Silence of the Lamb
That was what Lagosians and indeed Nigerians did during the governorship and state assembly elections. They voted apathy as a collective but silent protest at the ‘funny’ things that have been going on in the name of elections. This caricature that we are seeing is nothing but an embarrassment as we throw ourselves out to the world as an unserious country. Killings, looting, rape, plunder and all sorts of mischievous things have been the lot of Nigerians as we attempt to choose our leaders. What we have seen has been a very high level of incompetence and crass malaise as Nigerians voted and that is why in my estimation, a majority chose to stay put in their homes instead of being a part of this mess. Look, very early that morning, I woke up and went to my polling unit and met only six people. Over 500 registered and voted during the Presidential Elections and a deluge was expected this time around. Till I left, only six people had come out. The agent to one of the major parties suggested that they went to the PHCN office to ask them to switch off power so that people could come out. That was how frustrating it was for those who want to continue to lord it over us even though they have nothing to offer. As I left, I decided to tour Shomolu and I kid you not, all 12 units I visited witnessed the same shame: empty and deserted. Even at one station, they were playing football and I smiled at the ‘unity’. PDP and APC agents, INEC Officials and policemen were involved to kill the boredom.
Despite this apathy our overlords are dancing around town, backslapping and congratulating one another for winning an election where 80 per cent of the qualified voters were not interested and did not vote. The symbolism of this lost in the euphoria of wickedness that trails their every move. The good thing about all of this is the fact that at least we have wobbled and fumbled ourselves into another civilian to civilian transition without break thereby extending civil rule. So with that I smile, but if for nothing, this whole exercise can be described in one word – crap.