Why Vote????

    It is 7:00 pm, I am sitting in the dark at my dining table with my phone buzzing with pings at my side. The only light in the room is that radiated by my laptop and the background music a mix of generators in my estate and a question comes to mind WHY VOTE?

  

Legally I am an adult and one of my civic responsibilities is to vote but why should i? It never occurred to me before to vote it is just what it is. Do I follow campaigns, have a particular candidate I am cheering for or believe in I ponder, and the answer is no maybe that’s why I am not inclined to vote. I see people engaged in heated arguments, each with a salient point that often times seems ludicrous to me. Persons go about tearing down posters of other candidates, properties being vandalized, reputations tarnished, the truth or the perception of it being leaked about agendas and character, conspiracy theories thrown up and about. Basically grown men and women fighting like naughty children for a piece of candy but this fight is more brutal as lives are on the line. Maybe this question has been sprouting in my subconscious and I did not notice or mind till today WHY SHOULD I VOTE?

I believe in democracy, as people have a right to choose their leaders but what is the definition of leadership in our county today? What is the scale or the rules guiding our selection of those who rule us? Is it a popularity contest or an exalted pageantry showing us the glitz and glam not black, white or even gray? On which specter should we choose our leaders? I am young and naïve yes, but question do we choose our leaders based on kerosene, recharge cards, phones, Ankara, exercise book, bags of rice or biros? HOW DO WE CHOOSE? 

Nigeria in country age to me is a young adult and young men and women tend to see only the future it’s a stage in development where we work and strive for a better tomorrow.  It’s a stage to learn from those that have gone ahead of us and as a country we can only move ahead by having a great head. In medicine, if a patient is declared brain dead  all other organs including the heart is working just fine but the brain is not hence, the person is as good as dead after a while if organs are not harvested for transplant or the person pulled off life support infection occurs the person becomes septic and all organs fail. A leader is also the head, the cranium that shield the brain. IF I VOTE, HOW SHOULD I?

As I write, I realize that I was not as laid back about the issue of voting as I thought and as my frustration is almost spent, I leave with even more questions. Perhaps; I have grown up with the perception of a corrupt Nigeria where campaigns are done, the illusion of democracy given whilst the winners have been preappointed before time. A little side deal, a shake of hands, the rigging of ballot boxes and a leader appointed. Perhaps, I was just disappointed and didn’t want to go down the rabbit hole of hope in the integrity of my nation thinking that my one piece of paper can count or maybe I am waiting for the one and if there would be how would i know? DO I COUNT?