Hitlers of our time

By Samuel Ogunnaike

SIR: It is not truth that matters, but victory. Several decades have now passed, when Adolf Hitler, the catalyst of world war 2, got the world thinking about the paradox of victory and truth. Today, those in elective and appointive positions have beyond doubt demonstrated that they are marked apostles of Adolf Hitler as they recklessly and thoughtlessly practise the Hitler’s quote.

Hitlers are ubiquitous; we can find them in both private and government sectors. As far as they are concerned, victory is all that matters, even if it comes at the cost of the truth. Starting with the politicians, propaganda and mudslinging are permissible, since it is not about the truth, but the victory. Victory for self is the heartbeat of their existence. For them, truth is the enemy of victory. Whatever may be used to communicate the truth should be banned. Journalists may be gagged; TV and radio stations may be cowed. Sometimes, we may need to think twice when we read headlines since the Hitlers are here.

If protest takes place, then, it should not be about the truth. When the youth demand that their leaders deliver on their promises, they may be panned. As far as the Hitlers are concerned, victory, not the truth.  Victory for self is the be-all and end-all. If the poor scream of the endless rise in the prices of common edibles such as tomato, garri, rice and others, they bamboozle them with some advanced economic jargon. As far as they are concerned, it is victory for self and no place for the truth.

They are all at it again – you know them – our politicians. The drumming of support and unification hymns will soon rent the air.  They have again found for us an experienced political spartan, the king – maker of the political space. With him, they say, we are too sure to get to the promised land. Naira may equal dollar, power may never blink, and foodstuffs may go for chicken feed. The god is here, they chant. As far as they are concerned, it is not a matter of truth, but of victory. Not victory for the people, but victory for self.

Sadly, some of the Hitlers are in the temple. You may call them the seers. They are only waiting for the political bell to jingle so they could bring word to the people from the supposed spirit realm. For these ones too, what matters is the victory for the stomach, not the truth. In all, we fall under spell of the sweet talkers, whose concern is basically victory. Victory for self, and nothing but self. The Hitlers of our own time are the politicians to whom truth does not matter, but victory.

• Samuel Ogunnaike,

Lagos.