This morning, Banji left his house at Obalende, ready to cast his vote and vote in the Nigeria he wanted regardless of his limitations. Banji had no job, no house and no car. He was a victim of the current government and his sole aim was to prevent the same cycle from repeating itself for the next four years in the ‘democracy’ that was his country: Nigeria.
Aminat also did the same. Hers was a different story. Her fiancé had been run over by the Governor’s convoy in an ‘accident’ all because he was using his column in the newspaper to call the Governor out for using state money to build houses ‘overseas’. A lawsuit had been filed against him. ‘Defamation’ they’d called it. A bag of money was delivered to his house: 50 million naira in ‘hard cash’. He refused it and lost his life on his way to court; in an ‘accident’. She was casting her vote for him. She spent last night at a friend’s house in Ikeja, so she’d be close to her polling center.
Chukwudi was a trader; an ardent advocate for Biafra. Yet, even he knew that Biafra was a far-off dream that might never become a reality. So, he left his house in Lekki yesterday and slept in his shop at Eko market so he’d be close to his polling center. He was casting his vote for a ‘better’ Nigeria.
In like manner, Commando left his house today, his boys in tow. Today was the election day and he being just like the others, was headed for the polling center. He wasn’t going to vote. He had boxes in his van: ballot boxes. With forged ballot papers. And the name of just one candidate on them. The incumbent. There were many ‘Commandos’ on the streets today.
The d-day had come. Nigerians came out. Votes were cast. Hopes raised. Boxes numbered. But one thing was sure, a winner was announced: the ‘people’s’ choice.
NOTE: (This is a little something in the spirit of the upcoming Nigerian elections. Say no to election malpractice and yes to a free and fair democracy)
Image from Pexels.com by @element5digital (@pexels)
https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-dropping-paper-on-box-1550337/ …
