The debates– A beautiful distraction

By Joseph Edgar…

The debate lived up to its huge billings. It pitted Yemi Osinbajo and Peter Obi, two very intelligent personalities with some other not so brainy types against each other. The Vice President is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a legal Luminary and a strong intellectual with a good command of the English language and logic. A strong Orator, the Vice President has, in so many fora, impressed with his strong understanding of the issues, clarity of thought and also the calculated way in which he marshals out his points with devastating effects makes for a listeners delight.

Peter Obi on the other hand is imbued with a lot of native Intelligence, coming into the ring with a pot of practical experience on the field both within the politico – economic milieu and a confidence that could only be gotten from years of pragmatic involvement in these two areas.

The debate was exciting, engaging and very educative. Days after, analysts are still poring through the enormous amount of facts and information these two combatants spewed out during the contest. They both gave as good as they got. They showed the audience that they were both very conversant with the challenges that face a polity seeking redemption.

The debates are a very strong tool for democratic mobilization. It allows for the throwing up of issues that need to abe discussed as we move towards a choice come 2019. It also gives candidates a platform to show case not only their capacity but their readiness for the task and that is unfortunately where it ends.

Elites who are in themselves a powerful minority but with major control of not only state power but vast resources used to tame and control the huge populace who remain barely literate. So, you start debating on platforms that do not interest true voters nor even give them access to the debates. Issues that they feel do not directly concern them are thrown up and spoken in language they barely understand how this will affect their choices remain to be seen.

Let me be a little bit more graphic. So, the bus conductor in Oshodi did not watch the debate and even if he were tied to a stake and forced to watch the debates would barely compered what is being discussed. He would immediately rely on instructions coming down the chain of command from the godfather who would have used factor’s like religion, control and access to resources, violence and the rest to maintain control.

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Indeed, while the elites are huddled around their cable TV sets watching two eloquent ‘pawns’ talk and dissipate energy on a platform that would not play any major influence in the outcome of the elections, the real voters are out there in their market stalls, motor parks and dingy beer parlous struggling to eke out a living while waiting for the next purveyor of stomach infrastructure.

So the debates, while in other climes make serious sense, in our setting is just a wonderful waste of time. We can only achieve any true form of cohesion if and when we push education and enlightenment of the general masses thereby giving the vast majority the opportunity to comprehend issues and join in the dialogue.

Pity, with the level of illiteracy and ignorance, the factors that would lead to electoral victory will not be found on the debating platforms of the elites but in the cudges of those who control limited resources and are managers of intimidation and force. So to some of us, what we saw between Osibajo and Obi was just an elitist attempt at tom foolery and playing to an empty gallery. A waste of time.

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