By Iteveh Ekpokpobe
Barely 13 months away from the year of a ‘new electoral decision’ for Nigeria, they have started showing their heads.
They appear as doves. They move solemnly amongst us, like communicants after partaking in the holy ritual of bread and wine.
They are now your friends all of a sudden. They can abandon their schedules just to attend your child’s birthday party, or your father’s funeral, or your mother’s remembrance, or your house warming party.
They make surprise calls to your phones and send even more surprising new month messages to you.
They find common grounds with you through jokes. Suddenly, they are interested in the due date of your house rent, or when your children will resume school.
“Oh, Owhomè, my friend, this your car’s body work is getting old, take this N100,000 and get it fixed. Or better still, why don’t we consider getting you a new one?” these are some of their fine lines.
They woo you like a young lass. You know why? So that when they need your support, during the campaigns, or your votes during the elections, you will say, “Yes, this man is my friend. I must support him.”
But it is always a circle. After the elections, the laughter ends. They are all of a sudden so busy with the government work you voted them to do.
“Do you know I have not had breakfast and the time is 4pm already? These days I feel hunger pangs, and pass wind. Oh, the business of building the nation as Henry Barlow would say.” this becomes their new anthem whenever they see you.
They are racketeers and profiteers. They are vultures. But, we think them doves.
For years, I have made it a duty to be indifferent to the electoral development of my father’s land, ‘Isoko Nation’. I have always believed to fight my battles outside until now.
I made it a note to fight my battles at the State and National level. Not anymore.
It hits differently, when you realise that after winning the external battles, you may have no home to run back to. Isoko is again on a political precipice.
This time, while I urge all well-meaning and right thinking Isokos to get involved, I will not rest until nails are put to the ‘illusionary coffins of the political vultures and profiteers’ who are dusting their boots for another dance.
Those who will lead Isoko to the promise land we cannot identify yet. But those who will not, we know.
Woe unto them, for it will be better that a stone be tied to their neck and they be thrown into èkèrè than for them to begin this journey.
We are watching! We are waiting!
Iteveh, a journalist writes from Abuja.
