Plateau Youths Engagement in Dangerous Sycophancy

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We all know the existence of threatening poverty and unemployment courtesy of ineptitude of those in leadership. We are aware of what is expected from those in authority and those close to those on the corridors of power. We have been witnessing several Kannywood drama series on how leaders, trade unrefined lies just to deceive the people to believing falsehood.

We have seen how community leadership claimants misuse their trusted positions to shortchange their ignorant followers. We are witnesses to how leaders build empires with public funds and expect same shortchanged followers to remain loyal to their whims and caprices including dirty jobs of intimidating opponents and election rigging.

When talking about electoral rigging, no one bothers to talk of party primary elections because that is the reserve for the highest murderers of party democracy with slash funds.

Democracy offers several avenues for engaging the people, particularly the youth population most productively and positively to develop transferable skills towards ensuring that the society positively progresses. In doing so, the future is likely to see the youth taking over the affairs of state and continue to build on the bequeathed legacies of adorned leaders.

For instance, in Plateau State, when talking of adorned leaders one quickly remembers respected personalities the likes of Joseph Dechi Gomwalk, Arc. Danladi Shemu, Gen. Jeremiah Timbut Useni, Azi Nyako, Chief Solomon Daushep Lar, Yahaya Kwande, Ibrahim Nasiru Mantu, Joseph Tongjin, Micheal Hirse, Bagudu Mutle Hirse, Alh. Sule Rabo, Fidelis Na’anmiyap Tapgun, Hajia Ladi Nimlan, Ezekiel Selzing Yusuf, Sale Bayari, Sale Hassan, John Nandom Kum, Alh. Isa Garba Wase, Abubakar Agege, Prof. Dimis Mailafiya, Damishi Tonson Sango, Hannatu Chollom, Akaso Adudu, Amb. Suleman Yero Wase, Davou D.B Zang, Alh. Garba Pasali, Deacon Selcan Maina, Victor Lar, Steven Lar, Nanven Nimfel, Sati Gogwin, Amos Yaduksu Gizo, Justice Yakubu Idris, Sen. John Wash Pam, Alhassan Shu’aibu, Micheal Danbaki, Emmanuel Magnin, Lohsel Shagaya, Jibrin Zololo, Abdu Gobe Zantashi,Sen. Davou DB Zang, Danliti Gamandi, Alin Iliya, Alh. Bako Aladire, Musa Maipamdari, Inuwa Ali Iliya, Muhammadu Uchin, Ahmadu Arabi, Chief Bot Mang, Nicholas Selven Musa, Na’omi Jugu, Hannatu Chollom and several others.

Sycophancy from different views can never be of any good to any society that desires to progress be it state-sponsored or individually motivated as being witnessed.

In recent times Plateau State and its people in particular, have witnessed an unprecedented boom in a shameless display of sycophancy to the highest level. Sadly, a segment of society deems this archaic and primitively insulting and annoying attitude as sponsored either by government or drowning politicians with filthy wealth. This is but a scary development that must be abhorred and rejected by sensible minds irrespective of which side of the political spectrum one belongs.

A liberal democratic society is always expected to educate its young population on every aspect of acceptable growth. This can be in pursuance of economic interests, political ideologies, and technocracy. The youth in Plateau State with particular emphasis on Wase local government are known to be actively involved in several national and state-wide socio-political organizations. They occupy leadership roles and serve impeccably, but there is a need for a coordinated effort by all to stand firm and challenge the prevalent sycophantic boom ushering retrogression and laziness.

If indeed the present administration in Plateau State and Wase local government are focused as always claimed on enabling environment that supports the youth to self-reliance, then there is an urgent need for self correction.

Programs and projects must be put-in-place to facilitate and support the teeming youth wasting with all the necessary skills and capital or, let micro industries be established to employ the youth than transformation to propaganda machineries, political touts and commercial motorcycle operators and at best, drivers of tokunbo vehicles popularly known as ‘Delete All’.

For instance, if the government is genuinely willing to support social media influencers or digital and photojournalists to compete with their peers globally, they must have to be trained and given the necessary state-of-the-art equipment as proudly implemented by Bauchi State Governor, Sen. Bala Muhammed.

While setting the pace, Governor Bala Muhammed has provided over 20,000 hectres of virgin land for implementation of NALDA project. The once idling youth have since engaged themselves in farming to source a legitimate livelihood than idling away praise singing dullards as leaders.

It will not be difficult for NALDA programme to be implemented in Wase local government if there is the will because NALDA has a vast allocated farmland sand-witched between Lamba- Nasarawa along Bashar road which was put to use years back. It can be reactivated and reorganized for the good purpose.

But what is prevalent in Plateau State like in other places today is youth exploitation by shylock politicians and their junior ones in the murder of democracy. For the confidence of the people in government to be restored, sycophancy must be discouraged, discarded and abhorred as no responsible society can willingly set up to damage its future wet-asset for the transient benefit of a selected imposed logs.

Therefore, it is pertinent for the youths to wake up and understand what politics entails and participate fully, actively and with courage and determination based on genuinely nurtured positive ideologies that may tally with any brand of socialism anchored on self-confidence and fearlessness no matter the challenges and associated consequences.

The youth must not be cajoled with crocodile offers of some insignificant government appointments for tea and bread, at best ‘Tuwon gero miyar kuka/daddawar baso’. They should instead, demand for what rightly belongs to them from those that enjoy their mandate.

It is not a matter of getting employed by government but a matter of building a good future through legitimate means as the future of civil service is getting bleak. Not all can be employed or interested in government employment but the majority can be supported to build a bright future independently.

The youth must not be pushed to unholy acts for survival while their leaders are living in opulence and ostentatious living with their wards pursuing education in safer climes abroad, their spouses attending the best medical facilities in the world and leisure destinations.

A great government and privileged individuals in politics aim to create genuine job opportunities for its teeming youths, and by so doing, the rate of dangerous sycophancy, especially on social media platforms will reduce drastically. Town criers and their brothers, the street and dark corner praise singers will fizzle out automatically for the good of the society.

Sadly and unfortunately, praise singing of politicians has become the order of the day to access any Greek Gift from the shylock and gluttonous parasites that survive on our common patrimony masquerading as leaders, particularly those who belong to the ruling parties.

After all, the majority of the people of the state hold a view that these politicians are responsible for their worries and the existing dilapidated infrastructure littering the state including artificial poverty and unsubstantiated health challenges that have defied medical attention and research.

And to the people, particularly the electorates should understand the simple fact that being sycophantic, you are mortgaging your future and the future of coming generations. You should please take this as a clarion call to note that sycophancy unabated can never be part of the solution to your problems no matter how minute the problem. It is a problem to integrity and credibility itself.

Youths must stand up and be involved deeply. Let them take active part in all the political processes, occupy political party leadership roles, contest for all elective positions, try to form government always or be part of the government as a shareholder not only a stakeholder. Once in the right position, you can build yo ur tomorrow with confidence than praise singing failure for a bowl of porridge.

Muhammad is a commentator on national issues

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