Old Wine, New Jar By Araba Fatade Bamidele

The carcasses are littering the spaces and the vultures are hovering for an opportunistic dive for decaying flesh. The years of political Armageddon are drawing nigh and the economic Shylocks have dug up their thawny daggers. Yes, they are baying for blood!! Its all about a wobbled Nigeria and her constant rapists who after seeing their earlier successes at sharing the spoils of marauding are gathering under a new template to once more deceive unsuspecting people.

This is not a fable neither is it rabblerousing. What started as unfounded rumours are unfolding before us into stark reality in a highly lucid manner. Recently, Senator Rochas Okorocha of Imo during a visit to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state mooted the idea of forming a new coalition to wrestle power in the forthcoming 2023 elections. Feelers have strongly confirmed the move to have a high degree of truth. Infact, a name has been prescribed for the new movement; MOVEMENT FOR NEW NIGERIA. Pundits might be forced to ask the question; what’s in a name?

Its needless restating the rights of individuals or groups to come together in order to further their political, social or economic interests as enshrined in the 1999 constitution as amended. However, what serves as a collective insult to the sensibilities of the long-suffering citizens of Nigeria is the promise of this amorphous group to give us a NEW NIGERIA!! It becomes queerer when you realise that the coalition that gave birth to the current incumbent political party in Nigeria under whose control Nigeria has suffered generalised societal haemorrhage was midwifed by these same overfed actors! What new ideas are they now bringing to the table?

Senator Rochas Okorocha who seems to have taken up the job of a spokesman for the new group was a Governor in Imo state for 8 years and has since retired to the Senate. He certainly didn’t leave his state in a state near Eldorado. In fact, for the most part of his tenure, Okorocha became a comic relief for lovers of the evening news by such actions as creation of a ministry for HAPPINESS! Such mundane malfeasance!

An old wine in a new jar doesn’t automatically become new and fresh. Its important that the citizens of Nigeria especially the long-suffering youths must be sensitized not to fall for another “Change” agenda under any guise. Its commonly said that “once beaten twice shy…”.

One thing that cannot be overstressed is that Nigeria is currently at a dangerous and precarious juncture. The need for a paradigm shifts in the art and act of governance has become a mandatory imperative which we as a people must now embrace with religious fervour. Rather than continuing to follow aposematic Chameleons masquerading as leaders it’s time for us all to lay a solid foundation for a new Nigeria. Though our divisive political class may want to agree but I must say that it has always been the turn of the corrupt political elite to take their shot at governance but now it’s the turn of the ordinary people to take their destinies in their hands.

The FOUNDATION FOR NEW NIGERIA which is a fast-spreading socio-political platform and other progressive forces would invariably provide the needed direction in these perilous times. Nigerians must rise up to identify with these kinds of initiatives populated by people who have not had their tongues scoured by the sour grapes of corruption as we currently see. The world today is governed by ideas from smart people. Nigeria must purge itself from the current regimes of lifeless geriatrics. They have poisoned us enough with their biliary wine. The new re-packaged facade must be rejected.

Finally, I must say that governance isn’t rocket science. Should Nigeria have a smart, intelligent and upright leader, most of Nigeria’s problems would fizzle out in no time. Leadership is everything and yes, a new Nigeria is a very bright possibility.”

Araba Fatade, writes from Lagos.