Politics and the dearth of compassion
In our society, this image is even worse. Here, people use politics as a stepping stone to acquiring power and wealth. Greed is the main attraction to politics in our society. And selfishness is its cousin as far as the behaviour of politicians is concerned. In other societies, people go into politics to offer genuine […]
In our society, this image is even worse. Here, people use politics as a stepping stone to acquiring power and wealth. Greed is the main attraction to politics in our society. And selfishness is its cousin as far as the behaviour of politicians is concerned. In other societies, people go into politics to offer genuine and selfless service to the people. Are we not scandalized by a situation where a Senator collects N45 million every quarter as salary and allowances while millions of voters are grappling with grinding poverty?
If private individuals are selfish and stingy, you can excuse them because they probably worked hard to acquire their wealth. But politicians that have acquired power and wealth by riding the back of the people have no reason to desert the voters in their our of need. Despite the bad reputation of politics, we still have compassionate and soft-hearted politicians in many societies. It was recently reported that President Barack Obama sorts out thousands of letters from ordinary Americans seeking his direct assistance to overcome financial challenges. According to the report, he sends out cheques to many in critical financial distress. Ironically, Nigerian Senators are paying themselves disproportionately higher than what the revenue commission has officially recommended. They use their power as lawmakers to fix their own salaries and allowances. This is a clear abuse of power and trust; they are getting away with it because of our docility. Each of them collects twice the salary and allowances of an American President, despite the fact that the U.S. is the largest economy in the world.
In our characterization of politicians as selfish, however, we must avoid the temptation of generalization. One is particularly impressed by the generosity of politicians whose kindness goes beyond election period. A case in point is the example of Mohammed Abacha in Kano State who has remained steadfast in his loyalty to the people. He has not abandoned the people because the elections have come and gone. Instead, his doors remain widely open to the ordinary people. While the voters no longer have access to those they supposedly elected into office, Mohammed Abacha has remained their only reliable source of seeking assistance to overcome one financial problem or another. To the ordinary people in Kano State, Mohammed is like an oasis in the desert of despair.
The Ramadan fasting period and the Sallah celebration are events that come with economic challenges for the ordinary people. And the politicians should be in the forefront of demonstrating compassion towards the voters. Disappointingly, during these periods, most of the politicians disappear or make themselves inaccessible to avoid offering help to the downtrodden. Despite the fact that he didn’t realize his gubernatorial ambition under the CPC platform, Mohammed Abacha has remained with the people. Thousands rushed to him for help during the last Ramadan period and the Eidel-Kabir celebration and offered them assistance in different forms. We have a duty to praise the virtue of kindness and deprecate selfishness in our society.
Philanthropy has endeared Mohammed Abacha beyond political borders. He has been assisting people regardless of which political party they belong. It is not enough for our politicians to pay lip service to poverty; practical alleviation of human suffering speaks louder than the rhetoric about how poverty is ravaging the ordinary people.
If Mohammed Abacha had wanted to be selfish, he would have shut his doors against the people as soon as the elections were over. But he didn’t do so because his compassion for the people is sincere. It is ironical that, while those reaping financial rewards from this democracy are running away from the voters after they got into office, a private citizen like Mohammed is the one who has become the pillar of support for the ordinary people. While these elected politicians are living a life of incredible luxury, the voters continue to suffer the daily affliction crushing poverty. While they can afford to acquire the choicest property money can buy and riding the latest cars and Jeeps modern technology can produce, these selfish politicians are shamelessly apathetic to the hardship of those who supposedly gave them the mandate.
Selfishness cannot advance the wellbeing of any society. Compassion should not be limited to private individuals. In fact, the politicians who have acquired wealth on the back of the people’s mandate have a greater moral duty to identify with the voters. Mohammed Abacha’s philanthropic gestures are a moral challenge to selfish politicians who perceive power within the context of meeting their own comfort at the expense of those who gave them the mandate. As a young man with a large heart, Mohammed Abacha has demonstrated that politics can be used for good. In fact, you don’t have to be in power to be good to others. Any politician who continues to identify with the people beyond elections deserves our praise. Mohammed Abacha should be a fountain of inspiration to other politicians. Any sensible politician must recognize the fact that investment in the comfort of the people is the real demonstration of sincerity. It is a potential risk to abandon the people and display wealth acquired at their expense. Like slaves, they may ultimately revolt.
Mohammed, an advocate for good governance and responsible politics, lives at No. 119, Hadejia Road, Kano (E-mail:[email protected])