By Oluwasore Alabi
A lot of Nigerians, especially the youth, see politics and the electoral process as a child’s play that is not to be taken seriously. This is very concerning because this is one of the major ways citizens’ voices can be heard and opinions considered. Politics and the whole democratic process around it are an integral part of society. This is the time when people make the decision to choose their representatives in government. It may seem like your voices aren’t heard or your opinions don’t matter, but they actually do. Your collective opinions do matter, and the fact that people think they don’t is what limits the reach of the people’s voices.
Politics is not being taken seriously because of the high level of electoral malpractice in the country. It’s so bad that people date the last free and fair election back to the Third Republic. When people speak their minds, it seems like an insult to the government. When people protest, it looks like a life threat to the government. So, how then do people want to believe that their voices matter? In a country practicing democracy, it feels more like a title than a process. Under such conditions, it will be very hard to take politics seriously.
Nigerian citizens, your voices can be heard through collective planning and strategizing. You can build the nation if the government doesn’t want to. Reform your mindset so you can reform the government. You don’t just need good leaders; rather, you need an innovative system. Sitting and waiting didn’t work, so why not take a stand? Politics is not a joke, especially in a multi-party democratic state. Make your choice with the mindset that the person has the capacity to make changes. If your candidate doesn’t end up winning, make sure you still work towards the betterment of the country. The goal is a better Nigeria.
