The Peter Obi Revolution

 

By Billy Eteng.

A revolution is a popular uprising of a people often inspired by general discontent of their social order. Discontent does not come overnight. It is usually a build up of unpleasant experiences over a long period of time. It then becomes malignant and transmutes into a popular uprising triggered by seemingly insignificant immediate causes that would, under normal circumstances be glossed over. They are like valves that burst open when the machine is over heated and spread like wild fire. 

The French revolution of 1789 began with protests over increase in the price of bread.  The benevolent Emperor, then Louise the XVI was flummoxed at the turn of events. What became the Arap Spring that spread like wild fire across Northern Africa and the Arab world was started by a mere grocery seller who set himself on fire in protest following the confiscation of his wares. We all witnessed the dimension the endsars protests took in Nigeria but for the decisiveness with which it was quelled. One thing is clear; it takes a certain level of discontent in society for people to rise up in unison to challenge the status quo.

Revolutions are ideas that grow, blossom and become full blown when the time is ripe. The ideas are good thoughts of people in society who either have passion for societal development or learnt lessons from leadership experience. Examples in history of people whose ideas have influenced the course of events in their time include the French Philosophers, Jean Jaque Roseau, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Thomas Hobbes, Niccolo Machiavelli and John Locke to mention a few. No revolution ever takes place in a vacuum. They are usually a crystalization of ideas imbibbed over time and only takes a little clamour for change for them to erupt.  

Good leadership has eluded Nigerians since independence in 1960. We have experimented with many governance models: from regional to federal, from Westminster to Presidential Government to no avail, military intervention in our politics have yeilded no results. If anything, they have dragged us backwards for many years. We thought that democracy would avail us the platform to mould an enduring polity that would stand the test of time, leapfrog us close to our colleague countries who have since left us behind in the development race. But it seems to be a retrogression since 1999. The dimension of present day corruption has made post independence malfeasance, which purportedly formed the basis for military intervention in our politics, a child's play. Our electoral system is the most unreliable in the world. We have moved from a most bourgeoning economy to the poverty capital of the world. Insecurity has never been this bad and we have never been this divided as a people since independence. 

We have however learnt some lessons as a nation from our chequered political history. These lessons are what have crystalize into the evolution of thoughts that are today manifesting in the Peter Obi movement.  

PETER GREGORY OBI is not the revolution but he represents this evolution of thoughts now spreading like wild fire across the country. He represents an idea whose time has come. This is the revolution, a silent revolution. He has not come with the philosophy of the ancient thinkers mentioned above; neither is he making verbose promises usually deployed by Nigerian politicians to deceive the electorate. Right thinking Nigerians believe in Obi because for the first time, they have seen a man who is not only striking at the known core challenges of the Nigerian Nation with facts and figures, he is  articulating eloquently his understanding of the Nigerian economy and how he will fix them in practical terms. The thinking now is: If good leadership is universally acknowledged as the bedrock of societal development as exemplified in the developed world, and recently in the emergence of the Asian Tigers, including China, then we must  deliberately produce a leader whose vision is in tandem with the aspirations of the people. Not only have they not seen in him the desperation that is characteristic of the Nigerian politician,  no one can debunk the wonderful credentials he has presented to Nigerians to seek their mandate to become their president. 

Obi has refused to compromise his principles. Some people think he left PDP because he was afraid of competition but he has exhibited uncommon confidence of his acceptance by Nigerians who have followed him with fierce loyalty to where he has gone. But more to that, he is not desperate for victory. He is not afraid to loose. He represents the proverbial sacrificial lamb among wolves in the National Assembly who are afraid to legislate on bills that affect them negatively now as individuals but would in future, benefit their children and their children's children. He represents a generation that would resist the temptation to steal public money meant for development of society. Unlike the candidates of the other major parties who have enriched themselves through the trappings of public office,  Peter Obi's wealth is traceable. He is one of the very few Governors who has never been trailed by EFCC after leaving office. Even if he does not win the 2023 presidential race, he will always be remembered as the man who birthed a pan Nigerian movement that revolutionize our psyche as a people. That would be a more enduring legacy than becoming Nigerian President. Nelson Mandela will remain greener in our memory as a freedom fighter than as president of South Africa.

This is because Obi's followers have a conviction. It is not about winning an election. As a matter of fact, they are not bothered about victory at the polls. Those who cannot see the virtues of the Obi revolution want the status quo maintained because of their strategic position and privilege to benefit from the faulty system. But those who believe in Obi have transcended tribe, region or creed because the problems of Nigeria have gone beyond those base sentiments.  The problems of Nigeria are also beyond winning elections by a political party; they are common to our humanity as a people. Nigerians do not want a political party to win; they want the people to win. 

 But mark my words, not too long from now Nigerians will sing the Nelson Mandela song, VICTORY AT LAST!!

The opinion expressed is strictly that of the author.