By Dr. Paul Udayi
As the political drums begin their thunderous roll towards the 2027 general elections, I, Paul Udayi, find it both a solemn duty and a sacred obligation to speak to my compatriots of Cross River North. We stand once again at the crossroads of destiny, and it is incumbent upon us to rouse ourselves from slumber and face the realities that have long plagued our polity.
We are witnessing what can only be termed the days of the jackalsโa season wherein political scavengers, emboldened by years of unmerited entrenchment, roam the landscape with a grotesque sense of entitlement. These political mandarins, having ensconced themselves in the echelons of power for what seems an interminable era, now parade themselves with the hauteur of demi-gods, believing that political office is their birthright and the masses mere serfs at their beck and call.
This lamentable reality must now be met with righteous indignation. We must summon these self-anointed barons to the court of public accountability. The era of political handoutsโthose paltry alms tossed to the masses with a sneer of condescensionโis over. No longer shall we accept the psychological abuse wherein the legitimate expectations of good governance are portrayed as rare favours, dispensed only to the politically loyal or the spiritually broken.
The time has come for a new ethos: henceforth, anyoneโespecially those seasoned veterans who have fed fat on the commonwealthโaspiring to any office must render a full, detailed, and verifiable account of their stewardship. They must, with unerring precision and incontestable evidence, disclose the quality and quantity of their contributions to the common good. Flowery rhetoric, vague promises, and empty platitudes will no longer suffice to beguile a discerning populace.
I solemnly admonish every citizen: be not seduced by the ephemeral trinkets and tokens that politicians hurl like crumbs before hungry subjects. These so-called “gifts” are nothing but Greek wooden horses, laced with treachery, designed to breach the citadel of our collective wisdomโmuch like the doomed city of Troy. Such blandishments are a calculated insult to our sensibilities and a means to enthrone the giver as a demi-god, while the people are reduced to vassals.
At this critical juncture, we must rise as sentinels of our own destiny. We must be wiser, more vigilant, and unyieldingly proactive. We must reject the beguiling wiles of seasoned deceivers who come cloaked in ephemeral generosity yet bear no record of genuine service. Let us sharpen our discernment, fortify our collective resolve, and at the appointed hour, use the sacred ballot box as an altar of justice, where betrayal is punished and true stewardship rewarded.
Let it be known far and wide: the days when politicians bestride our land like colossi, unchallenged and unrepentant, are drawing swiftly to a close. A new dawn beckonsโa season wherein only those who can account for every iota of their stewardship with integrity and transparency shall be deemed worthy of the people’s trust.
The jackals may roam for a season, but the reckoning is at hand.
