On the election of last Saturday

“The leader of a nation is their servant”. This statement was made over a thousand four hundred and forty years ago by the Prophet Islam, Prophet Muhammad. Thus in Islamic civilization, positions of power is trusts from the Almighty; they are not meant for the acquisition of wealth and material comforts; they are not meant […]

“The leader of a nation is their servant”. This statement was made over a thousand four hundred and forty years ago by the Prophet Islam, Prophet Muhammad. Thus in Islamic civilization, positions of power is trusts from the Almighty; they are not meant for the acquisition of wealth and material comforts; they are not meant to platform for the oppression of the masses. It is this statement that has served as a fountain for the notion of the Servant-Leader in contemporary geo-politics.

In other words, the whole idea of the Servant-Leader, which has, of recent, gained traction in parts of the country, is meant to situate political authorities where they properly belong. It is designed to remind the sovereign that political powers are ephemeral, transient and extremely slippery. Whenever a Muslim finds himself at the helms of affairs of a nation, he is expected to focus not only on the promotion of the welfare of the larger percentage of the populace but equally dedicate every moment he spends in office to the worship of the Almighty,

Last Saturday marked another milestone in our country’s march towards good governance. Nigerians trooped out in their multitude to elect, once again, those the “law” refers to as senators and members of House of Representatives. These are men and women who would be enacting laws for the governance of the country. Thus Nigerians stood for hours under the sun in order to discharge this civic duty; in order that they might give practical effect to the Quranic injunction which disapproves of neutrality in the struggle for the promotion of that which is good (al-Ma’ruf) and the negation of that which is evil (al-Munkar).

Standing under the sun last Saturday thus became a religious duty, a command from the Almighty. As they stood under the sun and waited under improvised encampments, my compatriots did not know exactly what the Almighty had in stock for them all. Most of them were anxious and agitated; most of them were apprehensive. Majority of those who voted last Saturday did not have their names on the ballot. They came out to vote not to be voted for. Thus the question came to my mind- what explanation might we deduce for this from the hadith of our leader?

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once related a parable to his companions in which he compared those who obey God’s commands to those who do not. As far as, the Prophet was concerned, humanity in a given socio-political milieu can be likened to a people “who draw lots for seats in a ship.” Some of them got seats in the upper part, and the others in the lower part of the ship. When the latter needed water, they had to go up to bring water (and that troubled the others), so they said, ‘Let us make a hole in our part of the ship (and get water) and save those who are above us (and ourselves) from the trouble of going up and down”’ If the people in the upper part were to leave them to do what they suggested, all the people of the ship would be destroyed, but if they prevented them, both parties would be safe.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 3, Hadith).

The ballot box and by extension, democracy can be likened to that “ship” referenced above. It has become, despite the arguments to the contrary and despite its inner fractures and fissures, the doxa of our time. Two weeks ago, I recalled the statement of Adolf Hitler to the effect that “sooner will a camel pass through a needle’s eye than a great man be “discovered” by an election”. But if what is preferable is not available, the available becomes preferable. Thus I congratulate my compatriots who sacrificed their time in the pursuit of the good life for us all. I adulate and appreciate my fellow Nigerians who cast their ballots in favour of the ‘New Nigeria’.

But last Saturday did one other thing- it reminded me of the elections of 1993 which returned Alhaj M. K. O Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe as President and Deputy-president-elect of our country. I found myself in that bustling city of possibilities as a Youth Corp Member. I eventually was given the opportunity to participate in the Electoral process as a Returning Officer in Onitsha North Local Government. As it is today, so it was then. The pride we derived in presiding over the fate and the fortune of our country was such that no monetary reward could attenuate. As I stood amidst the crowd counting the ballots that day, I remembered George Bernard Shaw’s words: “This is the true joy in life – being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy”.