National politics would always be a beckoning graveyard for Rivers political leaders who are following the allure of being in Abuja after their tenure.
They have never passed the qualifying exam, because they think stacks of cash, personal ambition, and grotesque intrigues, can bestow national presence on them at the expense of the Rivers people’s needs.
National politics has its allure, no doubt, and it’s momentary bragging rights, plus low-hanging fruit temptation for the politicians.
At least some nominees from their stable will be jerked up to board members, ambassadorial postings, etc., even displacing qualified persons. But do they remember that those perks are mere cosmetics?
Rivers State would be better if their economy was improved, made sustainable, and stood on its own rather than on droplets from the dinner table, which is what you have access to now.
They assume that local profiling, and their “tigritude” status in Port Harcourt ,can be photocopied to the center. No. No. No.
The rest of Nigeria knows the indices, and welcomes our ego, pride, and money, as mere glittering fragments, and baits to hook our guys taste, and lead them to self destruct.
We do not have a population figure that can tilt a national election to victory, nor the benefit of political elders at the top, to push our cases, when such mighty men and “owners of Nigeria” meet behind closed doors.
When the majority and power blocs in Nigeria are ready, they will always dash anyone, anybody, any lucky person, from here power, without an effort, without a fight, without a “godfather.”. Cases in the far past, and near past are signposts.
Ambition, aspiration, and noise, had never given any politician from here his political need, because it does not amount to an asset base.
Over the years, in spite of their annual pilgrimage to Abuja, they hadn’t even deployed their huge earnings to any economic productive venture back home.
To date, there are no farms, companies, outlets, or even chains of businesses linked to them at home.
They had not provided daily economic employment, or even pushed their vuvuzelas into influential positions nationally.
Events had made me declare to Rivers Politicians, a welcome to your graveyard, located in national politics, if you fail to bring economics involving investments back home.
Past question papers, alliances, permutations, scheming, and intrigues, plus cash, won’t give anyone from here a respectable dominant national profile, except a mere errand boy political position.
If you are not dashed power, by them, their undertakers will gladly show you an open grave. When you don’t bring things home to ignite economic activities for our people, you will be like this power outlet: overloaded, overburdened, over and non effective.
●Blessing Wikina, a retired Director of Information with the Rivers State Government, writes from Port Harcourt.
