Oshiomhole Advocates Political Activism for Good Governance
By Joseph Ushigiale,
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has enjoined Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of political activism as a veritable tool to compel their leaders to adopt accountability and transparency in governance.
Oshiomhole lamented: "The world is angry with Nigeria because what others can fix, we cannot fix. It is because of this frustration that they want to give us a label that does not belong to us," apparently alluding to the inclusion of the country among terrorist nations.
The governor who bared his mind at the Sixth Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture/Symposium organised by the Nigerian Bar association, NBA, Ikeja branch at the Airport Hotel, Lagos, said Nigerians need to take their destiny in their hands if they aim at achieving true representative democracy where their leaders must be accountable to them.
Oshiomole explained that Nigerians need to cultivate an activist citizenry in the uncompromising militant tradition of Chief Gani Fawehinmi noting that "good governance only thrives better when the people are alive to the responsibility of troubling their leaders."
According to him, "having credible leaders would not be awarded to us; we have to fight to achieve it. The Nigerian condition is so bad that nobody should be comfortable."
Oshiomhole stated that the problem with Nigeria is primarily that of management and leadership, stating that there is probably no pressing matter in Nigeria than the need for a credible, people oriented leadership.
"The right to choose those who govern us is a challenge in Nigeria. The challenge we face today is that there is confusion among ruling elites on the meaning of democracy. We do not share a common definition of democracy."
Now, it is clear that we are in great danger because our leaders cannot differentiate public office from private office," He declared.
The Edo governor pointed out that in line with the reality of the situation, "the option open to the citizenry is not to lament but that the people must resolve and be willing to be politically assertive, politically involved and militant in the defense of their interests."
On the way out of the present quagmire, Oshiomhole called for a democratic march to make demand on the federal government the government. "We need a democratic march and I will be a part of it. We will go to Abuja, occupy it and sleep there for a day or two with just one demand so that they will not do one and leave the major demand unattended."
The Chairman of NBA, Ikeja, Mr. Dave Ajetumobi in his speech said the country is yet to evolve a sanitized system that is pragmatic enough to ensure that only the best emerge in all critical position of leadership.
He called on Nigerians to follow Gani's footsteps stating that "As we celebrate the life and times of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, the man who spent his life contending with the above mentioned societal evils, we should resolve in our hearts to continue where Gani left off, if we fail to do this, posterity will not forgive us.
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