Britain is a small island nation. It is populated by English, Welsh and Scottish men and women. There is also a large colony of immigrants. Britannia, once ruled the waves and half of the world. By some magical conjuration, the British were able to make other nations accept to adopt and speak English.
This has proved to be both an advantage as well as a problem, as the whole world of English- speaking people seem to claim to be bona fide members of the British Commonwealth.
In the current campaign by the three leaders of the Labour, the Conservative and
Liberal parties, the problem of immigration is a major issue.
In assessing the candidates, who are canvassing for votes, I am enamoured by the performance of the two young, brilliant leaders of the Conservative and Liberal parties. but what Britain needs now is an experienced, tested leader.
As Confucius said, “To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverence to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure and love for men and the employment of people in the proper seasons” He further said that “Fine words and insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.”
I am cautioned by the destruction of Iraq by the irascible actions of two former “Leaders of the Free World”, who were moved by hate and arrogance to throw caution to the wind and they ordered that the Iraqi people and their nation be destroyed.!
I am worried that any of these two young leaders could rely on “advice but not the wisdom to go with it,”.in making some decisions.
The way Western states relate to Iran and North Korea, someone may want to jump in the deep end, in the Hitlerite belief that” Strength lies not in defence but in attack.”
Former British colonies react with nostalgia, each time the Conservatives
are in power.During one of the Conferences aimed at wrestling power from
the British Government, a Consevative Party Leader was quoted as saying
“What we have we hold” To this , the late Mazi Mbonu Ojike replied, “When what you have is hot, you will drop it”
The Conseratives do not believe that the poor need attention.Until the 20th century social consciousness trickled down to Conservative thinking, they did not hesistate to hammer colonial people, who demanded for independence. Conservatism is an anachronism that has little hope of resurrection, although it still resonates among Thatcherite
adherents.
With a Phd in history, his mastery of British economic history, and having managed the British econmy with dexterity and knowledge, having successfully piloted the British econmy during the turbulent financial crisis, the British will be taking some risk in leaving their complex societal engineering in the untestest hands of green horns, fast talkes with chubby cheeks.
The view that Gordon Brown loses his temper with non-performance, is a virtue and not a vice. The Chinese wit said that “if the scholar be not grave, he will not call forth any veneration and his learning will not be solid”.
Gordon Brown is careful in his speeches and modest in his doings The Chinese teacher said” He , who exercises government by his virtues, may be compared to the North polar star, which keeps its place, while the other stars turn to it. The British Prime Minister has moulded his attitude to European politics based on British historical experience. As a result, he is more acceptable to Europe than those, who use polemics to
engage Europe in Euro-political dialogues.
There is visible unity and solidarity in the Labour Party and this makes for team-work and like an orchestra, every member knows when to play his part.
The British are highly intelligent people. This,I was able to establish during my travels in the five continents. They will be cautious with Nick, who seems to have a Cromwellian frame of mind.
In Nigeria, we hope to go to the polls next year.There is no evidence that it will be better next time around This is because no political party has studied our society in oder to fashion out appropriate political ideas that are suitable for the governance of Nigeria.
We have yet to summon a National Conference of the Federated states of Nigeria, where all shades of political ideas could be canvassed. From this meeting will emerge a consensus on how to shape our destiny.Nigerian party political culture, centers around using ones political appointment to feather ones cap, with bells on.
With their loot, they erect what the Greeks call “omphalos”. tower-palaces.
After they reach the zenith of mammonism, they cultivate an impersonal and inexorable Fate, brooding over how they will ultimately control both men and gods.
They announce their come-back without batting an eye ,inspite of their infamy and cheating ways.
The discontent of the masses is treated with contempt,
This week, political squabbles seem to be tearing apart the governing party the “People’s Democratic Party,” an organisation, in which its leaders are always at logger-heads and daggers drawn.
Tom Big Harry of Portharcourt used to joke that”Thief thief from thief, the gods laugh”
It is a pity that Nigerian politics has little semblance with British politics, which amounts to a loss of our British colonial, political heritage.
It is very obvious that our economy cannot sustain the presidential system of government. Also the educational level of its practitioners is not sophisticated enough. Let knowledge reign !
The PDP has not exerted any tangible political influence on our socio-economic development..All its governments have done is to meet every Wednesday to award contracts to companies.Nation-building discussions are rare.
It is not yet time to sing “PDP falling, falling, falling, PDP falling to rise no more !
In this fight for the soul of PDP, we shall see who will win and by how much.
Also, in the forth-coming British election, the winner has my binge date.
1 comment
The British will vote for the Labour Party