SIMPLICITY BRINGS FAME, OSTENTATION BRINGS NOTORIETY
Mahatma Gandhi,
Simple white robes,
One pair of slippers,
One pair of round metal rimmed glasses,
No automobiles, rode in a borrowed Ford.
Trekked everywhere.
No real estate, no property.
And respected by the world.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt,
Aristocratic upbringing,
Crippled by polio,
But buoyed by politics.
Galvanized the masses,
And laid the foundation of a socialized American society,
Thereby elevating the nation.
John F. Kennedy,
Young, brash, bold, and innovative.
Raised in aristocratic opulence,
But championed equity and justice.
Brought America worldwide empathy, through the Peace Corps.
And paid with his life for championing social justice.
Nelson Madiba Mandela,
Fought injustice with all his might,
Spent the most productive part of his life,
In solitary confinement on Robben Island Gulag.
His sacrifice liberated the nation,
And his distaste for vengeance
Spared South Africa unnecessary bloodshed.
Nigerian politicians,
Raised in poor backgrounds,
Lying and praise singing their ways, into the corridors of power,
Are subsequently rewarded with political and financial patronage.
And ostentatious display of megalomania becomes their mantra.
These Nigerian politicians,
Travel with a coterie of sycophants,
That would rival Mansa Musa of Mali.
Have more automobiles than Mercedes, Nissan, and Chrysler combined.
More concubines than a Turkish Sultan,
And enough jet aircrafts to start an airline.
While the non-Nigerian politicians,
Are famous for their legacies by succeeding generations.
Nigerian politicians,
Are forgotten by succeeding generations,
Except as examples of notoriety, opulence, and misanthropy.
The Nigerian politicians are discarded,
Into the dustbin of history.
Their names crop up occasionally when
Their ostentatious display of bacchanality,
Outlandish parties and obscene funerals
Remind people of their ephemerality.
Most Nigerian politicians come to power without a clear set agenda, so they get carried away, when the allure of money and power starts to drive their decisions. Without a clear vision, the politicians falter and develop self-centered interests that causes them to pursue personal interest above that of the nation. Once corrupted, they see no evil.
Beautiful words, my friend. So well written.
Most Nigerian politicians come to power without a clear set agenda, so they get carried away, when the allure of money and power starts to drive their decisions. Without a clear vision, the politicians falter and develop self centered interest that causes them to pursue personal interest above that of the nation. Once corrupted, they see no evil.
The most profitable business in Nigeria is distribution of common wealth by government agencies who are not checked or supervised by anybody
We need a two track approach- voters and institutions holding the operators to account
You’re on point on this issue. Hopefully we won’t have to wait for another 50 years for good governance.
Nigerian politicians come in with bathroom rubber slippers on an okada and within two years are being chaffeau driven and walking in gold studded shoes from stolen money.