PROBLEMS OF POLITICAL RHETORICS
Mon Dec 04, 2017 07:21:am Politics
4.7K By Obiaks Blog
By: Odobo Timothy Esosa
Political rhetoric means the language and choice of words with which politicians address the masses. It is most taken seriously by democratic countries, and the essence of democracy is that power belongs to the people, and that the masses rule. Because of this understanding that [power belongs to the people, Nigeria politicians who aspire to leadership positions should know that they are there to serve and not to rule the people or to loot the national treasury dry thereby adding to the problem plaguing the country for years.
Psychologically, Nigerian masses often perceive themselves as people who are being ruled instead of being served by public-servants whom we have entrusted with such an honor. This thus comes to bear because of our politicians who throw around statements like "why I want to rule Nigeria." While the word "rule" in a broader sense can be used to mean govern, its underpinning psychology suggests a master-servant relationship.
Rather than present what could pass for a fair idea of a packaged aimed at rescuing Nigeria its excessive social, political and economic problems, the language and actions of politicians and political parties in Nigeria appears to have reduced Nigeria problem into a play thing, thriving mainly on sentiments and jargons; have created for themselves reliable ways to loot without prosecution.
Even when they are prosecuted, it doesn't see the light of the day.
Many Nigerians agree that the country is facing various problems on political stability and economic reconstruction among which unemployment and poverty rate rise daily. There is also the problem of national unity in an atmosphere of the rising profile of ethnic and religious bigotry. We can simply pin it as a result of bad and greedy leadership governance overtime.
As talk of 2019 election echoes, we have seen for some time now formation, coalition of political parties and defection from one party to the other, political prostitutes jumping from PDP to APC and vice versa. The rhetorics in their agenda and body language all pointing to the same goal of prosperity and there remains a massive doubt if they will deliver.
Majority of the people now show lack of appreciation for promises made by political parties and their candidates which in actual fact are not meant to be kept. The promises are coughed in beautiful phrases, resting on false but elegant statistical figures, but signifying little or no change.
Every party now and political rascals has begun their underground dirty work, trying to woo the public their way. They lack good developmental ideology one can rightly say they have no ideology but steady commitment to milk the wealth of the country dry. Their imaging has been infiltrated by propaganda, how to deceive the masses with finesse of words and images and defeat their opponents.
This is exactly what it is. But they undermine the fact that this finesse of words and images, affects human life and harm the state negatively.
Though the condition remains the same for now and the talk of 2019 too early and unfair to Nigerians who suffers daily for the willful crimes of our so called leaders, we should hope that one day political parties fulfill the actions they always promise to deliver if they come into power. They should take stock of progress and not dish out repeated empty promises.
They should revisit the contents in their manifesto that has nothing to do with the analyses of our time and political economy; and make sure that their language are not mere words lodged to make one party look more handsome or prettier than the other but visionary words that are achievable.
Parties should provide trusted and efficient leadership and avoid propaganda that builds a wall of deflection and deception rather than honest appraisals of their track record.
Political rhetoric means the language and choice of words with which politicians address the masses. It is most taken seriously by democratic countries, and the essence of democracy is that power belongs to the people, and that the masses rule. Because of this understanding that [power belongs to the people, Nigeria politicians who aspire to leadership positions should know that they are there to serve and not to rule the people or to loot the national treasury dry thereby adding to the problem plaguing the country for years.
Psychologically, Nigerian masses often perceive themselves as people who are being ruled instead of being served by public-servants whom we have entrusted with such an honor. This thus comes to bear because of our politicians who throw around statements like "why I want to rule Nigeria." While the word "rule" in a broader sense can be used to mean govern, its underpinning psychology suggests a master-servant relationship.
Rather than present what could pass for a fair idea of a packaged aimed at rescuing Nigeria its excessive social, political and economic problems, the language and actions of politicians and political parties in Nigeria appears to have reduced Nigeria problem into a play thing, thriving mainly on sentiments and jargons; have created for themselves reliable ways to loot without prosecution.
Even when they are prosecuted, it doesn't see the light of the day.
Many Nigerians agree that the country is facing various problems on political stability and economic reconstruction among which unemployment and poverty rate rise daily. There is also the problem of national unity in an atmosphere of the rising profile of ethnic and religious bigotry. We can simply pin it as a result of bad and greedy leadership governance overtime.
The leadership of this country seems to be perpetually visionless, focusless and consist of greedy, corrupt and corruptible leaders. In this country it's really hard to generate and maintain electricity. Is it that hard to construct good roads, railways and maintain them? Nigerians woke up to a great wonder and dysfunctional statement from the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola who recently said "Nigerian roads were not as bad as many people were claiming" How foolish does these politicians think of us. Is it possible that the education system is exposed to the best like our counterparts in the advanced countries? Well, take a look at the National Budget provision for the education sector and see how degenerating our education system is. How hard is it to build minimally corrupt police department without the ‘force' where they are not desperate for N20 or N50 and rated as one of the best in the world? Is it possible to have a Nigeria military that operates with discipline, lack corruption and stay clear of politics? These questions and more are begging for answers.
Nigeria's politicians who understand these and other consequences that come as a result of their greed have become too used to the cake to stop their corruption now.As talk of 2019 election echoes, we have seen for some time now formation, coalition of political parties and defection from one party to the other, political prostitutes jumping from PDP to APC and vice versa. The rhetorics in their agenda and body language all pointing to the same goal of prosperity and there remains a massive doubt if they will deliver.
Majority of the people now show lack of appreciation for promises made by political parties and their candidates which in actual fact are not meant to be kept. The promises are coughed in beautiful phrases, resting on false but elegant statistical figures, but signifying little or no change.
Every party now and political rascals has begun their underground dirty work, trying to woo the public their way. They lack good developmental ideology one can rightly say they have no ideology but steady commitment to milk the wealth of the country dry. Their imaging has been infiltrated by propaganda, how to deceive the masses with finesse of words and images and defeat their opponents.
This is exactly what it is. But they undermine the fact that this finesse of words and images, affects human life and harm the state negatively.
Though the condition remains the same for now and the talk of 2019 too early and unfair to Nigerians who suffers daily for the willful crimes of our so called leaders, we should hope that one day political parties fulfill the actions they always promise to deliver if they come into power. They should take stock of progress and not dish out repeated empty promises.
They should revisit the contents in their manifesto that has nothing to do with the analyses of our time and political economy; and make sure that their language are not mere words lodged to make one party look more handsome or prettier than the other but visionary words that are achievable.
Parties should provide trusted and efficient leadership and avoid propaganda that builds a wall of deflection and deception rather than honest appraisals of their track record.
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