Uche Ekwunife: the Precipice in the abyss of hope, can she succeed this plot? Part 3 By Oby Nwadiogbu

Nigerian Political system is quite characterized with a host of huddles of higgledy-piggledy! You are not wrong if you conclude so quickly that it is full of uncivil activities with all its permutation and combination; into violence and its entire fracas. It is significant to note that it is actually the survival of the fittest! It leaves more or less little to be desired as most often, it leads to death of the masses, which fall victim of one thing or the other due to circumstances beyond description.

It would not be too costly to conclude that Nigerian citizens are good in shunting and breaking rules. It would not be out of place to conclude convincingly that when they are out to do something in a right way or correct approach, they are sinew quo non per excellence with definite ingenuity. This implies that some go into power through rough and hack ways defiling the creeds of politics. Asking what makes such people to indulge; they wouldn’t be ready enough to articulate what brought about such tussle in a do or die affair lore. But an observer may conclude with bravado that fear is the matter. As San Suu Kyi puts it:

“It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.”

– Aung San Suu Kyi

The outrageous acrimony associated with Politics in Nigeria leaves many with goose pimple that one may lose his life on the course and may not be guaranteed to secure the ticket yet with much casualty. There is no “I wash my hands in innocence, that I had gone about to get my ticket to be voted for to serve my people”. This is crystal clear as it has defiled the etiquette of politicking because of “winners to it all”.

Seeing a woman in such a jungle of gladiators of the Nigerian Politics brings frenzy and ooze of tantrum, the enigma of life. It is now a general philosophy that what a man can do; a woman can do it perhaps better for exceptional women. It is this light that a woman with the heart of man Hon. Uche Ekwunife found herself in the gulf of ‘Guinea’, to do what? One may ask. Your guess is as good as mine. Yet she sees perhaps what other may not see. Does it really fit her? What is her confidence? Yet a voice is in support of Hon. Uche Ekwunife for Senate 2015. What actually is her alacrity?

“We have faith in the power to change what needs to be changed but we are under no illusion that the transition from dictatorship to liberal democracy will be easy, or that democratic government will mean the end of all our problems.” – Aung San Suu Kyi

History had left us perplexed on the number of lives and notable Nationalist and Philanthropists as well as nominal citizens in pursuit of ideal democracy. We know them in thousands. Could Hon. Uche Ekwunife be the precipice in the abyss of hope in time like this? In the situation too difficult for men to enter and come out with results, Uche Ekwunife takes her precipice to bring up hopes and opportunities from the gulf of hopelessness to the abyss full of hopes. I have no doubt about the monumental achievements she had made for herself at the House of Representative. little of is when she gave Federal jobs to over or around 300 males and females under her Constituency. Who among her counterparts had done this?

Let me conclude with the words of San Suu Kyi that we have faith in the power to change what needs to be changed if we vote in Hon. Uche Ekwunife and we are not under illusion that the transition of Hon. Ekwunife would be all that easy and still she is able to go up to Senate to bring democratic dividend to the grassroots if elected. But the current tussle to deny her the ticket is not fare as women should have their uncontroversial slot. Let all concerned stakeholders remember that women have their roles to play in our 21^st century Nigerian Politicking. Give this precipice of hope to go to this abyss and bring forth our portion, for you would be glad you did. Her records speak volume!

 Nwadiogbu is the Executive Director, Campaign Against illiteracy, low enrollment and widowhood empowerment Initiative