In advance Democracies, Ideology drives political perception and followership. Party manifestos are drawn based on ideological leanings and boundaries. And this helps to cause society to grow in line with the Party’s collective perception, beliefs and vision for human and societal development for the good of all.
In Nigeria’s political landscape of today, what looks like semblances of political ideologies are Obidientism( The Obidient movement) of Mr Peter Obi, and Kwankwassiyya movement of Engr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the former two-term governor of Kano State. Others like “Atikulation” and “Emilokan” are mere elevated political sloganeering without a defined grip in terms of ardent, widespread, demonstrable, die-hard followership, like the previous two.
The “Emilokan” train, symbolized with the broken shackle, seems to exist only as an elitist political machine, with a powerful financial warchest to muzzle the opposition. There’s no known widespread “indigenous” loyalty outside the periphery of Lagos, unlike the organic national composition of Obidientism and the regional disposition of the Kwankwassiyya movement in the North-West.
The Kwankwassiyya movement is fairly organic but draws kindred inspiration from the “Talakawas” rhythm of the late Aminu Kano’s PRP. Engr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has been able to structurally galvanized the ideological group into a winning machine within the swing state of Kano regardless of the Party they choose to express themselves. But its often religious coloration or misconception is an albatross against its possible spread to other states, unlike Obidientism.
The “Atikulation” wind has a distant root with the late Musa Yar’Adua’s political movement ( the PDM) of yore. It was the wing of the political movement that was cajoled to work with and produced Late Chief MKO Abiola at the Jos Convention of the SDP in the build up to the infamous June 12 contestation of 1993.They have a knack for consistent transience, while jumping from one political nest to another.
Against the backdrop of the above observations and discussion, any distant observer can easily deduce that “Obidientism” seems to be more effectively ubiquitous in adherence and organic ideological followership than the rest.
But how can this be harnessed to bring about the much desired ideological politics and politicking in our nation? How can such delicate creation of the people’s will be guided and elevated to a national philosophy of governance while shielding it from the bitter and damaging fangs and waves of inorganic political associations in the short and long term?
These are random musings of a concerned heart, yearning for a change. They’re not opinions that need to be opposed or supported. But rather, they’re thoughts that need to be expounded and expanded by near similar thoughts that might lead us out from the woods. This is far beyond the 2027 political slugfest and the hue and cry about the coalition and its nuances. It is about deep political thoughts and ideas for our future.
