“I want a change, and a radical change. I want a change from an acquisitive society to a functional society, from a society of go-getters to a society of go-givers” -Peter Maurine
In May 2021, a former US Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, delivered a political sermon that aptly represented a new political horizon for Nigeria’s survival and development. This was his stern verdict on the political stock: “The bottom line is that something of a consensus among Nigerian elite seems to be forming that the country is in deep trouble and that radical options must be considered”.
To amply validate Campbell’s campaign for Nigeria, the country’s political environment has deeply been polluted by the menace of the conservative faction of politics from 1999 to date. For long, we have been living with unprecedented corruption, massive looting, abject poverty, staggering unemployment and frightening insecurities, among others, unabated, and we don’t know when they will cease to manifest as our national embarrassment. Despite the humongous money that accrued to the nation for over two decades, almost everything is grinding to a halt in Nigeria. In a nutshell, Nigeria is not ideally working as we are in the prison of self-destruction owing to decadent governance. Is the conservative establishment still the answer?
In absolute term, both the soft and hard conservatives are vehemently averse to structural and fundamental changes to rid the nation of augean stables. They are conspicuously possessed by the poverty of a strong political will for bringing about social reforms. Over the years, they have succeeded in the monumental dislocation of our national pysche. What remains of our national enthusiasm is almost zero as most Nigerians no longer think about moving Nigeria forward but how to fulfill the requirements of stomach infrastructure. The escalating rate of penury alone is adequate for the conservative pundits to go for political retirement.
If we continue to support and sustain go-getters at the expense of go-givers, the former cannot nullify their acquisitive ego that is turning the society dysfunctional. We are desperately in want of go-givers to offer living jingoism to Nigeria and make it a fascinating nation. It is quite repugnant that Nigeria is still a state without nation. Amongst the shortfalls of right wing politics is the malicious propagation of ethnic, religious and regional rivalries to achieve political objectives.
Progressive politics is nurtured by articles of ideological faith such as respect for the individuals and the dignity of their class and labor to foster national overzealousness; subscribing high esteem and awesomeness to the country; enthroning masses’ oriented government as the ultimate aim of politics. That notwithstanding, it is ridiculous that the politics of the Fourth Republic does not include even a mini portion for radical politics. Does that qualify all of us as conservatives? Forget about the contemporary People’s Redemption Party (PRP). Isn’t it a complete shadow of Aminu Kano’s radical PRP?
Appallingly, the political monopoly and metaphor of the conservatives has led to the metamorphosis of ‘capitalist politics’, a lucid trade of politics for money and money for politics. It is a high debut political immorality drama going to the highest bidder. The most notorious principle of Nigeria’s democracy is the venom of self-aggrandizement. To give a vivid view of this conundrum was the last general election which was stupendously monetized without equation in the history of Nigeria’s elections. There were massive’ naira and materials’ investments to conquer election hurdles, and we shall see how these political investors will reap the colossus profits for conservative re-enforcement. In as much as they have faith in acquisitive ideology as the mainstay of their political passion, we are drifting and aligning towards one of the seven social sins afflicting the world as envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi in his thesis on politics without principles.
The history of Nigeria’s radicals tallies with the evolution of the country. In the pre- independence Nigeria, there was an intensive struggle for nationalist identity with emphatic stress on the cultural and political perspectives. Those who played a prominent role were radicals to comply with the prevailing situation. It was reported that the late Herbert Macaulay was a radical in the fight against colonialism. He served as a journalist, rode ordinary bicycle, wrote anti colonialism materials that were repulsive to the colonialists.
There was a period that marked the high demand of radical government as Nigeria’s viable alternative. It was during the military junta and assumed the order of the day, spearheaded by the late Dr. Yusuf Bala Usman and the late Balarabe Musa. While Usman was gathering momentum at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Balarabe Musa was engaged in publications of Analyst magazine and its Hausa version, Fitila.
To circumvent the swaying ‘political catastrophe’ for the West, the America Intelligence Unit( AIU) conducted rigorous researches on our campuses in the mid-eighties with the theme: Political Risk Analysis. The main objective was to ascertain the campus radicals’ potentialities with the ABU as the focal point. To their greatest discomfort, the result clearly revealed the possibility of a peasant’s revolution in the platform of the socialist ideals.
Despite its relevance, the voice of Nigeria’s radicals is no longer renting the air to transmit change messages. With the exclusion of Dr. Edwin Madunagbu who engages in casual and precarious writings, many radicals have fallen into their graves after putting remarkable performances. Indeed, Nigeria is experiencing a scarcity of radicals. This is a facet of the degeneration of our generation. However, new breed radicals will be created by the circumstances to firmly stand for good governance. This is a waiting reality for Nigeria.
A radical change is therefore inevitable and possible. We don’t need a reminder that Nigeria is deteriorating at an alarming rate and requires a radical change through politics of the left. It’s simply not about the change in conservative candidates or conservative political parties as it is the case of birds of a feather flock together.
The task for actualising a radical change rests on two fundamental factors. One, we ought to have some radicals to form a minor movement as a beginning. Two, a new radical party for the radicals to be formed. All other issues that require radical responses will follow naturally, systematically and spontaneously. That was how the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) started.
Abdullahi writes from Ringim, Jigawa state via [email protected]
