Arrogance of Politicians/Public Office Holders and Nightmares of Constituents After Election Victory, By Sola Olatunji. 

I am old enough to write a book on the political trajectory in Nigeria since 1983. If I did, it would be a bestseller based on the fact that it will reveal firsthand secret of the politicians and our public Office holders. I have interacted with many of them at close range and can conclude that their mindset is seeing public office as a status symbol and a veritable instrument to wealth and flagrant display of opulence.

So many titles ran riot in my head in writing this piece before I finally settled for the above one. Like the former Arsenal Football Club manager, Arsene Wenger once  said that if he gets to heaven after death, he would first ask for where the football referees are quartered saying he will head for the opposite direction. He simply alluded that no referee would make heaven.

Similarly, if there is a chance to make heaven after death, I will ask where Nigerian politicians and public office holders are kept. Certainly, Armageddon won’t be far away thereof.

That’s by the way. One thing is, however, germane for democracy to really live up to its billing in every human society,it must be anchored on transparency and accountability. The constant communication between the government and citizens to engender organic public policy, guarantee inclusion, and allay fears of citizens over uncertainty have become inevitable

In his recent comment after the supreme court decision on LG autonomy, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said that elected public officials go to the grassroots to canvass for votes during elections, but take refuge in Abuja and disconnect from the grassroots after election victory. In the same tone,  former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume, expressed his frustration about how Nigerian public officials from top to bottom in society have been avoiding phone calls made by their constituents and have practically made themselves inaccessible. This vocal senator is not alone, as this problem has gained a notoriety threshold across our public institutions both at national and sub national levels.

It is sad that this unpatriotic and antithetical behaviour designed to frustrate and undermine good governance have become fashionable amongst public office holders in Nigeria who deliberately ignore phone calls, sms, or WhatsApp messages from  their constituents because of  their over-bloated ego in public offices. It’s even regrettable that some of these dishonourable members don’t even understand the demands of their offices because of circumstance of how they were recruited into public offices. To put it  succinctly, public offices are places where public office holders interact, communicate, and dispense public services to citizens. It’s not an arena to  amplify an individual’s ego or privatise the activities in such an office.

In some instances, some public officials are just afraid of criticism, which is the greatest albatross of freedom and enemy of democracy as opined by Prof Wole Soyinka. Let me also join the rest of the world to celebrate this iconic personality of many parts. A literary colossus whose life has been dominated by struggles, not necessarily for his personal benefit, but has successfully used his literary craft to shape humanity.

He was 90 years old recently, still strong and counting. He is definitely not  tired yet. Sure, he is a man of a century.  Happy birthday to your Prof. I wish you many more troubles to sort out for humanity before you depart this sinful world. Congratulations sir.

There is no way any government can justify anything called good governance or responsibility if public officials who are to communicate government policy to the public have chosen to remain incommunicado and inaccessible. It’s very irrational and highly unpalatable that we can’t sustain the unbroken political bond between the government and citizens as necessary to boost good governance which subsist prior to their election. But after their election victory, they suddenly turned themselves to hyenas while  electorates are usually thrown under the tyre by public officials This trend of flagrant irresponsible behaviour by some of our public officials who have chosen to remain mute, deaf and dumb in public offices should be condemned in its entirety.  A situation where phone calls, sms, and WhatsApp messages by constituents are not  replied when making enquiries and during emergencies, including insecurity, is a show of crass irresponsible behaviour by our public office holders.

This is the tragedy of the kind of kleptocratic democracy we practise in our country where electorate who vote these people into public offices are afterwards treated with disdain. I could recall that I delivered a lecture at the University of Ibadan earlier this year on public policy somersault. I emphasized that for any democracy to live up to its billing, both the government and the public must be on the same page to engender transparency and accountability and also promote inclusion and good governance. This fashion of  public office holders in Nigeria disparaging and disconnected from the grassroots once they win election and appear with modules of rice and indomine as palliatives four years for  another round of election is highly condemnable and shouldn’t be encouraged in our society.

In my view, only responsible public office holders who are passionately committed to their constituents should be considered for any future political opportunity. I say it with all emphasis that you don’t have any business in public offices if you can’t respond to phone calls and messages from your constituents. The  public office is not a place to amplify your ego parade. It’s owned by Nigerians and not by any private individuals. It’s a place to dispense services to the public and not a place for secret cult missions where you suddenly turned yourself into Demi-gods and become inaccessible by your constituents.  It’s the platforms where the government dispenses services to Nigerians. If you are too big to respond to questions by your constituents, you are free to excuse yourselves from the public office.

In human history, what is happening in your environment should serve as a lesson, and you are expected to be proactive and circumspect. The British empire didn’t experience revolution in history because successive leaders were proactive and learnt from what happened to their neighbours. In the last few months, the events unfolding  as  championed by the three musketeers who have successfully tore ECOWA .into shred, coupled with what is playing out in Kenya, including the open display of humility by president Buto and  gale of confession of grafts by top government officials with scores of resignations by senior government officials. Crop of ministers now find refuge in the forests. This is sufficient signals for us in Nigeria to review some of our draconian and unfriendly policies.

Every Nigerian is desirous of a better society, but Nigerians are also aware that all these problems of past years can’t be resolved over night. In an attempt to solve all our problems overnight, it will be counterproductive to choke up Nigerians with obnoxious policies We don’t know how valid this news of the House of Reps  member pledging 50% of their salaries to ameliorate the hardship being experienced in the country. If this news is true, we salute them for this great sacrifice. But this sacrifice will make more sense if it’s spread across other institutions, including the Senate and Executive, to reflect parts of the demand of Nigerians. We are expected to run a lean government and introduce austerity measures like what OBJ did during the military regime. It’s unjustifiable asking citizens to sacrifice, while public officials are living in opulence and wealth. This open display of opulence and wealth by public officials, with arrogance and blatant disregard for their constituents, enquiries through phone calls and messages which translate to  total  disconnection with the grassroots by public office holders should be condemned by any true lover of democracy.

I think it will be in our own interests to take a cue from what is happening in Kenya and review some of our harsh policies to reflect what Nigerians are clamouring for.  I heard about the intention of Nigerians to protest. We can’t prevent people from expressing their grievances. It’s part of democracy and the president himself will have no moral justification asking people to stop any protest. Let them air their grievances, and we can review and make changes where necessary.

.Otunba Sola Olatunji, Chairman, Ikale Heritage Development Association, rites from Lagos