2023: Nigerians and season of trading integrity for harlotry 

By Kaanti Ernen

The season when the wind of practical politics blow Nigerian politicians from one political camp to another is here again; a season for replay of political comedy of errors. A season for floor crossing also referred to as carpet crossing. The wind has already started blowing men from one political association to another as it is usually common during election season. At least they have the right to do so. But could the practice be easily found in our political threshold as it is today if there were restrictions or better still, if men had kept their integrity sacrosanct? May be we need to find out.

When l picked my pen to write the message l intend to pass across in this article, l almost entitled it “Plethora of civilization and the trouble with Nigerian politics”.

However, I thought otherwise and decided that l should rather give a different title and then pick the aforementioned as a prime suspect so as to probe it in order to establish its culpability or accompliceness in the complication of the political destiny of Nigeria and then, if possible,  interrogate the future for democracy and society-based politics in the country.

Some time ago, as a student in one of the public high institutions in the country, that are also approaching something near spiritual death as an aftermath of the traded integrity, I saw one of my class mates who doubled as my close friend with  a piece of paper with and inscription that read, “The problematic nature of humanity is as a result of plethora of civilization.” As a student with high curiosity on issues of the English language,  l hung all my interest on the inscription until l  was able to assume a universal meaning from it in concrete terms. It was until then that l incubated some level of believe that the superfluity of freedom could be dangerous. 

It is more rational to believe that, prior to the day the British Colonial masters pronounced Nigeria a sovereign state that sent Nigerians agog, they (the colonial masters) saw them (Nigerians) in the spectacles of integrity and willingness to drive to loftier hieghts on the wheels of that freedom to rule thier territory by themselves. Nigerians were happy because they looked around and could see a soceity full of natural credentias that found expressions in human and material forms that would be utilized for immediate and future domestic comfort. That comfort was going to be achieved by simple means of  equality,  fairness, credibility and chiefly integrity and selflessness. The simple question goes thus, is that human integrity still here with Nigerian politicians or did it pack its luggage and follow the colonial masters as they went after granting what turned out to appear, at least in recent times, like a convoluted scheme for leadership hegemony like some may say? A question to be answered by any one as it suits them.

One may ask that if the integrity in any case, is still here, why then is it that some Nigerian politicians on discovering that the political party they appeared to had initially shared in its ideology does not place them at the forefront as the anchor during election, they sway to another in the stead of joining forces and building on the solid foundations of the party? Why do they find it difficult to understand that by embarking on this act of self-oriented and retrogressive political parties tourism, they are rather dressing themselves and their followers in the robes of irresponsibility and visionlessness?

These are some of the probing questions that tempt me, like any other person perhaps, to believe that integrity has eluded the political universe in this part of the world. And a sympathetic citizen will feel  l feel very uneasy as I ponder within my concerned heart the very possible time when we all as a people in a nascent democray like Nigeria can undergo attitudinal or mentality renaissance and drag integrity into our political domain which is an ally to true leadership, selflessness and patriotism. Nigeria as a geographical expression represents the people there in and so cannot do anything on its own as a political macrocosm but the people so if integrity and commitment of soul and the will  are commonplaced then it is no doubt that much can be achieved. 

I am not in any way standing against freedom. I love freedom and l promote it in anyopportunity and that is exactly what l am doing here. And any true lover of freedom should be able to unmistably identifyit when he /she it. In the words of the iconic Nelson Mandela, “…for to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”

But can we not now say that the superfluity of this freedom as it allows some misguided elements arbitrarily hop from one political party to another is  rather bringing complications for us as human beings? I think yes. Yes because the ruthless and unchecked political migration in the Nigerian political landscape today is very difficult to be seperated from lawlessness as probably ushered in by the so called freedom of association and freedom to belong to any political party of one’s own choice at anytime.

Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 provides as follows: Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any association for the protection of his interests. 

The provision in this section unfortunately brings about the vicious practice of political opportunism which I see as a fine misbehaviour because,  when a political fugitive runs to a political where it offers him/her and asylum he quickly conspired and swindle the possibility of the less financially andvantaged, then it is given them ideal of not focusing on building integrityand trust but rather aggressive selfish pedestrianisation of wealth and political participation. Can we not now say that this is too much of freedom?

This practice is sickening to democracy at the least of its calamitous effects. However,  in as much as it is rearing its venomous arrow head, all hope is not lost.

It can be smashed overnight only and only if the people nursing it come to  take a little time to punder the cause under which they foster it. The political parties can save the future of democracy by making laws that will at least map out a duration after which and time during which one can or cannot cross carpet because even if thier integrity does not mean much to them, that of Nigeria as a macrosm of the microcosms is sacrosanct and needs to be regarded as such.

While the electorate can also lampoon such politically unstable tourists at the times election as a demonstration of their dismissive posture to carless floor crossing,  lNEC as a body can also make policies that are highly unfriendly to such practice. To cap it all, the national legislative chambers of the House of Representatives and the Senate can also add a legislative voice against this undignified tradition.

For it is only through this path that we can tread to the dungeon where the disinherited integrity is lying helplessly and rescue it remembering that, the anathema that demands for the hands of the murderers of demogracy has not lost its terror.

Kaanti Ernen was born in 1988 to the family of Kaanti Tyokever in Mbavuur, Gambe Tiev, Logo LGA, Benue State. He holds diploma in mass communication at the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo. He also holds Bachelors Degree in Arts in mass communication from the prestigious University of Nigrria Nsukka. He is a prolific writer of opinion articles, fiction and nonfiction books. He is the author of ‘Sour Taste in Neighbourhood’ — fiction and core  author of ‘Benue Our Pride’ — non-fiction. (Presently in Press).