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”.

A Moment of Happiness

I am generally a very happy fellow. However been with Family and friends makes me super happy. The picture above represents a cross section of my friends. I call them Connected Family. You never have a dull moment when you are in there company.

Talking about hapiness. lets learn from the dictum of the great golfer, Babe Zacharias (June 26, 1911 – September 27, 1956). Her husband wanted to be strong for her when she was on her death bed and dying of cancer but he could not control his emotions and began to cry. Babe said to him gently with as much strength as she could muster - "now honey, don't take on so. While I have been in the hospital, I have learnt one thing. A moment of happiness is a life time, and I have had a lot of happiness".

Now i need to mention someone else who makes me happy daily. My best friend. Perhaps i wont even mention her but display her. After all a picture is worth more than a thousand words.

FAMILY CYCLE

The life- span of a building is pre-determined by the strength of its foundation. A single fault with the foundation of a house might lead to its collapse. Likewise, a cancerous cell in the body system would eventually affect other parts of the body, if the cancerous cell is not detected early enough.

The same way science tells us that , a cell is the smallest unit of life, sociologists say that the family is the smallest unit of a society. Ultimately ,the family institution determines the sanity level of any society .An ideal family should live in a home where values are imbibed into a child .Every family’s role is to mould or shapen a child in the home and the child grows into an adult and give back to their society.

Whatever kind of input an adult contributes to their environment shows what kind of value that has been stuffed into them. Did I hear you say, really? Yes.Dysfunctional homes have been proven by family counselors and psychologists to be majorly responsible for the cases of juvenile crime and all sort of vices in different parts of the world.

If I guessed right ,you are probably thinking, no wonder we have leaders , teachers, officials who are corrupt ,they have no respect for the law and break rules to gratify themselves.
However, I assure you that there is a sure solution and it is quite simple .If only individuals would place high value and make the family institution the highest priority in their lives ,getting rid of self-centeredness or negative attitude in order to satisfy our spouse ,our children , neighbours ,what a peaceful world we will live in.

Imagine a society that is well structured ,where parents live with their children and nurture them in love ,care and support. The children grow as adults valuing other people ,putting others first and with excellent leadership abilities because they have seen their fathers lead their homes successfully.

Probably you are thinking ,is this possible?

First ,take a bold step. Decide that you are going to have a great marriage ,you will not cave in when there are challenges in your home.Once you have made that decision,remember that,”Petit a petit,l’ouseau fait son nid”. This sentence is a french word which means “little by little the bird constructs its nest.

written by Elizabeth Uwazota