By Comrade Ogbu. A. Ameh Founder
“Human race will not see better days until either the stock of those who rightly and genuinely follow philosophy acquire political authority, or else the class who have political control be led by some dispensation of providence to become real philosophers” – Plato
The attraction to power is akin to magnetic pull between a metal object and magnet. However, the use of power is in a unique way determined by complex internal and external contradictions. Hence, the hierarchy of human needs has self-actualization at its peak. At this peak sits political power itself waiting for he who the cap fits, to sit down and wield the power inherent in that seat.
It is a maxim that; “there is no vacuum in leadership” else anarchy ensues. Therefore, the contestation for the authority embedded in the political seat of power available for grab ensues at regular intervals to determine who occupies the seat. In this anvil, every position of leadership comes with its obligations and responsibilities juxtaposing with the perquisites, privileges and appurtenances. Ironically, in this part of the world, political office holders tend to ignore the former to be fixated on the latter (self-aggrandizement).
It is the fixation on personal aggrandizement rather than obligations to the people, which wrecked disaster on virtually all social amenities and infrastructures’ in the country. The worse lacks in human society are the basic needs. The height of negligence, corruption and lack of patriotism is when the political leadership fails to provide these needed social infrastructures’ for the people.
In the fashionable consumer style adopted by the ruling elites, they look up to quality goods and services abroad. As they loot the public treasury to support their foreign tourism states symbol, the masses groan in abject poverty, declining living condition and deteriorating social amenities. The innate corruption of the political and ruling elites coupled with self-aggrandizement plunged the country to this abyss.
Therefore, it tantamount to double standard and arrant hypocrisy when we hear them say “Change Begins with Me”. It should rather begin with them as architects of the change mantra. Our President would have been in any of the tertiary medical health centers at home today. He is abroad because, the standard here is only best for the average and the very poor are left to die.
Ameh is Founder, Generation for Revolutionary Change from Below.
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