Reviving Politics: Embracing Ethical Leadership for Positive Change

If politics meets the right minds, then we could anticipate a change. Many people have concluded that politics is a dirty game and therefore do not want to do anything concerning politics. The good people who want to be agents of change are scared of getting involved because they might lose their lives trying to be less devil, and this is why power kept rotating to those corrupt politicians who have no interest in assuming the seat but only for themselves and their families.

A lot of things have been going wrong in our political sector. Many people see politics as a measure to escape poverty. They could go the extra mile to achieve this power in order to secure a good financial position for themselves. It's unfortunate that lots of people are going into politics today and doing so with the intention of cutting their own slices of international cake, as they call it. At this point, I don't know if it is the system that is corrupt or the people.In some cases, the good people who try to get in will go there and be influenced by the bad egg, therefore having no positive change to offer to the masses. It's all about securing the position or power and using it to help their family and friends, and the opportunity for everyone keeps being limited to a certain kind of person.

In the first week of this month, I visited a general hospital close to me when I discovered that they have a dental department. I was excited to discover that because I had wanted to practice my profession here in Nigeria for now only in the government sector and not in the private sector for some reasons. So on getting there, I met the head of the dental department, and the first question he asked me was, Do I know any politician? I said no. He asked again about my tribe, and I responded, and he shook his head and said that there's a big challenge. One, I don't know any politicians, and secondly, I am from another tribe and not a Yoruba. It took me time to process his responses. With my certificate and license, it made no sense to him. In fact, he didn't even bother to take a look at my certificate or advise me to apply for the next job advertisement; he was only interested in me knowing a politician and being an indigen of Lagos State. He further said that if I truly want to work in a state hospital, then I should relocate to my state, where it will be possible for me through politics. Sincerely, I was shocked to my bone marrow, but again, I am not totally surprised because that's the game that lots of politicians have been playing in my country for a very long time. Once you know a good politician, you do not need to hold a good certificate and have job experience; just a phone call and a good position will be secured for you. This is my personal experience just this January, and many more have been happening around politics.

Having said that, I have never engaged in politics before, and if I have the opportunity to pursue politics as a career, I do not think I have all it takes to do so. Not that politics is bad, but sincerely, I am scared of losing my life to those politicians who wouldn't want to hear the truth. As much as I desire to be the agent of change, I do not see myself getting involved in person, but I can always support the people who can do that. In the last presidential election conducted in my country, we had a great candidate, and many people loved to see him assume the presidential seat. In my little capacity, I tried encouraging a lot of people to get their voters cards so we could vote for the man and then anticipate a little change in the country; unfortunately, we couldn't have a fair and free election, and the candidate lost the election. The most I can do is support the good people to get into the seat and help tackle the issues of accountability, corruption, manipulation that goes on during elections, and more, but not get personally involved.

In conclusion, so many challenges we have been facing as a country are a result of the wrong leaders in power—the politicians who aren't ready to do the right thing for the betterment of the country. However, with the right minds who could devote their time, it's possible to experience a great country again.