Democracy or Enlarged Monarchy? - Your father, Your future

Governor Jonah Jang of Pleateau state appoints son as special assistant on special duties! Osun state Governor appoints Bola Ige’s son, Bisi Akande’s Daughter as commissioner. These are just recent examples of families been perpetuated in government. I want to look at this from an objective point of view and not in any way judgmental.

Are these people constitutionally eligible to be appointed into offices? The answer is yes! Are they qualified in terms of education, work experience and the ability to deliver the dividends of democracy to the citizens? Most likely yes. However are their not other families in those states who are also equally qualified to fill those offices? Most likely yes.

While I congratulate these people on their appointments, I also sincerely wish them well as they attempt to add value to governance.

If our parent’s accomplishment and attainment determines how far we will go, what is your hope and the hopes of the commoners? My father was a proud civil servant. Would I also end up as one ? He gave me education which I am eternally grateful for, but would I one day be selected and honoured as a special assistant on xyz? Not likely!

Do capacities to function in certain offices run exclusively in certain families? I doubt this assumption. At a time, Kanu Nwankwo and Ogbonna Nwankwo were both playing in the National Teams, Sunday Oliseh and Azubuike Oliseh also, if not the cold hand of death that snatched away Iginiwari George, the younger brother of Finidi de ‘ Finito’ George, he would have also played for the Eagles. Altlanta 1996 had Celestine Babayaro and his elder brother Emmanuel Babyaro on the same team. Yes, the Uche brothers are playing for the Super Eagles so why can’t 2 sibblings be in government? Perhaps the best reason why family members excel in certain endeavors of life is that they are exposed to the internal working system from a tender age. Today 2 or 3 of Abedi Pele’s children have featured for various national teams in Ghana, and in all sincerity, those boys are stars.

The bottom line is, if family members have the ability and well withal to deliver result in whatever endeavour they represent the State or Country in, they have my vote. In fact, wouldn’t you rather prefer GEJ with his brother as V.P but with 24hours power supply and good road?

So folks don’t envy the Sarakis, or the Yarduas, or the Tinubus. Envy is pure waste of time. What advantage will you confer on your children? I think that is what we should ponder about.

Asiwaju said “power is not served alacate” i.e. “nobody will give you power, you take it”.