable therefore, when concerned Nigerians raise alarm over the sudden removal of fuel subsidies and the spin-off effects of the high inflation rate soaring to over 38 % worsening the cost of living, including feeding, transportation, school fees and rents. The Human Development Index, HDI of accessibility to quality and nutritious food, safe water, affordable standard education and healthcare delivery is scary. Also, the country’s position on the Global Hunger Index, GHI as at the end of 2024 put at 110 out of 127 countries with a score of 28.8 is aptly described as ” serious”!
While that should be a worrisome food-for-thought spectacle, amid over 400% rise in the cost of fuel since May 29, 2023, hike in electricity tariff, Value Added Tax, and VAT, even as the government has reportedly approved a 50 % rise in the cost of telecoms services some of the followers at the receiving end groan silently at night but praise Mister President for mustering the political will to ” take hard decisions”!
But like it or not, our purchasing power is at an all-time low. So, who will tell the President the bitter truth that currently, we are economically worse off than he met us in 2023? Certainly not the set of followers who have become acquiescent, suddenly silent, condescending and kowtowing to the wishes and caprices of the political helmsmen. Certainly too, as it plays out in the economic spectrum whereby bad followership manifests in poor work ethics, unsatisfied customers battling low product quality, high costs and lost opportunities, so it is with the political situation that the country is facing at this critical moment. One’s passionate appeal therefore, is for the members of the president’s economic think-tank to take a sober reflection on the situation at hand and provide a set of new policies that are pro-people.
While leadership is considered a process of influencing the behaviour of others, followership is that of those being led to be done so well that they can contribute their parts. Though the followers are considered as subordinates with less power they should not be dragged so low into the king-slave relationship. It should not degenerate into that of the victims of poor governance being so subservient as to be afraid to speak the truth to power. That is anti-democratic.
Going forward, we all, as individuals, non-governmental organizations and communities have to play our parts in championship the noble cause of good governance. Much as we should identify, highlight and promote acts of leadership that pull millions of citizens out of the ignoble pit of mass poverty and ignorance, we should also guide our leaders right whenever they derail from such paths of honour to that of self-serving, chest-beating, yet life-decimating policies and practices. Such inclusiveness of the people’s ideas in governance was what led to, influenced and eventually shaped the dictates of democracy back in Ancient Greece.
Good followership has, therefore, become expedient as we battle against the monsters of insecurity, ethno-religious sentiments, nepotistic appointments and avoidable economic hardship. To succeed, we as followers should be imbued with the DNA of high moral standards, understanding the nitty-gritty of democracy and that we are part and parcel of political leadership. Furthermore, we should obey the laws of the land, always stand on the path of Truth no matter how thorny it might be seen and be driven by the philosophy of looking at the larger picture of the national interest. That is, instead of surrendering to the primordial and parochial sentiments of self-interest, tribe, tongue and religion. Only then can we begin to enjoy good leadership in a land God has abundantly blessed with virtually all we need to succeed.
