The selfish game of politics.

A few months ago, I traveled to my hometown and my time there coincided with the period of national elections. The presidential and national assembly elections were three days away.

The campaigns were at the peak in order for candidates to renew the assurance from their supporters before the election.

During my journey, I was about half a kilometer away when I started seeing billboards mounted by the roadside. By the time I got into the town, posters bearing the images of different contestants flooded every public space like the body of electricity poles, political party secretariats and in front of homes.

I saw people gathered around a public figure, dancing and singing. The number of policemen that I saw around hinted to me that one of the political figures was in town to wrap up his campaign.

Despite not having interest in the politics of my country and state for many reasons, part of which this article will mention soon, I still find it a point of duty to listen to their promises to the people, especially those seeking reelection like the contestant dancing with the electorates.

I dropped my bag at home immediately and went to the campaign ground to watch the politician talk. My arrival there coincided with the time of speech by the politician.

"My people! My people!!" The serving senator who was seeking reelection turned right and left to call the attention of the crowd. "I thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you. I am seeking support to represent you fruitfully for another four years. I will continue to give you quality representation. I will invest in youth empowerment. Market men and women won't be left out. I will assist the farmers with the latest technology to enhance agricultural outputs." He continued to reel out his promises while the people including hundreds of unemployed youths cheered on. I could see children around too, majority of which were out school.

"As a token to get your body system hydrated after defying this scorching sun to show your valued loyalty and support, I have dropped the sum of 500000 naira to be shared among everyone here. There are bags of rice for onward sharing too." The people went agog for the announcement of handouts.

I expected someone to ask him to give an account of his four years stewardship before seeking a fresh mandate but nobody did. I was new in town and all I wanted to achieve was to listen to the politician's speech. I could use whatever information I get to sensitize close friends and family in making a choice of who to vote for.

People were jumping over themselves to receive their share of the money and a bag of 5kg rice each when I returned home. Though all that transpired wasn't a surprise to me, I thought that the people have realized the antics of politicians using their predicaments to play political games.

The senator spent four years earlier making promises and seeking their support. They supported him to win the seat but he neglected them like trash when he got to office. The people became a tool for electing leaders while the dividend of democracy is for a privileged few.

The people are kept in abject poverty in order to make them continuously value handouts. Their situation was like a cock that the feather is being removed while it is being fed with corn by the same agent removing its feather.

Many citizens became hopeless and doing everything to emigrate from Nigeria to a clime where the citizens held public figure accountable. It was this reason that I gave up on the politics of the country.

I got home and played a song by Lucky Dube. In the song titled political game, he starts by asking the leaders why they lie with a straight face while people cry.

"How do you feel when you lie?

Straight faced while people cry

How do you feel when you promise something

That you know you'll never do ..."