2023 General Elections

1963/64, 1983, 1993, and 2003 are significant years in Nigeria's history.

A number of political office holders may have learnt a lot of lessons from history, even though others have become perpetual learners and have continually repeated avoidable mistakes of the past.

In a number of days to come, Nigerians will elect a brand new President and the statutorily stipulated lawmakers.

Sadly, February 25th, a date that ought to attract happiness and hopes for Nigerians, has become a source of great worry.

This date will serve as the long awaited JUDGMENT day for Nigerians to either reward good governance or effect a change in the present status quo, where and if necessary, in the center and the 36 states on March 11.

Indeed, the gloomy faces of Nigerians constitute a major indication that the democratic experience has been that of despondency, anguish, sorrow and bitterness.

Without doubt, the journey has been a political mis-adventure directed by the political class, who have, overtime, displayed a stubborn resolve not to learn any lessons from history.

The Truth in Agonies and Hardships

A school thought has it that the agonies, hardships and difficulties, Nigerians are presently experiencing were deliberately designed to make the electorate vulnerable to evil influences on election days. Perhaps this is true.

I want to encourage our people, South Easterners, to continue in their prayers trusting God, because I can see God's hands at work trying to use a personality from the South East to deliver and secure Nigeria.

To use a personality from the South East as a messiah like God used Moses in the Bible.

And I can see a lot of good things, positive things beginning to happen when that person gets into the position of President, and I am very happy because that person is a person of integrity, and he respects everyone from the North, everyone from the South.

I have never heard him using any foul or abusive language on any personality.
That scores him very high, gives him very high marks in my own assessment. I hail him for that.

I don't like the way, for whatever reasons, anybody is using abusive language on anybody, it is not good for our politics, it is not good for our country, Nigeria, because that is how war started in many African countries.

Throw me, I throw you.  We must not fight another war in Nigeria.

But I am appealing to everyone to stop using abusive words against anybody, just make your point that would be contributing to the peace of the country.

All the presidential candidates contesting are good materials, but so many things would have to be put into consideration.

One, conscientiously putting our conscience into use, let us ask ourselves the question as people who fear God and worship God among all the contestants, who among them can be chosen, and the question becomes balanced as we are searching for the peace and unity of the country.

If truly we are searching for not only peace and unity, but also progress. Among them, we know those of them, who come from the zone that has produced the President for several years in the past and present, and also those among them from the side where the presidency has not gotten to them for once.

That is one of the criteria I am looking at, then the age of each one of them, knowing our country Nigeria as a country that is so large and the challenges of Nigeria are numerous and needs somebody who is younger and agile.

Then, I want to plead with all Nigerians not only Igbos, to look at the whole issue critically-justice, equity and fairness because when in a family you have 3, 4, 5 or 6 children, all must benefit, others have benefited, or a particular section has benefited, then when it is supposed to be the turn of another section, everybody jumps in, including those who have benefited, it is not the best for the country.

It is like a situation where we are three in a family and in the plate of soup we are eating from, there are three pieces of meat and one person takes one, another takes the second meat and the third meat is left for the last person, but instead of allowing the third person to take it, the others scramble for it.

There is no fairness in that, there is no justice in that. But if the three pieces of meat are shared equally among the three persons, this would contribute greatly to the growth, peace and unity of the nation.

So, the last person should be allowed to take the third meat, that is the essence of been Christians, Muslims and Traditionalists, we all believe in God. Had it been in the particular family in question, one of them is not qualified, that would be a different matter entirely. Thank God, someone has sprung up in the South East, who is over qualified in all ramifications.

So, I appeal to Nigerians to look at the issue with conscience and the fear of God.

Finally, I appeal to everyone to cease from using abusive words against each other, it is not the best for the country. Let's apply the live and let's live approach and the country will enjoy, peace, unity and more progress.

Let everybody remember what I said earlier on that all the candidates are good materials, so this very one coming from the South East is a good material and younger. So to me, the law of justice and equity favors him more.

Eze( Dr.) Anozie is the Ezeigbo, Ezechukwujiegosioluebube nala,Ibadan and Oyo state and Chairman Non-indigenous Traditional Heads, Oyo state