On a sunny afternoon, I decided to prepare for the market, it was the end of the month and I was running out of foodstuffs. I took ‘keke’ from Queen’s Hall to the gate and from there boarded a cab headed to Bodija Market. During the short drive, the news was being read on the car radio; some politicians gifted the daughter of a prominent figure; one of the latest SUVs, thirty percent shares of an international hotel, a new house in one of the most aristocratic estates, bank cards and lots more, to felicitate her on her wedding with a younger politician, who happens to be the son of a bigger politician.
The driver of the cab exclaimed his predicament in comparison to theirs saying in Yoruba: “See how leaders are enjoying and living flamboyantly, they do not even know what we the average people are going through.” Another man, a passenger, replied to him saying: “We cannot blame them. Many of us that are shouting and lamenting will not do anything better if we get the opportunity to get to such position. If I become President, I’ll, first of all, embezzle a lot of money for my upkeep after I leave the office. I really don’t blame them. Each man should hustle for his own future. Let’s stop blaming our Leaders.”
Now, that got me thinking. How many people live with this kind of mindset?. The higher the number of people who think like this, the lower the possibility of a bright future for our nation. However, just as he said he cannot blame the politicians, I could not also blame him, since he was only sharing his opinion. He is probably traumatized by his experience in the country and has long lost hope for the country. I witnessed what happened during the physical election of my faculty. Contestants were spotted canvassing for votes during the election and putting the electorates under pressure to get them to vote in their favour. It turns out this is the mindset they were fed with; growing up, their parents(probably), the society, their friends and the leaders. This is the mindset training given to the “future leaders.” That is why I believe if we go on this way, the possibility of a bright future for our nation is really low. These were the thoughts on my mind until I looked up and saw the Secretariat bridge, turns out I have been driven past my destination.
*characters and events are completely fictional, and elation to real-life events is unintended.
By: Evelyn Temny
