By PROMISE ADIELE

The land is tense with stretched adrenaline. Emotions rise and fall, turgid one second, withdrawn and flaccid the next minute, like the revered masculine instrument of biological, virile expression. Voices are croaked and hoarse from much talking and arguments. Relationships are strained as friends, neighbours, and colleagues become enemies. Uncertainty hovers all over the Nigerian hemisphere like a thick cloud holding the fury of thunder, lightning and rain in its bosom. Insults fly about with reckless abandon. Fake news is the order of the day, some of them, evidence of an apparent lack of knowledge.

Desperation and despair are the new faces of humanity in these parts. Ignorance in human form saunters in and out of various news outlets and WhatsApp platforms with impunity. The whole atmosphere is charged towards Nigeria’s D-Day, the 25th day of February 2023. These conditions are expected considering that the country is going through a metamorphosis. Do you remember metamorphosis? I first heard the word in JSS 1 when my Integrated Science teacher drummed it into our ears as the process whereby an insect or an amphibian transforms from an immature stage to a more mature stage. I gleefully remember the stages – egg, larva, pupa and imago. Today, metamorphosis means something different to me.

Nigeria is on the cusp of metamorphosing from one stage to another. Saturday the 25th of February signals the commencement of that process. Call it a process of redemption and you will be hitting the bull’s eye. The country is long overdue for metamorphosis, to transform from its perilous and dreadful conditions to more egalitarian, desirable and livable conditions. Millions of youths across the country are convinced that the country is a victim of callous and irresponsible leadership therefore, they are ready to chase those who are guilty of these atrocious conditions away, the old, despicable demagogue who emblematize everything negative in the country. But other people desperately wish the old order to continue so that while other countries are matriculating to a new order, our country should retrogress into the abyss of forlorn hopelessness.

Thus, there is a conflict between the old Nigeria represented by those who wish that the country should not metamorphose and those earnestly wishing that the country should metamorphose and change from the old order to a new one. Is a New Nigeria possible?

The poster boy for a New Nigeria is Mr Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate. Millions of youths and the young at heart believe that he represents the new face of a country battered, lacerated, and bludgeoned beyond redemption by a coterie of beguiling, double-dealing old politicians. In many ways, Obi inevitably represents the next stage of Nigeria’s metamorphosis which is different from the old stage. Nigerians, tired of the old order are desperately yearning for a new beginning with Peter Obi at the forefront. Their convictions are not misplaced. They are based on Obi’s verified background, character, competence, and sincerity.

Currently, there is preponderance of opinions within the international community that with Obi, Nigeria would have metamorphosed into the next stage successfully. However, metamorphosis can happen in two ways, at least in the 21st century. An organism can metamorphose into a new negative stage worse that the former stage. That is what will happen to Nigeria if the old political dinosaurs in the country succeed on Saturday. Boys, girls, fathers, mothers, the young and old, every Nigerian has been a victim of colossal economic loss which enunciates poverty across the land. Insecurity has claimed the lives of many people. Primitive accumulation of wealth by slimy characters in the corridors of power redefines the culture of avarice. Economic sabotage and stealing of the Nigerian commonwealth are the new normal in the country. Nigerians deserves better.

The days leading to Nigeria’s important election are worrisome due to the attitude and personal disposition of Muhammadu Buhari. To be clear, Buhari understands the conditions in the country but is bound by an inexplicable moral burden to openly do the bidding of the devil, the suzerain ruler of the kingdom of perdition. However, it appears that Mr President is playing hide and seek in the name of politics. In one breath, he enjoins Nigerians to vote for whoever they like and, in another instance, he tells Nigerians to vote for the candidate of his party, APC. Given the experiences of millions of Nigerians under APC in the last eight years, Buhari’s endorsement of any political office seeker is a huge disservice to that candidate.

Millions of Nigerians will abandon a political office seeker the moment Buhari identifies with that candidate. Nigerians are not stupid. Unfortunately, some disoriented fellows rejoice and celebrate because Buhari endorsed their candidate. In the same breath, they blame Buhari for the currency redesign policy because they argue it is targeted against their corrupt, morally deficit candidate. Where then do we place Buhari?

I think Mr President is playing games which no one understands. With his naira redesign policy, he has arm-twisted political jobbers, vote-buyers, and those who starched the old currency in billions to buy their way to Aso Rock. At the same time, millions of Nigerians have been plunged into hardship and dire conditions arising from the naira redesign policy. The consolation for Nigerians is that the APC hellfire experience is coming to an end and must come to a deserved end.

It is annoying that the same APC governors and political wayfarers shouting and shredding themselves due to the naira redesign policy have been quiet since Buhari made disobeying court orders his stock-in-trade. APC has crippled Nigeria and Nigerians are ready to stop them. These people do not wish Nigeria any good. They regret missing an opportunity to indulge in vote buying as if it is a legitimate practice. It is an APC government policy and APC as a political party should identify and support Mr President. Although times are hard and Nigerians are suffering, the people are moving on. Hope keeps everyone moving, the hope of a new beginning with Peter Obi.

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If Buhari recognizes that the coming election should not be bought the way party primary elections were bought, so be it. If Buhari wants to bequeath a New Nigeria to Nigerians before leaving office, so be it. Millions of Nigerians are fully aware of all the shenanigans perpetrated by the old order and they are queuing behind Peter Obi to lead the emergence of a New Nigeria. Many people have averred authoritatively that Obi cannot win. These people are the victims of failed psychological warfare where a seeming impossibility stared them in the face as a possibility. The question is, why can’t Peter Obi win the presidential elections if the process is free and fair? To say that Obi will not win is to say that Nigerians will not metamorphose into a new stage. To say that Obi will not win is to wish Nigeria evil in the hands of expired, old politicians whose ambitions do not go beyond self-serving egocentric intentions. A New Nigeria is possible under Peter Obi. Not that Obi’s victory will usher in a perfect country, NO. But at least it will mark the beginning of a redemptive transformation and a first step towards recovery, re-alignment, and repositioning of the country.

I have used the following Biblical analogy before in a previous essay and I will use it again. Nigerians cannot return to Egypt by voting for PDP. Egypt for the Israelites symbolized bondage and all manner of toxic conditions. When the Israelites left Egypt, as when Nigerians left PDP, they went to the wilderness as they are currently in the wilderness with APC. A vote for APC will mean that Nigerians want to remain in the wilderness characterized by hardship, suffering, and death. The Israelites of course left the wilderness as Nigerians are about to leave APC. Where did the Israelites go after they exited the wilderness? They went straight to the promised land. Did Moses lead them to the promised land? NO. Why? Because he was old, infirm, and disobeyed God.

Can Nigeria’s current political cheerleaders lead Nigeria to the promised land? No, because they are old, infirm, and have disobeyed God. Please pay attention and take these Biblical parallels seriously. The millions of children of light in Nigeria are ready for a New Nigeria. Peter Obi is the face of a New Nigeria. History beckons.

*Adiele PhD/Mountain Top University/Promee01@yahoo.com/Twitter: @Drpee4

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