One of the impediments to electing good leaders in Nigeria has always been ethno-emotional sentiments which politicians use to cajole electorates. We hear messages like it's the 'turn' of the North or it has been 'zoned' to my ward or hé is our 'brother' ... Based on such sentiments we make it à matter of life and death to vote and rig élections for people who eventually get into office and forget the plight of their communities.

When in power, these same people we elected with our sweat and blood become overnight millionnaires with their family members and treat the masses who own the commonwealth as scum. You may never have access to them when they are in power, and if you do, it may be their security personnel shoving you off the road for their convoy.

My piece of advise is that even when it feels good to have a school mate, à kinsman, à friend in high places, if such person is not emotionally matured and fortright to attend to the needs of the people and develop your community, it's better to go for a better choice. Things are too tough in this country to 'experiment with sentiments' for another four years otherwise we will get to à point were parents are willing to sell their children for food... And utter breakdown of law and order will become the norm as the masses will be ready to commit any crime to subsist.

Please do not trust anyone who comes to you for your vote or support without any workable plan or initiative for development. Chase away people who come to you with cliché words and phrases like 'change', 'continuity', 'zone', 'our turn', 'my brother' , and so on. Before we get bombarded with those messages towards 2019, please guide your émotions and vote wisely as they say, otherwise we may never get out this economic récession. A word is enough for the wise.

Joseph F. Udo
Online News, October 22, 2017