CAN THERE BE A COLLATION OF IDEAS?
 
  It is very true that most championship sports teams don’t come in
first place because they have the best players. They win because they know
how to work together. The best players are the ones who know their
teammates’ strength and weakness and work with them so that the entire team
shines. The secret of creating a strong team is blending each member’s
unique talents so that the liabilities are minimized. But the political
systems in our nation or part of the world do not have this team spirit
and we are paying dearly for that. They don’t work together; rather
they work against each other as long as they are not from the same
political party or faction.
 
  We do know that two good heads are better than one. Many political
parties or those seeking election into political positions usually come
out with manifestoes. During their campaign rallies, we hear them
reeling out good ideas that will better the lot of their people. They come
out with different ideas, which their opponents don’t have on their own
manifesto. Some times, the ones with these innovative ideas don’t get
anywhere near the seat of power and these ideas are not also implemented
by those who won. I have always wondered why the people cannot tell
those that won about those ideas which their opponents thought out. The
men in the print and electronic media also don’t seem to remind those
that eventually won that those ideas are worthwhile even when they didn’t
have it on their manifesto.
 
  Recently, I have been watching the campaign rallies and jingles of
different political aspirants from different parties. I do know that at
the end of the day all of them are not going to win; only one person for
each position. But all of them have numerous ideas and worthwhile
visions for the people. The man who wins eventually will not say that he is
all knowing. He ought to learn and look out for ideas, which his
opponents thought out for the good of the people. In the past, those who won
always play God. They behave as if they won because their ideas were
the very best. We have seen over the years that they didn’t win because
of their well articulated plans but because of the influence of their
party big wigs or through rigging. Anyone who wins eventually should
therefore look out for other ideas that are not part of his manifesto in
the interest of the people.
 
  The print and electronic media have always been used by different
parties and aspirants to sell their ideas to the people. I do believe the
media should also go the extra mile by not only collecting the money
for those adverts but should remind them of their promises by playing
back their tapes for them when they assume the position of authority. The
media should also collate all the ideas that were being sold to the
people during campaign rallies and adverts. These are all worthwhile ideas
and so should be made known to the one who wins eventually. This is one
of the areas I believe the media houses are not doing enough. The
eventual winners of the elections are not all knowing. It is our
responsibility therefore to remind them of the worthwhile innovations their
opponents who lost out thought out for the good of the people.
 
  The point I am making therefore is that all well meaning citizens of
this great nation should be all eyes and all ears, to see and to hear
all that are being sold to us during rallies and through media adverts.
If we have good records of all these ideas being sold to us, we can
remind them of the ones they promised and the ones their opponents
promised which are achievable within the time frame and framework of the
positions they occupy. I do believe that a collation of all these ideas will
help checkmate some use and dump mentality adopted in the past by the
politicians. It will also put in place responsible leadership. The power
of the electorate should not be seen to end with just casting of votes.
It should also be seen to include making sure all electoral promises of
the eventual winners and losers are brought into manifestation. Let’s
stop casting votes and relegate ourselves to the background. We should
learn to hold office holders and seekers responsible for their
words to the people; it will help bring accountability into the
polity. Let’s collate all these ideas that the political office seekers are
selling to us. The truth is that all of them will not win but their
ideas should not be thrown into the trashcan. Their ideas are still
relevant and should be inculcated into the programme of anyone who eventually
wins.
 
   
   
   ARINZE ALINNOR A.
   P.O.BOX 17985, IKEJA, LAGOS
  08033001782