OTHER SIDE OF POLITICS

OTHER SIDE OF POLITICS

Mum was a farmer

And dad had signed a petition,

A death warrant to die for the nation.

I'm a political scientist-

I remember mom's words when dad played the down game.

If only I had heard him

I would've told him to his face

His father was a fool,

Had he not died 

A year to his life would make him the greatest of fools.

Her husband was a wizard

Butchered at the village square.

Her mother was a Necromancer

She had a nail thrust into her head.

I equally heard them say my dad was a Nero

Dancing till the city was razed down(Read more here: history.com)

They said he was full of lies

That he can lie for the nation.

That he forcefully seized his land from him:

A thing he never would've done had it meant his dad was alive.

That he is biblical Laban in nature,

He doesn't pay the debt.

How can he ever lead the youth?

And then I began to kill their words,

Burying them with my five fingers.

Politics is a game of survival,

The true elimination chamber.

Every politician must be stupid at a certain time

The voters are the wisest of them all.

He did win anyway,

Though a case was filed against him.

That wasn't wrong.

What do we expect from two opponents

Who needs a throne meant for one person?

Bloodshed,

Hatred,

Conflict,

Violence.

I know how the world works-

The 20th was a celebration day,

22nd, a day of tears.

Woe to the generation yet unborn

For I behold them weeping for the sins of their fathers.

The suffering we face today is for our father's sake.

Father-

This is politics, we can make it raw.

"We can shut the door of our eyes against the voters"

Politics triggers the existence of everything evil

Killing,

As in, how can he vote for my enemy?.

Hatred,

As in, he never supported me when I laid my dad to rest,

He has never done any good for my family,

I shall forever be against him.

Dad, we can make it raw;

We can use these uncircumcised ones,

We can stay in Toronto and run this election,

We can use axe,

We can use a machete,

We can use real rifles,

We can buy the people's hearts,

We can forcefully take the throne.

All we must do is: 

Send your family packing,

Love the voters by turning against them,

Kill your conscience,

Take no advice from any,

Turn the heart of the son against the father,

The heart of a father against his son.

Hire the youth to use their hands,

Never forget to hide your image.

Try belonging to the highest order.

Disown every side cheek.

Tell them what they want to hear,

Promise them millions.

That's the heart-

God isn't inside all these

Even though the throne may be sure.

These are the true causes of political meltdowns. 

CONTENT/POETIC ANALYSIS 

So close, it's drawing near again. That moment they so longed for is a few months away. A few months from the election will tear families apart. It will dissolve marriages. It will set many homes on fire. But before you embrace this sudden change because of a thousand Naira(even though it's a million, I call it a thousand Naira because it can never be compared to the worth or the value of peace in your life, family, society), remember that no one showed up for you in the past four years except that family you are about to sieve like wheat, that brother you are about to strike, that son you are about to disown, that marriage you are about to dissolve, that society you are about to destroy, those parents you are about to kill, that church you are about to burn down. I may not be allowed to raise my feet at all stages for the sake of the truth, but in my little world of flames (Soulfame), I will still say it the way it is. In this claustrophobic little world of mine, a light must continually shine at the feet of men.

The poem(The Other Side of Politics), gives a clue into what's happening in politics—how it starts, how it's done, and the expectation. The psychological approach adopted, how the politicians read your minds, and then give you what you think you can't do without, and then take that which would sustain you in the longer run, to stabilize and destabilize you. This piece, which is written in a simple and understandable, self-explanatory language(diction), begins with an introduction from the poetic persona, who happens to be the son of a politician. The poem, which is set in the period of an election, and the very intensity of political tussle, records a series of abuses by different oppositions and intended public office holders. These abuses are not uncommon; they appear so true, so real, and that's what it is. But let me tell you why you shouldn't be carried away with all this drama. You are only a means to an end; you aren't the end. The penny they give you during the campaign is a payoff, so whether it gets to you or not is your business. It's sweeter and interesting when they make the headlines. To them, it shows how valueless you are, to the extent that you can gamble your tomorrow for whatever amount.

Wait, you think they are stupid because they've reduced themselves to your level? Maybe. But let me tell you, "Everybody should learn to be stupid at least once in their lifetime to get that thing they are looking for, that thing that is in the belly of a boomslang". They portray you as a wise man, they give you a fragment of power just to increase the size of your head and make you so hard on your people. And when it's time to share the monkey(Yes, you heard me: Monkey), they dispose of you. "You can only crown the wise; you cannot sit at their table to dine". They feel insecure seeing you around them. And if they should send that money, which shall one day be used to buy that field of blood to propagate you, it must first of all pass through ten powerful tables which will shape the size of the envelope, and finally, it gets to your accounts. But that doesn't move the Economic and Financial Crime Commission(EFCC), it doesn't make a dent in your pocket. I don't know if you are thinking.

Look, that thing you see happening over there is nothing but a drama that people like us are looking forward to watching in the cinema. You think you know what really fuels their differences, right? No, you don't. And I tell you, when they settle it, you still won't know. You will remain on the losing side. Remember, the problem you've created in your family to give them the throne is real, but theirs isn't. 

Towards the last 25 lines of the poem, the poetic persona, having heard and seen all the abuse between his dad(a politician), and his opposition, said to his dad: "Dad, we can make it raw". That is to say, let's play real politics. 

To our readers in Nigeria, I want to let you know that in 2027, real and raw politics will be played. Let's see what the poetic persona calls real and raw politics-

 1. The use of uncircumcised youth. Who are the uncircumcised ones? These are uneducated people. The youth who do not even have a say, are decided for. They don't care about people, they don't care about their society, their families, or the lives of people. They are money-minded. The only language they understand is money. Just give them money, any amount of money, and they will do whatever you ask them to do, including killing people.

2. Stay in Toronto and run the election. This means that they will travel outside the country, send their families abroad(if at all they are around). That doesn't stop them from mobilizing people for their campaign; it doesn't stop the election. The phone is a channel, the voice is that of a man or a woman, money does the talking, the uncircumcised youth carries out the action, and the electorate tells them what they want to hear. They mobilize you with a tirade, with an axe, with a machete, with guns and other weapons, etc. They tell you who to kill(Your brother). They use you to fight yourself

3. Take the throne forcefully: Rig the election by any means. 

HOW DO THE POLITICIANS ACHIEVE THESE?

1. They send their families out of the country. "They even value family".

2. They pretend they love you just to win your heart. They give you incentives as you sell your heart and rights.

3. They kill that human nature without conscience: Even though their very people are affected by their handiwork, it doesn't move them.

4. They turn the hearts of the parents against their children, vice versa.

5. They hire those who don't want to use their brains to use their hands. They give them all the needed weapons of destruction.

6. They hide under the shadow of these uncircumcised ones. Their images remain unknown.

7. They join the ruling party(That's the highest order). They are covered under the shadow of the ruling party. "If you can't fight them, join them".

8. Never entangle yourself with women. From time immemorial, mighty men have always been reduced to naught by women(Cut ties with every side chick).

9. They give the people false promises. Promises that will never be fulfilled.

10. Religion and belief should only be a camouflage. They hide under the Bible/Quran while still carrying out their evil acts.

These are just a few of what's really happening in our society today. "A stitch in time, they say, saves nine". The Scripture keeps saying(Matthew 19:4; 12:3; 21:16), "Haven't you read?"  Now you have read. It should never again be said, I did not know. Please don't allow someone to use you to destroy your own people.

Please comment and share with us what you think about this matter. How do you think our society/youth can live above this evil political influence? And please as you read, don't forget to share with others to also learn and benefit from your view. Remember to subscribe for more.

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