Irony: African Leadership and Covid-19

I’ve tried to figure out why we have cases of both stupidity and shrewdness when it comes to the drama between voters and politicians. As one portray stupidity and the other shrewd, they exchange the baton afterwards.

During election time African leaders share enticing gifts, which include cash and food stuff to voters in exchange for votes. Then promises and party slogans are songs that wake the ordinary man each morning and put him to bed each night. Sadly, voters tend to sell their rights by collecting these bribes. I term it ‘a bribe’ because corrupt leaders must recover wealth spent enticing the voter (oh, it’s called campaigning right?). Corruption won’t let them stop at that, they continue taking more from the public purse. It’s more like a business; give and take, and continue taking. The only benefit some voters get are the cash and materials they got before elections.

Now some leaders are silent to the masses plight. We sit at home, of course, so we won’t contract Covid-19. But more than half of the population have to do daily menial jobs to feed. Some even have dependents to tend. But to respect government directives they have no job. In this quarantine time, there’s no significant government and corporate support. But no, this is not election time for sharing relieve materials and it’s not business time as well! Shame!!

Meanwhile, some still believe that the virus is a hoax and that Nigeria may not have any Covid-19 case. That’s just illiteracy and politics playing away on people’s psyche.