“Let us be seen as putting Nigeria first”: Governor Ortom’s political maxim, a lustre of iconic patriotism

By: DONALD PILLA

Does any Nigerian need to be told that our country is in distress? No! Not even the breast-feeding child, not even the blind nor the deaf. The sounds of unending cries are so loud! The sights of misery are so clear!! The harrowing horrors of mourning are so overwhelming!!! Nigeria needs to retrace her steps.

The all-important project of saving Nigerian can only be achieved by courageous Nigerians who are ready to sacrifice their love for fame and the crave for self-serving power to pursue the “Save-Nigeria” project with full vigour. It can take only true patriotism. It can take only those whose solidarity with the future generations is unwavering! It can take only a man that defies the spirit of political ‘Maradonism’ to design the best maxim/principle for a new style of national politicking which goes; “Let us be seen as putting Nigeria first.” He gave this maxim while welcoming the LP Presidential candidate who paid him a courtesy visit. What a demonstration of true patriotism!

Power is very easy to acquire. You just need to be cunning, slippery, deceptive, fake, and very economic with the truth. You just need to agree with the powerful and they will guarantee you a chonk of the power portion. You just need to lick the boots of the powerful and they will make you more powerful. It takes “political correctness” to continue to soar higher in the self-serving power game. One who desires to be more powerful, more recognised, more acceptable, wealthier, and politically famous (for the wrong things & reasons) cannot pursue the project of saving her country from impending collapse. He may choose to do that only out of true patriotism and sacrifice of his personal interests. I do not dismiss the fact that there are a chain of examples where people have climbed the power-top using the stainless ladder. Ortom takes the option for Nigeria; The Best Option.

Some people who know and hear about Ortom may ask; What kind of politician is he that doesn’t want to find favour with the ruling party to enjoy both the personal and collective benefits that come with a cordial romance with the powers of the day? Why can’t he close his mouth and quietly receive and swallow rewards that come with clapping for a Cabal? Why can’t governor Ortom embrace and flow with the powers of the day and forget about an irredeemable country? Why can’t he focus on his state and forget about other things? Ortom has chosen Nigeria, sacrificing personal favours and personal rewards.

I think, Ortom has chosen the better part; to stand for Nigeria. Some people do not have the capacity, the willingness, or the disposition to separate the MESSAGE from the MESSENGER. Those who hate Ortom will continue to throw him away with his message, but that will remain at a collective risk. I assure you, Ortom will be remembered in history as almost a lone voice in the days when Nigeria tempestuously sailed through the leadership of one PMB, a time one would best describe as “The Days of The Holocaust.”

My dear readers, the threat to life is the most serious threat there can ever be. Nigerians are under such threat, and no one should take it for a joke. You cannot talk of policies, and infrastructure where those for whom you claim to be building the infrastructure stand the risk of being invaded, kidnapped, or eliminated at any time. The present leadership of Nigeria is not able to handle the most important responsibility of government; the security of lives and property. Ortom has insisted that this government is playing games with the security of the country and has always been loud with rebukes. If only they listened to him early enough, maybe, we would have been better up. Where are we today?

My father, the late Sir Julius Pilla, a famous educationist, and disciplinarian was known for speaking the truth and standing for justice and many who knew him have always testified to this. Whenever a contentious issue arose, he would take sides with the truth. His truth-life and his rebuke of injustice was not determined by the family’s fluctuating economic dynamism neither was his truth-life about specific issues of concern invalidated at one point by the economic misfortunes of the family and validated at another point by the economic prosperity of the family. Surely, the family was not managed like it were in the heavenly realm for him to be adjudged worthy of retaining his identity as a man of truth and justice.

The most verbose, most chronic and the most enthusiastic critics of Ortom should be honest enough to confess and declare that Ortom has been exceptional with serious matters, especially with regards to our survival as a nation. He says there is too much destruction of lives and properties in Nigerian. He says there are religious persecutions in Nigeria. He says there are people with an agenda to dislodge/eliminate indigenous/native landowners and to take their lands. These are all serious matters that are robbing Nigeria of peace and economic growth.

Now, Nigeria is preparing to elect new leaders. Having realised the importance of leadership for the security of a country, Ortom once again distinguished himself with a selfless and patriotic maxim he defined for Nigerian politicians and voters to embrace in in view of the 2023 elections. Do we want a new Nigeria? For a violence-free Nigeria to emerge, we need a new style of politicking. Ortom says: “Let us be seen as putting Nigerian first.” What a love for one’s country! I call this the principle for the recovery of Nigeria. I adopt it as a principle that should guide us through 2023 and beyond. What a lustre of iconic patriotism!