NIGERIAN POLITICIANS: LOOK YOURSELF AT THE MIRROR BEFORE YOU SPEAK ABOUT 2027
Anthony EKPO BASSEY
In these tense times, when truth trembles and the nation totters, it bears repeating that “when your house is on fire, you don’t chase rats.” Yet here we are in Nigeria, our noble but neglected nation, scarred by spiraling insecurity, sunk in sorrow, and suffocating under surges of senseless violence, while those saddled with stewardship stroll smugly towards 2027.
Sadly, our security situation has not merely worsened, it has slid steadily into a shameful, shocking state. There is no gain saying that from the once-bustling boulevards of Abuja to the battered, broken backroads of the North-West, fear has found a permanent foothold. Citizens now sleep with shaking souls, farmers flee fertile fields, travellers tread timidly through territories threatened by thieves and terrorists. As the elders wisely warn, “A goat does not wander into a lion’s den unless the shepherd is asleep.” And alas, too many so-called shepherds have slipped into a slumber of selfishness.
Moreover, while the nation weeps, our politicians prance proudly, painting posters, plotting primaries, and pushing presidential pipe dreams. Instead of sealing security scars, they are sewing campaign costumes. Instead of calming cries, they are courting coalitions. It is a pitiful performance. Infact, it is a circus of self-centred statesmen chasing shadows while shunning substance.
Come to think of it, politics without peace is like planting on parched, pebbled earth, which amounts to fruitless, foolish, and fated to fail. But in their desperate dash for dominance, some political players conveniently forget that “you cannot shave a man’s head in his absence.” You cannot construct a credible future upon the crumbling foundation of a chaotic present. Leadership is not a seasonal stunt but a serious, steady service requiring courage, clarity, and commitment.
Before boasting about 2027, look yourself at the mirror. See the bloodshed swelling like a black storm. Hear the hushed horror in households held hostage by fear. Feel the frustration fermenting in families fractured by violence. Then ask: What substantial steps have been taken? What sincere sacrifices have been made?
It is obvious that this nation is drowning in banditry, brutality, and brazen boldness from criminals, while governance grows ghostly and governmental grit evaporates. Silence in such seasons is surrender. Nigeria needs leaders who will confront conflicts, not campaign; who will heal hurts, not hoist billboards; who will prioritise people, not political pipelines.
For the future cannot flourish when the present is poisoned. 2027 is but a mirage if 2025 and 2026 melt into mayhem. Politicians must stop playing political ping-pong with the people’s pain.
Remember: “A cracked pot cannot hold water,” and a country cracked by continuous crises cannot carry the colossal weight of electoral fantasies. Secure today before you sell tomorrow.
Let those who seek tomorrow steady the ship today. Let them strengthen security before strategising slogans. Let them mirror their motives, measure their missteps, and mend their morals. Only then can Nigeria rise once more safe, stable, and standing strong.
