“To lead people, walk beside them… When the best leader’s work is done, the people say, ‘We did it ourselves.” – Lao Tzu
According to all four Gospels, Pilate gave the crowd a choice: Jesus or Barabbas. Barabbas was a notorious prisoner, a bandit, a rebel. The crowd chose Barabbas. Jesus went to the cross.
Every four years, Nigeria stands before a similar choice.
We are handed two types of candidates. One offers process, policy, and the slow work of building. The other offers noise, money, structure, and the promise of immediate relief. One asks for sacrifice today for a better tomorrow. The other offers patronage today and consequences tomorrow.
And too often, we choose Barabbas.
We choose the man with the biggest war chest over the man with a manifesto. We choose the “strongman” who can “deliver” his ward, even if his record is stained with blood. We choose familiarity over competence, because fear tells us the unknown will crucify us.
Like that crowd, we think we are choosing freedom. But we are choosing the prisoner.
Democracy is not a miracle. It is a decision. And until the Nigerian electorate learns to pick character over cash, competence over cult, and service over sentiment, we will keep releasing Barabbas and wondering why the country is on a cross.
The ballot is our Pilate’s court. Who do we set free?
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