By: Okoi Obono Obla Undoubtedly, Nigerian democracy, which is barely 25 years old, is nascent and even embryonic. As expected, ...
By: Okoi Obono Obla
Undoubtedly, Nigerian democracy, which is barely 25 years old, is nascent and even embryonic. As expected, a 25-year-old system would be susceptible to making mistakes, committing errors, and demonstrating immaturity that aligns with its age. This is natural, even though people are genetically constituted differently—some attain maturity at a very young age, while others advance toward maturity slowly, gradually, and only reach their peak much later.
When we observe how politicians migrate from one political platform to another in Nigeria, many are alarmed and critical of their inconsistency. Yet this trend is neither exclusive nor peculiar to Nigeria. It is indeed a global phenomenon, evident even in advanced democracies such as the United States of America, France, and the United Kingdom.
A few days ago, there was a political row in the United Kingdom when a leading politician, the Conservative (Tory) Shadow Secretary of Justice, Honourable Robert Jenrick, was sacked by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch for "plotting to defect" to another party, Reform UK. Indeed, Robert Jenrick has since joined Reform UK.
This demonstrates once again that human beings behave similarly despite the environments in which they find themselves. Migration—whether physical or ideological—is a basic human instinct. The molecules in the body that trigger migratory tendencies are embedded in human DNA, and the biology that shapes human psychology manifests in behavioral sciences, which in turn connect to social sciences. Politics, being a social science, fundamentally deals with the art of distributing scarce resources in society. These resources must be skillfully and adroitly managed in a way that touches every segment or faction of society to maintain equilibrium and social harmony.
Therefore, when the molecules in the human system act “osmotically,” they migrate, navigate, and seek out spaces where survival and prosperity seem more assured. Human beings always move from one place to another where they perceive better prospects and opportunities to thrive. Politicians, likewise, will always shift from one political platform to another—whether in France, the USA, the United Kingdom, or Nigeria.
Conclusion
Political migration is not a sign of weakness unique to Nigeria’s democracy but rather a reflection of a universal human instinct. Just as individuals seek better opportunities for survival, politicians will continue to realign themselves with platforms they believe offer greater prospects. Nigerian democracy, though young, is simply experiencing what older democracies have long lived with: the natural ebb and flow of political osmosis.
@ Okoi Obono-Obla
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