BAD CHOICES; BAD LEADERS

The world is full of surprises. More so, when such surprises are sprung by the majority. Until the end of my days on earth, it remains my mystery and am sure many scripturally meditative Christians too: What could have made the people chose Barrabas and despised Jesus Christ? The

Jesus who fed the hungry? who healed the sick? Restored sight to the blind? Caused the lame to walk? And even raised the dead back to life?

Yet at the passover feast in Jerusalem, the people preferred the naughty Barrabas freed and had Jesus detained as a Prisoner. Cruel people, cruel world!

The same people live with and among us.

The motto of Communication Arts, University of Uyo, where I did my first degree, reads: "Communicate or perish." What on earth could make any sane person elect a leader who cannot speak, write, formulate policies and programmes that can better the lots of the people?

In our local communities, schools and wherever we belong, during elections, we deliberately choose mediocrity over meritocracy. This is sheer wickedness!

At such times, we lock up our consciences. We become blind to the realities that stare at us. We know leader A is better than leader B but because of trivial and watery reasons of ethnicity, religiosity, fraternity or other affiliations, we lock up and make the wrong choice.

There are those whose consciences can be bought with only a bottle of beer and paper-wrapped suya, put together, would not exceed #1,000/#1,500. Cheaply, we sow seeds our children and grandchildren will come and reap. Some Elders worsen matters. They stay back and drum evil into the minds through the ears of their children.
Wait! Tomorrow, you shall be the first recipient of your evil actions.

It is election time in our country. The constitution empowers us with the freedom to choose. The freedom to vote for candidates of our choice. Much as this freedom
is exercised, let us not forget the words of John Kennedy: " The ignorant of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all."

We forsake those who mean well and favour those who might mean evil.

Among the parade of presidential candidates, how many Nigerians look the way of the highly technocratic Donald Duke of the Social Democratic Party, the dynamic Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Progressive Party or the promising Omoyele Sowore of African Action Congress?

Must you be in the number of the analogue Noahic generation?

Bad choices; bad leaders!