From the political tragic-comedy that unfolded in the political topography called Nigeria, in the year 2017, the prevailing harsh economic situation in the country, a state of depression (or is it a recession) designed by yet to be established architects and unfulfilled change premised, I published a piece in August that year, titled; Caging the demagogues in our political space.
Essentially, the piece in question was inspired by a new orientation and shaped by fiscal, sociological, political and communal happenings in the country; coupled with the pockets of ethno-religious upheavals and misgivings from one region against another or powerful personalities against each other.
It reads in part: “They were voted to provide good and qualitative leadership; elected to bring the nation’s economy out of the woods and were chosen to bring democracy’s dividends to the people. But, instead of providing the lavishly promised and highly expected leadership, they visited the masses with cluelessness and utopia. Instead of reviving the comatose economy, they threw it further down into recession and instead of bringing dividends of democracy, they democratised poverty, institutionalised unemployment and ‘governmentalised’ hopelessness and frustration. They are not authentic leaders but demagogues.”
After about four years, the piece was published. The questions were: How correct were those assertions/ issues/and concerns mentioned in the piece? Have those factors that impeded political and socio-economic development of our nation identified in the piece still alive and active? Do we truly have demagogues masquerading as politicians/public office holders? Are all politicians in the country guilty as charged?
Apart from the fact that those Nigerians, who were initially deceived by the change mantra of the present administration, have finally realised that nothing has changed, the greater reality Nigerians now worry about, going by commentaries, is the way the present Federal Government and states approach the job of leadership.
It has become obvious that many so-called public office holders want to be worshipped by everybody, even when their impact is not positively felt and their office is devoid of service and almost free of responsibility. This unrealistic expectation, wrong appreciation of leadership and the disordered approach designed to stand democracy on its head and undermine a government of the people by the people and for the people, which is supposed to be generally open to public scrutiny, has created political shortcomings in the country. It does not only disjoint the nation’s amalgams, but also weakens the masses reverence for public office. But there is an exception as there will always be an exception.
From the ashes of leadership hopelessness and years of public office hemorrhage in the country came Samuel Ioraer Ortom, the incumbent Executive Governor of Benue State, a much more charming personality with singleness of purpose.
Governor Ortom has been in the news not as a demagogue, but as an authentic leader that daily demonstrates a passion for his job, practical leadership values and consistently led the people of Benue state with his heart, as well as his head.
Before going further into comparative analysis to establish what qualifies him as exceptional and why this opinion got fixated by his leadership qualities, even at a time that the nation is going through the pangs of and ravaged by security challenges, it is necessary to first, underline who a demagogue is and what differentiates him from an authentic leader.
A demagogue as defined by Wikipedia “is a person who seeks political support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument. The Merriam Webster dictionary sees a demagogue as a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and purposes in order to gain power.
From the above, one striking take is that demagogues are not restricted to our 774 local government areas or the 36 states of our federation. They are all over the earth’s surface. They share one common denominator. They do not have the interest of the people at heart. They do not contemplate providing security and a robust economy, which are the two major responsibilities of any democratically elected government, but are engrossed with holding on to the people’s commonwealth. They are reputed for using people to further their own ends. Their antics involve intimidation. They are sly and get things done by lying or other dishonest means. They could be likened to an evil wind that blows no nation or state any good. The only attribute that is Nigeria-specific is that the ones that operate here are hyper unrefined, non-constructively brazen and stunning in audacity.
With this fact highlighted, the piece moves away from attributes that constitutes a demagogue to finding particulars that stands a creative leader like Ortom out.
At a time everyone is keeping quiet in the face of the deteriorating security situation in the country, Ortom has become reputed for speaking truth to the government at the centre. He has decided to be on the side of the people, having recognised that sovereignty belongs to the people.
The reasons why Ortom’s actions and utterances must be documented and celebrated by the watching world are obvious. First, it is coming at a time when someone outspoken, with a different set of ideas, values or organising techniques, is often viewed as ‘the enemy within’. Also what makes his actions historic is the fact that it is happening in a country where constructive debate is often seen as unnecessary, messy and divisive; where debate over differing political ideas and strategies is perceived as destructive to the nation’s interest.
By rising in stout defence of his people at a time when other state governors have become more conservative and conscious in their political utterances and strategies, when open discussion is seen as a challenge to the nation’s leadership hierarchy, Ortom has become an institution where the world can now learn the art and science of public leadership.
In truth, the name Ortom now means different things to different people. It seems that he has taught other state goverors that bearing the tag ‘Excellency’ does not confer excellence or greatness to anyone, but requires hard work and consistency to be outstanding ad recognised.
In the same vein, while Nigerians youths see the governor as a leader they can trust and look up to or emulate, the people of Benue on their part views him as a unifying factor, especially now that he has succeeded in uniting all the ethnic groups in the state against their common enemy: killer herdsmen.
To some socio-political commentator, he is ‘Ortom the Tough’
For me, I have learnt from the Benue State governor that ‘human relations must be encouraged in the right direction. That any act of negation or denial can lead society to anarchy, chaos and unwanted societal conflict which of course, would be detrimental to human peaceful co-existence.’
•Utomi is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Public Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy.
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