Is politics the only calling to serve?
It is that time of the year again when all manner of people offer themselves to their parties to serve their constituents.
Often times, the excuse is that : “I am offering myself to serve my people so that I will lift them up from under development and poverty”.
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Ironically, instead of changing the fortunes of their people, the stark reality is that it is these politicians whose status change and the people remain same, if not worse off in poverty, disease, illiteracy and squalor.
This would have happened on the back of legions of promises such as : “ I will build you a road, clinic, provide water, construct bridges, classroom blocks and give you scholarship schemes”.
Some even go to the extreme of promising free wives!
What is worrying is that most of these people vying to serve would have forfeited other equally important professions under the guise of serving their people in these political positions.
The question that readily comes to mind is whether it is only through politics that we can serve the people.
For instance, it has always defied my reasoning as to why a qualified and a competent medical practitioner would abandon the consulting room, lay down his stethoscope under the guise of going to serve his people as a politician when we all know that there are long queues of patients in front of consulting rooms seeking medical care.
Or a lecturer leaving the classroom to go and serve his people as a politician knowing that we lack lecturers and our illiteracy rate is still high.
Is it not rather strange that those in the professions we are in dire need of would leave to join the political band wagon? Is it about the perks of the political office or a genuine desire to serve?
The last time I checked, building a nation required the collective effort of all, farmers, teachers, security personnel, clergy, entertainers, journalists and even slay queens.
For some to believe that the only way they can serve their country is by going into politics is a sad reflection.
No wonder these days, people straight out of school would rather go into politics as a career than any other job. Of course , the end justifies the means. Those who opt for political office become visibly wealthy within a short time in comparison to their counterparts who enter civil or public service.
All these on the back of blood bath, acid bath, do or die situation which characterises our elections. Human lives are lost and people are maimed all in the name of serving the people.
There have been reports of the use of juju and all manner of things to incapacitate opponents as well as smear campaigns and propaganda, all in a bid to clear the path to serve? I doubt it! Why will people go to this extent if the intention is just to serve? And they even get bitter when the people they claim they want to serve do not vote for them.
I think the way to go is to make all other professions or vocations equally attractive so that one would not need to only enter politics to become successful in life.
As the politicians flaunt their luxury vehicles and mansions about, the teacher or the doctor must have something to lay claim to. In that way, there would be general contentment no matter where one serves.
The notion that politicians must have monopoly to wealth and good life must only belong to fiction. The nurse, farmer, teacher, accountant etc, must also have their own so long as they put in their best effort.
Serving one’s country is definitely a good thing to do, but this must not be confined to only political service.
Writer’s E-mail: [email protected]/[email protected]