Human values , perceptions and expectations globally are changing dramatically , basically because the world because of the internet and information technology has become a ‘ global village’ . The little hand phone has become a mine of information and knowledge such that someone once said that knowledge has become democratized in a way that even universities and professors have no exclusive monopoly as before, over their many disciplines and subjects . To me it is a withering of geography as we know it physically or the disappearance of national borders and boundaries that use to control migrations and immigrations globally . That perspective is the engine room of our discussion today .
In Nigeria the choice of presidential candidates has shown the importance and relevance of both geography and religion in a multiethnic and multicultural nation like ours which, because of a strive for equity and fairness in the distribution of the national wealth and largesse, . cannot afford to ignore its geopolitical zones and spread . Yet it is often forgotten in making national appointments and acknowledging our diversity that values in these various geographical zones vary not only in terms of the six zones as we know them territorially but also in terms of the people and tribes in the constituent entities and nations in each zone . Thus making choices on geographical or religious grounds is just the tip of the iceberg in arriving or achieving a national concensus or understanding on who is or not a fair choice in leading the nation as President or Vice President . This is because though geography matters it comes a close second to culture in fusing a nation because values in various tribes and ethnic groups prevail over anything else in political leadership and expectations .
Today however we look at human values in various settings with the above topic in mind . We examine the issue of security in Nigeria especially with the attack on the Kuje prison facility near Abuja and the visit of the president to the prison thereafter . We examine a rare security alarm by both the US and UK security outfits on the danger posed to global security by the Chinese government under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party . We look at how mendacity is decimating the cabinet system in Britain’s Parliamentary democracy under the collapsing leadership of PM Boris Johnson . We wonder why Nigerians think that a Nigerian politician like Peter Obi a political light weight nationally , can replicate what happened some time in France and Ukraine’s presidential elections , in the coming 2023 presidential elections in Nigeria .
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According to reports the Nigerian president visited Kuje prison after the attack on the facility and complained about the security lapse that led to the attack and flew out to an international conference immediately .This was after a convoy that was going to the president’s hometown of Daura preparatory to Sallah celebrations was attacked by some terrorists . It is my view that the president should be careful in that the terrorists seem to know how to infiltrate our state security network . Reportedly in Kuje , Boko Haram came to release their leaders confined there and reportedly they freed them . These same terrorists have links with those involved in the recent Kaduna train attacks and they still hold hostages while asking that their leaders in prison should be freed and from all indications they seem to know where their leaders are being kept .Which showed that they have inside information on the security of their leaders . That is dangerous for the security of the nation and the president should just fix the loopholes in our security apparatus on his return from the international conference and after Sallah , if not before .As the saying goes -‘ a stitch in time saves nine ‘ and life has no duplicate , especially where presidential and state security are both so precariously involved .
The two leading security outfits of western civilization , the US FBI and UK ‘s M 15 freezed geography literally as their leaders gave a rare joint press conference in London to alert the world on the immense threat to global peace and stability posed by China, its leaders and the governing Chinese Communist Party .They accused China of stealing western technology and interfering in elections both now and in the past in both nations and putting in place strategies and plans to rebuff or contain economic sanctions expected against it , similar to those Russia is suffering from over its invasion of Ukraine , if and when , as expected China attacks or invades Taiwan . The security bosses addressed an assembly of businessmen and warned that global business would be affected as never before if China attacks Taiwan . They conveniently forgot the geography, history and politics of China which holds Taiwan as an integral part of its territory . They also forgot that China is still reeling from the trade sanctions of the Trump presidency and is heaving a sigh of relief that Trump is out of power and China is chummier with the Biden presidency , obviously because of the underhand deals of the US president’s son, Hunter , in both China and Ukraine, a deal not covered by CNN and the anti Trump media in the US both before and after the 2020 US presidential election The two security chiefs seem to have forgotten too that China values law and order more than their own political and ideological systems especially in the US where gender equality , sex , gun rights and abortion have replaced patriotism , good governance and general security .
Similarly in Britain, the PM has lost credibility not only in Parliament but with both his party and the opposition . The issue of sexual harassment by an MP he just appointed has led to the resignation of many of his ministers and his cabinet is about to collapse . Yet the stubborn PM refuses to resign saying he has a great mandate from the electorate and he cannot abandon that now especially now that there is war in Europe in Ukraine . He even tossed geography overboard when he refused to consider a letter from Scotland’s First Minister to reconsider another referendum on Scotland’s Independence saying that the Scots have rejected that recently , and that should stand for now . In Britain where parliament is run mostly on unwritten rules , values and tradition , Boris Johnson poses a great threat to political stability because of his penchant for serial mendacity on many things he has said and declined publicly . I once expressed a grudging respect for his confidence and audacity in the face of many odds but now I fear for his political life as leader in a political system which has little or no respect for leaders who lack scant or no credibility . I think Boris Johnson’s days as UK’S PM are numbered indeed as he juggles lies, amnesia and excuses to remain in power by all means .
Whilst most Nigerians are resigned to a battle royal in the 2023 presidential elections between Atiku of the PDP and the Jagaban who is the front runner and my favourite to win , it is amazing that some people in the social media are touting a political light weight Peter Obi as an alternative . This reminds me of the saying that if wishes were horses beggars would ride cars . This is a man whose negotiations for a running mate has blown up in his face overnight . I think his twitter and mass media supporters are just dreaming of the way that Emanuel Macron emerged from obscurity to become the French president and repeated the feat in his relection this year . Or they watch the Ukranean President too much on CNN and relish the fact that he was a mere TV actor before getting elected as president unbelievably in Ukraine before the Russian invasion of his country . But is that possible in Nigeria ? I say no , categorically because Nigeria is immensely different and more diverse than both France and Ukraine in many respects . Nigeria is very much ‘ work in progress’ and the presidential candidates of the two major parties know the nation like the back of their hands and I believe that the Jagaban can fix many of our problems especially those of security , geography , and the economy , . This is because , as I have written recently , of his experience in governance and leadership in Lagos state which houses Nigeria’s commercial capital . Lagos is mini Nigeria and is a place where millions of Nigerians flock daily to’ find gold on the streets ‘ of Lagos like the young William Whittington sought for on the streets of London in the famous English fable , ages ago .The Jagaban , if given the opportunity at the polls will fix Nigeria’s many political potholes and security minefields , because he has the experience of keeping Lagos safe and secure for booming business for all Nigerians irrespective of their state of origin , religion , geographical extraction and security concerns . For once , I believe, with him at the helm , we are about to get it right and move on . This certainly is not a time for extravagant experiment with political minions or lightweights , who generate even more security risks and concerns , than opportunities or experience to get us out of the rot we are dismally struggling in, for now . A word , certainly , is enough for the wise .