THE PROFESSIONAL POLITICIANS IN LAGOS ASK AMBODE: NA PROJECT WE GO CHOP?

THE PROFESSIONAL POLITICIANS IN LAGOS ASK AMBODE: NA PROJECT WE GO CHOP?

On a recent visit to my home state of Imo, I was dumbfounded. From Sam Mbakwe 'International' Airport to the Owerri city centre, a distance of about 35 kilometers, less than 20% of the billboards that littered the roadsides was about any product or service the people were being wooed to patronize. There were no concerts or shows that the people were being invited to attend.

Every few meters of the road has been taken over by billboards proclaiming all kinds of characters with jaw-breaking titles. Each of the characters claims that he will be our next president, governor, senator, member of the House of Representatives or of the State Assembly. Name it! It is bewildering. You need to see the billboards; all kinds of colour combinations and all sizes.

The only groups still managing in any way to compete with the political advertising are the churches.

No too long ago, the biggest business in the land was not politics but 419. With digital technology, 419, the analogue type, is no longer lucrative. Now, how do you dupe anyone by fraudulently claiming to be the Governor of the Central Bank, the MD of NNPC or the Minister of Finance with Google on every smart phone? The real photos of anyone of any significance are today in living colour, on Google. Phone numbers can now be tracked with a lot more ease and with BVN, ownership of bank accounts is no longer the mystery it used to be.

You think all the 419ers repented or disappeared? No sir!

You know the origin of the term, conman? It is confidence man!  The guy who confidently sells anything to you, regardless of how farfetched it is. A dedicated conman has a way with words. He can convince you that black is white and blue is red. He can prove to you that there are millions and billions were in fact there is not one kobo. He is usually a fast and sweet talker and almost always wants to impress you with his loud and expensive dressing and big car. Conmen and modesty do not go hand in hand.

When the analogue form of 419 deemed, where did the 419ers of that era go? My guy, they went into the ministry! Please, I am not talking of Ministry of Works or Ministry of Education. The 419ers learnt a few passages in the bible, became ministers of the gospel, started their own churches and began to collect tithes and offerings. Just check what it takes to be a successful 'Man of God' in today's clime? A fast-talking husky voice, some blink-blink dressing and a big ride that makes all the 'yellow sisi' sisters congregate around you and show who ever cares to look that real heaven is in those huge soft lumps in their bra.

The real problem is that the Men of God have run out of exotic names for their churches. The business is no longer booming like before especially with the down-turn in the economy. The blue-chip churches like Redeemed, Winners, Christ Embassy and co have practically cornered the market. They have mustered their substantial capital, set up branches everywhere, deployed the economy of scale and digital communication to take over most of the people who are ready to contribute tithes and offerings for the God that answereth by fire. Tell you the truth, most of the one building churches are struggling.

Here comes party politics Nigerian style! Nowhere are the attributes of the conman more deployable: a fast-talking husky voice, some big agbada dressing and maybe a red cap to match, a big ride and some yellow sisters in tow. Politics has become the biggest enterprise in today's Nigeria! Today, around the country, there will be several stock exchanges where the highest bidder gets the primary tickets of the major parties.

Nigeria is one of the few countries in the world where you ask a young man what his profession is and he would look you in the eye and say, "I am a politician" He is not a doctor or lawyer or engineer or musician or carpenter or bricklayer. He is a politician and that is how he earns a living. My guy has no ideology or philosophy and no interest in the well being of the people. His interest is money, not for the people but for himself. He can belong to three different parties in three months.

Just before Babatunde Fashola left Lagos, the biggest complaint against him was not from the people of Lagos he swore to serve. The people of Lagos were happy with Fashola but the politicians were very unhappy with him. Fashola was doing projects for the people instead of sharing money to the politicians. According to the politicians, "Na project we go chop?"

Akinwunmi Ambode is probably Nigeria's most admired governor today. He has been busy working for the people of Lagos. His footprints are everywhere. He has done so well that members of his party don't want to see him anywhere near the Alausa Governor's office again! According to them, "Na project we go chop?" If Ambode did not build one road in Lagos and gave no one a job and shared all the money of Lagos amongst the professional politicians, he would not have had to worry about the APC ticket today. It is a trajedy.

All over the country, the Nigerian people are faced with this brand of corrosive politics that is about to sink the country. It is about the professional politicians and not about the people. The party primary system taken over by conmen has made our democracy a joke. If Ambode was to contest elections today in Lagos against Sanwo Olu, the guy the politicians in APC want for Lagos, I have no doubt that Ambode will dust Sanwo Olu black and blue. Question is how does Ambode win the primaries and contest the elections when the professional politicians are asking, "Na Project we go chop?"

See you next week.