Godfatherism and money politics as bane of development, by A. Y. Nafanwona

The return to democracy in 1999 was highly celebrated because it was believed to be hope for the hopeless, voice for the voiceless, equality for the unequals and above all a vehicle conveying even development across board. Reason being that: Democracy is a government that is determined by the people and equally working for the people though that of Nigeria or at least some States aren’t so.

However, expectations began to fade away when certain alien devilish elements unknown to real democracy were introduced into Nigeria’s democratic system. One of these evil elements hindering the enjoyment of our democracy is godfatherism. Godfatherism is a symbiotic relationship between two persons, namely the godfather and the godson, where the godfather uses his political power and wealth to secure political position for the godson, who upon ascension into power continuously pays gratification to his godfather in kind or in cash or both. This is where imposition of candidates comes in. This has even gotten down to grassroot politics. You cannot become a council chairman or ward councillor except you are anointed by the local sub-godfathers who are answerable to the central godfather at the center. Godsons, after attaining power, they have no choice other than to serve their godfathers to the detriment of the electorates and the people. By so doing, they spread hunger and starvation, neglect socioeconomic institutions, abandon infrastructural developments, poison civil service through amputated salaries, irregular civil servants’ promotions, dustbin welfarism, exploitative policies, cripple pensioners, unemployment while their godfathers drive them around and their relationship is liken to that of a television and remote control where the television is seen by all but being controlled by unseen person in one angle. This is a fatal blow to the concept  of democracy and good governance.

Another evil obstructing our development is money politics. In fact, another name for campaigneering and electioneering in Nigeria politics is moneyneering (money). For a candidate to win election in Nigeria, the first thing he think of is money because the electorates having being impoverished with bad governance, they tend to easily submit their votes for hundreds of nairas or at most key up for N1,000 each in view of hunger and absence of intellectuality. What a pathetic situation.

Money has long dominated our elections, and the problem is worsening. People spent unlimited amounts of money during campaigns and before or during election in order to win elections and even after winning, they will rather give the electorates fish than to teach them how to catch fish so that they will always have control over them. The major problem with money politics is that politicians tend to invest by spending in the campaigns and expect profit in return. Our politicians have turned elections to investment where they make profit without considering the plights of the electorates who because of ignorance, sold their votes for peanuts and end up suffering for a whole four years.

The politicians, having spent so much and won the election, they think of nothing while in office other than wealth accumulation legally and illegally, jamboree projects, misappropriation of fund, embezzlement, self aggrandizement and in some cases, even go about oppressing the same electorates. What a pity!

These two ugly trends are responsible for our bad road networks, dilapidated school infrastructures, unequipped hospitals, armed robbery and kidnapping, unaccountability, recession,  amputated salaries and many other forces challenging us as nation.

The earlier we stand up against this trends, the better for us because they are the conveyance of bad eggs into elective position else we may be heading for doom.

Enough of godfathers and money politics.

. Nafanwona, a public affairs analyst, writes from Kwara State.