Ochanja Bloody Podium; Playing The Politics Without Selling Your Soul

OGBUEFI COMR HARRIS CHUMA

Politics is a dirty word, but politics is unavoidable; as Aristotle noted, “Man is by nature a political animal”. Whether you participate in them or not, politics have a big influence on what happens to you, so it’s hard to be indifferent. 

In my considered opinion, politics can be understood as the unwritten rules that determine who gets what, when, and how. This is why we dislike politics so much: when our fate depends on unwritten rules — especially when they conflict with official, stated rules and make the system seem rigged or at least hypocritical — things are bound to seem arbitrary and unfair.

Bad politics are pretty easy to identify. They include the wrangling; maneuvering, sucking up, backstabbing, and rumour mongering people use to advance themselves at the expense of other people or the state. Bad politics are, at the heart, about promoting oneself by any means necessary. And really bad politics are about being sneaky, perhaps even Machiavellian or immoral, to intentionally harm someone else for personal gain. While good politics, on the other hand, involve advancing one’s interests but not to the neglect of other people’s rights or the state’s legitimate interests.

Just few days ago, Anambra woke up to behold the barbecuing of human flesh at Ochanja Market occasioned by a malfunctioned truck loaded with premium motor spirit (petrol). The vehicle lost control and wrecked havoc on the state. Since the unfortunate incident occurred, desperate politicians in the state have mischievously set up a bloody podium at Ochanja undisguised, they have turned the bloody scene to political campaign ground; shamelessly they walk shoulder high on the streets of Onitsha making political statements and promising to resurrect the dead. They smile, wink and wave at the mourning crowd shamelessly. Even the unfortunate political office holders, who were blindly elected to serve the bereaved, went on a frenzy celebrating the blood littered streets, callously stuttering, and posing as the messianic heroes, who have come to salvage the dark moment.

The early birds, guber campaigners, saw the ugly mishap as an avenue to discredit the hardworking Governor of the state. They rejoice in their folly, with dozens of media handlers at the scene; every bit of their moves were captured, and widely celebrated just to sell their dirty wares to the unsuspecting public ahead of the Anambra governorship elections.

Dirty politics is when you offer your bloody handkerchief to mock our existence, to deceive, and plant seed of hatred, and discord. Dirty politics is when you politicize a fatal event such as the Ochanja inferno just to massage your ego and rundown a man who would never hurt a fly, who never wished his people evil, who would rather keep awake to ensure Anambra is peaceful and well secured. One, who has changed the face of governance, achieved positive results and distinctive grades in all sectors.

It’s simply petty to rob the unfortunate incident on the government of the day. It’s simply bad politics to posit that Chief Willie Obiano led government does not have human face, too bad to run campaigns of deceit, misinforming the public without acknowledging the glaring government’s determined effort to restore the glory of Anambra, to right the wrongs of the past, and set the state on the path of greatness. Posterity steers at everyone, the measure you deploy today is quite noted, archived and will be unearthed in due season.

Fortunately, not all politics are bad, and there’s a way to play the game without selling your soul. Let it be known that Anambra people are not blind, nor deaf to the great works of Governor Willie Obiano. Stop shying away from shouldering our collective burden, stop politicizing the huge tears on our cheeks, stop celebrating our moment of grief on the bloody podium of Ochanja Market square.

May God heal our hearts, speedily!

Ekenem!

Ogbuefi Comr Harris Chuma writes from Awka, Anambra State.