Tales of a Black Politics

TALES OF A ‘BLACK’ POLITICS

Democracy is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder, and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequals alike.
-Plato (428 BC - 347BC)

I
f we are to go by Abraham Lincoln’s definition of democracy as; “government of the people, by the people and for the people”, then Nigeria’s democracy certainly would be an exclusion, but if we are to go by the French Philosopher and writer; Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s claim that: “In the strict sense of the term, there has never been a true democracy, and there never will be. It is contrary to the natural order that the greater number should govern and the smaller number be governed”, then we could understand why the drollery in Nigeria’s politics still pass it for democracy or call it pseudo-democracy. There is no gain saying the fact that politics in Nigeria is a product of surprises and counter surprises. It is one that virtually has a new face with each dispensation and a perfection of its malfeasance. I would want to say for the sake of respect, Nigeria’s politics be with a name. It is bad enough we have a polluted politics, but it certainly is a worse situation when it has no name. It is against this backdrop I want to call our politics, ‘Black’ to at least accommodate description and then possible solutions.

Politics is one area that gives identity to a people and in our case; it has given Nigeria an international identity. This is so because it is the most conspicuous area where we can either project our image internationally or mar our integrity by it. Politics is like a message dropped on facebook; it is open to everyone and subject to everyone’s comment. Thus, one cannot afford to mortgage his integrity on the altar of technology. This fact we may not have considered with a pinch of salt and what we have today in the international world is a product of that. Nigeria because of her politics is rated so dubious and corrupt. I am sure the average Westerner thinks of a Nigerian as a cheat unless proven otherwise. It is disheartening to know however that despite this sullied image we have, Nigerians have not probably made any frantic move to change the status quo and any structure put to attend to this is corrupted even before operation. This is what is called ‘Black’ politics.

The derogation ‘Black’ is being used to couch our politics because, it is increasingly clear that the problem with our politics is not because we have not received appropriately the proper structure and frame of democratic politics but because, Africans’ practice of it is in the characteristic way of an African. It used to be a typical argument that ‘Black’ is beauty, golden and symbol of pride but more and more this argument cannot be tenable as those who even project this argument make it counterproductive by their attitude towards this colour which we gratuitously have from God. ‘Black’ now has come to stand for anything warped, an aberration, a corruption or a problem. Thus to use black to label a thing can no longer accommodate the carriage of pride, beauty or golden. Instead, black evokes a negative imagery. The roots of this are arguably imperialistic but its growth and popularity has been a product of African character.

African politics is characteristically dubious, helmed with a fevour for power-fixation and with the governing propensities of egotism, selfishness, nepotism and impropriety. The typical African craves for power because he wants to railroad into fame and prosperity through the ladder of politics. He believes that, that is the opportunity to share from the national cake which they have not baked. In African politics, the bullet is stronger than the ballot and one where there is a tyranny of the minority and the majority live is squalor, one where the elite continually thrive at the cost of the poor. This is not typically human, it is typically Black. This is the name by which our politics can then better be known; Black. In Nigeria, the bane of our political fiasco is the Senate. Here I wish to analyse two events which have further justified the derogation ‘Black’ politics for Nigeria.

Apart from the fact that holding a political office in Nigeria is the quickest means of saying goodbye to penury in one’s life time, being in the senate is a threshold of securing same not only for yourself but for your children’s children. In recent politics within the senate, they are no longer content with their money bags but want also immunity like state governors, the vice-president and the president. For them, the senate should pass a bill to that effect which would allow them be free from prosecution while in office. The point is not just the request but the implications and what that ultimately betrays. First, it has laid bare the fact that we are in a nation where privileges swallow up duties and obligation. It is very clear too that our honourable senators are looking for a law to back their thievishness. To have passed a bill of that sort is to have reduced the rule of law a complete pun in the whimsical jamboree of the senators. It is dispiriting enough that laws are rarely passed and that senators unabashedly snooze away at their sessions in full view of public cameras, then, they blatantly ask for immunity for other more culpable misdeeds. Counterproductively, the senate which is supposed to be the organ which facilitates development is now that which clogs her wheels.

If the senate is granted immunity then it becomes only wise that commissioners and the members in the states’ houses of senate be granted same. At least, if it is a viable argument that the senators need it so as not to be distracted, this is equally a valid argument for state houses of assembly members. By a down slope, all political office holders need it and by the rule of fairness, all Nigerians need it. If this is pursued to its logical conclusion, will this not be self-annihilative? What other generous description can we call such a politics if not black politics?

Another recent tale which has further stiffened the already copious indications of our political malignancy, or call it, politricks is the fact that the two chambers of this same house are strutting for superiority. This struggle for supremacy is one that is no called for as the constitution is clear how things should run. This struggle somewhat blinded their eyes in recent times that the supplementary budget the president is suppose to present to the senate was deferred because of a struggle for a host chamber. This incident which is a revelation of the discord within the house is one even the international community has decried. It is said that the causes of a war are first internal disunity and then external aggression. Our politics have provided us sufficient internal disunity; only an external aggression which a snap of the finger can spark off can bring our political frame on her knees. Is this not black politics?

Our black politics has soiled both our communal integrity and our individual ego as Nigerians. But who will bell ‘Black’ politics? Unless, politics transcends personal gains and interests to common good, politics in Nigeria would remain a product of black selfishness and greed. Unless our black politics is transformed, our political history and democratic practice would remain at the level of agreed buffoonery and humorous orchestration. Black politics would continually widen the gap between the haves and the have-nots and more and more crucify the prompts for honest politics. Unless, black politics is re-baptized, our international image would remain at the mercy of austerity and any effort for rebranding is a contraditio-in-terminus. The rebaptism must begin from the top to the bottom; from the leaders to the followers. Unless, there are corporate signs of seriousness, even the individual fight would remain a case of dry wood falling on dry wood. This is the challenge. It is our bounden duty therefore, to check if we are ‘black’ in character and see how we can begin the change we await.

IKHIANOSIME, Frankl