The 2023 general election is fast approaching. Soon Nigerians will be trooping to the polling stations to elect a new President. The election promises to be a defining one, which will determine whether the country will remain a single corporate entity or crumble under the weight of the prevailing insecurity, confusion, hardship and suffering. The options, unfortunately, will be very limited.
All the major presidential aspirants are past the age of 70 and suffering from incontinence, dementia and other old age-related ailments. They have at one time or another been in government or involved in it. The majority of them don’t have clean slates and their past achievements are subject to debate.
‘Agbaya’ is a Yoruba word that best describes an older person – mostly men – who don’t act their age, thinking they are perpetual kids and not knowing when to quit, even after they have got the T-shirt
To move forward, Nigeria needs a young and vibrant leader. All over the world, with the exception of a few, young leaders in their forties are being elected to take their countries forward into the 21st century.
The Nigerian Constitution needs to be amended in such a way that nobody over the age of 65 should be allowed to contest in a presidential election. A presidential candidate needs to be in touch with the modern world around him. And that means he must be physically and mentally fit and know how to be part of it. There is no point in electing an old man who can’t even operate a smartphone, let alone know what a gym is.
Second on the list should be education. Some of those who ruled the country in the past lacked the right educational qualification and they could hardly string up a simple and correct sentence, let alone write or make a decent speech. Therefore, the minimum qualification for a person aspiring to be President should be at least a Master’s degree (- preferably not in Theatre Arts or Religious Studies!). In addition to educational qualification, the candidate should be made to do an I.Q Test – no room for dullards!
Previous criminal convictions or indictments will have to be third on my list. I’m a great believer in forgiveness and believe if you’ve done your time for your crime you should be given a second chance. This, however, in my books, does not extend to Treasury looters. If you’ve been convicted for corruption or at one-time or another been a guest of the EFCC chances are if elected to high office again the looting will continue, especially when all of them believe in the maxim of an ex-President who doesn’t believe corruption is a crime. So, if you have a conviction or the EFCC has paid you a visit you shouldn’t be allowed to stand for office.
So, if my conditions are followed 95 per cent of the presidential candidates will have to step aside – and finally retire.
With all the Babas, aka ‘agbayas’, gone it will pave the way for a new generation of young leaders to emerge who won’t keep on reminiscing about how great they were during the civil war and will get to grips with the task of nation re-building.
*** By Tony Ogunlowo
