02/05/2025
THE SOUND OF THE GONG AND OGONI YOUTHS IN POLITICS.
It's becoming interesting how some leaders are in disguise are promoting crimes and violence in our environment in the name of empowering "Our Boys"
I witnessed sometimes in 2007 when I started hearing of disbursement of funds during elections in our local villages.
It was a usual thing for youths to gathered at the compounds of big politicians expecting crumbs that fall from their tables in the name of political loyalty.
It wasn't business at all.Some youths were given plenty money in the name of security.They were called and giving cash ,some of who are without voter's card.
Gradually, it becomes a norms that during an elections, some money were allocated to "our boys".
After few years,I found out that during elections, some Ogoni youths who are seemingly nonviolence has nothing to do on an election day because voter's cards was loosing value paving way for the hiring of our boys to do what I can't still comprehend to this day.
It was becoming a tradition by greedy politicians to settled some boys and asked some to wait after.I then belongs to the category of waiting after elections,a scene I found disturbing.
This thing gradually metamorphosed into a full scale challenges and political parties now scrambled for brave youths with arms and not voter's card.
Soon,our voter's card was never valuable so anyone can wake up and do anything to win an elective position so no need wasting getting a voter's card,since some youth contractors has been paid to hijacked materials on election day.
That was the beginning of "Who get boys,win elections" to the detriment of those that suffered to get voter's card.
This is Rivers State of might.
It was only funfair going to a polling boot with voter's card. Materials will be hijacked to God knows where.They weren't alone in this business. Some retired principals will be contracted too to neatlly put everything in order.
It was worrisome again,when those of us who claimed to be civil will go house with empty hands except you're lucky to work as INEC adhoc staff.
Things has already fallen apart.
It was also a sad scenario when in some cases, lives will be lost and nothing will happened so more youths began to smartly think otherwise. Taking their "Choppins" on elections days.
One by then would be expecting that may be after elections, most of us who were calmed and civil will be rewarded after arguing on social media and radio defending and galvanizing votes for your party.
The answer was no.
It's was gradually become clear that during political appointments,these same youths were also the ones appointed as PAs and SAs while some were compensated with Drivers and councillors.
The center can't hold again.
If the violent youths visit some politician, he will slaughtered goat and pour champagne and even give them money but when the nonviolent youths visit them they will say;"young men you guys should continue to work hard and only God can give power"
And I asked, which power?
These sad scenario has made some coolheaded youths to shun politics and our leaders aren't thinking about it.This is one of the reasons power are giving to wrong hands making development a challenge to our generation.
This post is a message to our youths not to be deceived again by politicians who never valued your certificates and experience during elections and these has made local politics to be violent and bloodbaths amongst the youths.
Just recently,my name was on social media for an arrest for keeping on saying that there's nothing like sole administrator in Nigeria constitution as amended in 1999.
I was given 48hrs to knee down and apologize to another Ogoni man for speaking the truth and the truth is, sole administrator in Khana LGA is illegal and anything he is doing is illegal in the eyes of the law both natural and man made made laws.
I haven't been arrested yet.A note for my fans, relatives and family members.
So the question became clearer.
Must we all be violent to benefits from local politics??
Thanks đź‘Ť for your calls and encouragement at a trying times.
Ogoni people are unique but I can't offer any public apology I can't explain to my children after 100 years.
It's well with our generation.
Culled from the Gong.
The voice of the Locals.
(An published book)
